Status of Arizona Coordinated Resource Management Efforts

Field Groups for Ranch Planning

Arizona Strip• Agencies & Groups: AZSLD, BLM, CE, NRCD, NRCS

and USFS• Number of CRM ranches: 6• Notes: The agencies do not meet on a regular

schedule. Individuals work together on a case by case basis as needed depending upon the ranch that is being planned or monitored. Three CRM plans are currently being developed.

Flagstaff• Agencies & Groups: NRCS and USFS• Number of CRM ranches: 2• Notes: There has been no scheduled meeting of

the agencies to discuss planning efforts. Two plans have been developed with another plan at the beginning stages.

Lower Mohave County• Last met: 4/15/08• Agencies & Groups: AZG&FD, AZSLD, BLM, CE, NRCD and

NRCS • Number of CRM ranches: 4• Notes: Currently working on one large plan.

Navajo County • Last met: 9/7/06• Number of attendees: 9• Agencies & Groups (# of representatives): AG&FD (3),

ranchers (2), USFS (2), ASLD (1) and NRCS (1)• Number of CRM ranches: 3• Notes: The group meets as needed on a ranch by ranch

basis. NRCS, AG&FD, ASLD & USFS are currently working on large scale brush management over three ranches encompassing almost an entire watershed.

Prescott • Last met: 1/07• Number of attendees: 21• Agencies & Groups (# of representatives): USFS (12), NRCS

(6), ranchers (2) and AZG&FD (1)• Number of CRM ranches: 3• Notes: Currently, 5 ranches are being planned involving NRCS,

USFS & BLM.

Springerville• Notes: No planning group exists at this time. The Forest

Service has encouraged it’s permitees to begin CRM planning processes on their ranches and 12 are currently signed up as interested.

• Tonto • Last met: 5/22/07• Number of attendees: 25• Agencies & Groups (# of representatives): NRCS (12), USFS

(9), Gila County Cattle Growers (3), AZG&FD (1), CE (1) and NRCD (1)

• Number of CRM ranches: 34• Notes: 8 new CRM planning efforts are in place for this year.

Tucson • Last met: 8/13/08• Number of attendees: 16• Agencies & Groups (# of representatives): NRCS (4), AZSLD

(4), Pima Co. (4) BLM (2), AZG&FD (1) and CE (1) • Number of CRM ranches: 10• Notes: This group meets yearly, in the fall. A quarter of the

ranches on the work group list were developed using the CRM planning method. There are 37 potential CRM planning efforts listed by the group.

Willcox • Last met: 8/12/08• Number of attendees: 16• Agencies & Groups (# of representatives): NRCS (5),

AZG&FD (5), USFS (1), AZSLD (2), BLM (2) and CE (1) • Number of CRM ranches: 13• Notes: This group meets yearly, generally in the fall.

Coordination is mostly centered upon monitoring efforts on existing cooperative plans. A quarter of the listed ranches are planned using the CRM format. There are 44 potential CRM planning efforts listed by the group.

Inventory & Assessment of Current Watershed Scale Planning &

Implementation Efforts

Watershed Scale Efforts

Bill WilliamsBig Sandy NRCD

Bill Williams River Corridor Steering Committee

Chino Winds NRCDCocopai RC&D Council

Hualapai TribeKingman Habitat Partnership Committee

Lower Colorado River RC&D CouncilLower Mohave County CRM Field Group

Prescott CRM Field GroupPrescott Habitat Partnership Committee

Triangle NRCDWickenburg NRCD

Colorado/Grand CanyonArizona Strip CRM Field Group

Big Sandy NRCDCoconino NRCD

Coconino Plateau Water Advisory County Committee

Cocopai RC&D CouncilFlagstaff CRM Field Group

Forage Resource Study GroupFredonia Habitat Partnership Committee

Fredonia NRCDHavasupai TribeHualapai NRCDHualapai Tribe

Kaibab-Paiute TribesKingman Habitat Partnership Committee

Little Colorado River SWCDLittlefield-Hurricane Valley NRCD

Lower Colorado River RC&D CouncilLower Mohave County CRM Field Group

Navajo Mountain SWCDNavajo Nation

Navajo Nation RC&D CouncilNorthwest Arizona Watershed Council

Salinity Control Forum

Little Colorado/San JuanAlpine-Springerville Habitat Partnership

CommitteeApache NRCDChinle SWCD

Coconino NRCDCocopai RC&D Council

Diablo TrustFlagstaff CRM Field Group

Flagstaff-Williams Habitat Partnership CommitteeForage Resource Study Group

Fort Defiance SWCDGreater Flagstaff Forest Partnership

Hopi TribeLittle Colorado River Plateau RC&D Council

Little Colorado River SWCDLittle Colorado River Watershed Coordinating

CouncilMoenkopi NRCD

Navajo County CRM Field GroupNavajo County NRCD

Navajo Mountain SWCDNavajo Nation

Navajo Nation RC&D CouncilShiprock SWCD

Show Low Creek Watershed Enhancement Partnership

Show Low Habitat Partnership CommitteeSilver Creek Advisory Commission

Upper Little Colorado River Watershed PartnershipWinslow Habitat Partnership Committee

Zuni Pueblo

Lower Colorado/Lower GilaBard NRCD

Big Sandy NRCDBuckeye Valley NRCD

Cocopah TribeColorado River Tribes

Coronado RC&D CouncilFort Mohave TribeGila Bend NRCD

Hohokam RC&D CouncilKingman Habitat Partnership Committee

Laguna NRCDLower Colorado River RC&D Council

Lower Mohave County CRM Field GroupNorthwest Arizona Watershed Council

Parker Valley NRCDQuechan Tribe

Salinity Control ForumSouthwest Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee

Tohono O’odham NationTohono O’odham SWCD

Wellton-Mohawk Valley NRCDWickenburg NRCD

Yuma Heritage CrossingYuma NRCD

Middle Gila/Agua FriaAgua Fria-New River NRCD

Buckeye Valley NRCDChino Winds NRCD

Cocopai RC&D CouncilEast Maricopa NRCD

Florence-Coolidge NRCDGila Bend NRCD

Gila River Indian CommunityGila River NRCD

Hohokam RC&D CouncilLower Colorado River RC&D Council

Pima/Pinal/Santa Cruz CRM Field GroupPrescott CRM Field Group

Prescott Habitat Partnership CommitteeSalt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community

San Carlos Apache NRCDSan Carlos Tribes

Southern Yavapai Water Advisory GroupTonto NRCD

Triangle NRCDUpper Agua Fria Watershed Partnership

Wickenburg NRCDWinkleman NRCD

SaltApache NRCD

Coronado RC&D CouncilEast Maricopa NRCD

Hohokam RC&D CouncilNorthern Gila County Water Planning Alliance

Payson Natural Resources CommitteeSalt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community

San Carlos Apache NRCDSan Carlos Apache TribesTonto CRM Field Group

Tonto NRCDWhite Mountain Apache NRCDWhite Mountain Apache Tribes

Yavapai-Apache Nation

San Pedro/San BernardinoCampomocho-Sacaton Watershed Group

Cochise CRM Field GroupCommunity Watershed Alliance

Coronado RC&D CouncilGila Valley NRCD

Graham/Greenlee CRM Field GroupHay Mountain Working Group

Hereford NRCDHohokam RC&D Council

Malpai Borderlands GroupRedington NRCD

San Carlos Apache NRCDSan Carlos Apache Tribes

Santa Cruz NRCDTucson CRM Field Group

Upper San Pedro PartnershipWhitewater Draw NRCDWillcox-San Simon NRCD

Winkleman NRCD

Santa CruzAltar Valley Conservation Alliance

Canelo Hills CoalitionCienega Corridor Conservation Council

Cienega Watershed PartnershipCoronado RC&D Council

Eloy NRCDFriends of Sonoita Creek

Friends of the Santa Cruz RiverGila Bend NRCD

Gila River Indian CommunityGila River NRCD

Hohokam RC&D CouncilPascua Yaqui Tribe

Pima Association of Governments Watershed Planning SubcommitteePima NRCD

Pima/Pinal/Santa Cruz CRM Field GroupSanta Cruz NRCD

San Xavier CommunitySonoita Valley Planning Partnership

Tohono O’odham NationTohono O’odham SWCD

Tucson Habitat Partnership CommitteeWest Pinal NRCD

Upper GilaApache NRCD

Cochise CRM Field GroupCoronado RC&D Council

Gila Valley NRCDGila Watershed Partnership

Graham/Greenlee CRM Field GroupHohokam RC&D Council

Little Colorado River Plateau RC&D CouncilMalpai Borderlands Group

Safford Habitat Partnership CommitteeSan Carlos Apache NRCDSan Carlos Apache TribesTonto CRM Field Group

Upper Eagle Creek/Blue River Watershed AssociationWhitewater Draw NRCDWillcox-San Simon NRCD

VerdeChino Winds NRCD

Citizens Water Advocacy GroupCoconino NRCD

Cocopai RC&D CouncilEast Maricopa NRCD

Flagstaff CRM Field GroupFlagstaff-Williams Habitat Partnership Committee

Forage Resource Study GroupFort McDowell Yavapai Nation

Hohokam RC&D CouncilHyde Mountain Vista Group

Oak Creek Canyon Task ForcePayson Natural Resources Committee

Prescott Creeks Preservation AssociationPrescott CRM Field Group

Prescott Habitat Partnership CommitteeStewards of Public LandsTonto CRM Field Group

Tonto NRCDVerde NRCD

Verde River Citizens AllianceVerde Watershed Association

Yavapai-Apache NationYavapai County Water Advisory Committee

Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe

Highlighted Resource Management Efforts

Bill Williams (ADEQ lead)• The Bill Williams River Corridor Steering Committee

is an existing entity that is actively carrying out conservation planning and implementation in the Bill Williams watershed. The Group feels that this effort needs to be encouraged and where possible, strengthened by AZ CRM.

Colorado/Grand Canyon (NRCS lead)• There is no single example of coordinated

conservation representing the entire Watershed that currently exists. Various groups have limited interests in specific portions of the Watershed. It was mentioned that the Salinity Control Forum is the group that meets regularly and does have an interest over the entire watershed, though this area is only a portion of their entire area of concern. It was agreed that the Arizona Strip, Flagstaff and Lower Mohave County CRM Field Groups need to be reinvigorated to encourage the CRM planning process in this area.

Little Colorado/San Juan (ADEQ lead) • The Little Colorado River Watershed Coordinating Council

meets regularly to plan and discuss conservation needs in this area. AZ CRM needs to stay in touch with its effort and assist where it can.

Lower Colorado/Lower Gila (NRCS lead)• There is no single example of coordinated conservation

representing the entire Watershed that currently exists. The Lower Mohave County CRM Field Group includes a portion of the far north, and is beginning to become reinvigorated in the CRM ranch planning process. Challenges in this watershed include the fact that the water rights at this point are fully appropriated and activity seems to be centered upon operation and maintenance. Other challenges arise from the ephemeral nature of many of the grazing lands in this area and the large tracts of military lands in the southern portion.

Middle Gila/Agua Fria (NRCS lead)• There is no single example of coordinated conservation

representing the entire Watershed that currently exists. Various groups have limited interests in specific portions of the Watershed. The Pima/Pinal/Santa Cruz CRM Field Group is effective and active yet covers only the southeast third of this Watershed. The Prescott CRM Field Group covers the north third of this area and it is starting to become effective.

Salt (ADEQ lead)• There is no single example of coordinated conservation

representing the entire Watershed that currently exists. Various groups have limited interests in specific portions of the Watershed. Representing the western half of the area, the Tonto CRM Field Group represents the most active and widespread CRM effort currently taking place. The rest of the watershed could be represented by a coordinated effort between, the San Carlos and White Mountain Apache Tribes along with a CRM Field Group effort based out of Springerville, which currently does not exist.

San Pedro/San Bernardino (BLM lead) • There are three groups who are actively planning and

meeting in this Watershed though individually, each one encompasses only a portion of the whole. Together, the three groups’ areas of interest make up most of the Watershed area. These three groups are the Community Watershed Alliance, Malpai Borderlands Group and the Upper San Pedro Partnership. The work of these Groups should be encouraged and strengthened by AZ CRM.

Santa Cruz (NRCS lead)• Two active groups have areas of concern that

encompass this Watershed. The two groups are the Friends of the Santa Cruz River and the Pima Association of Governments Watershed Planning Subcommittee. These groups should be encouraged in their conservation efforts where appropriate by AZ CRM.

Upper Gila (BLM lead) • The Gila Watershed Partnership is an

active, effective effort towards resource conservation that works in their Watershed area. This group should be encouraged and strengthened by AZ CRM.

Verde (AZG&F lead) • The Verde Watershed Association and the

Yavapai County Water Advisory Committee are active groups meeting regularly on resource related issues in this Watershed area. These groups need to be encouraged by AZ CRM.

Recommendations

• Create, Encourage, or Keep Out of the Way?