Water Resources Education Assessment - Watershed Groups

In recent years a number of watershed groups have been formed in rural portions of Arizona with help and facilitation in start-up from the Arizona Department of Water Resources and/or the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. They have usually been a result of water-related issues and the need to develop programs to address issues.

Purpose and description: A typical mission statement of one of the watershed groups is: "This group is founded on the principle that wise and sustainable use of water resources is best accomplished by a voluntary association of members of the watershed communities, working together to understand both the watershed and each other. Such understanding will be the basis for resolving conflicts and promoting cooperative use of the water resources."

Participants include interested private citizens, interest and user groups, businesses, and representatives of local, state, and federal agencies having water and watershed responsibilities in the area. An outreach effort is used to identify issues that are important to stakeholders; then an approach is developed to address these issues. Often this requires obtaining additional scientific data on water and watershed resources. Recently, the Arizona Rural Watershed Initiatives program has been providing some funds for these scientific studies. The eventual goal is development of water management plans by local interests who will be affected by the plans.

Outreach includes providing general water resource information, as well as up to date information on specific issues that currently exist or which are expected to develop with projected growth. A variety of methods have been used, including public open houses, workshops, seminars, exhibits at fairs or other public events, presentations to interest or civic groups, newspaper articles, radio and TV spots or interviews, watershed group newsletters, web sites, etc.

Audience: In addition to the general public, it is important that elected officials receive the information, e.g., city councils, boards of supervisors, local legislators. Some information is provided through schools; however, the primary efforts are usually at the general (adult) public and decision-makers. There are currently 15 watershed groups covering most of the rural portions of the state. Their age varies from 7-8 years or more to some just formed. Outreach has been more detailed and comprehensive in those with a longer tenure.

Impacts: Outreach through the watershed groups has been successful in reaching the state legislature and obtaining funding for scientific studies. For example in FY 2001, an off-budget year (the Arizona legislature appropriates two-year budgets), out of only $6 million available for all discretionary activities by state agencies (and more than $100 million in agency requests) the legislature appropriated $500 thousand for the Rural Watershed Initiative. Outreach in educating the general public and obtaining participation has had variable success. In areas of the more active and longer tenured watershed groups the general public understanding of water resources and issues has been enhanced and citizens commonly discuss the water situation with their local officials and each other.

Funding: Outreach and education programs are funded in a variety of ways. In several of the longer tenured groups external funding has been used to supplement local contributions or revenues generated from memberships. Considerable volunteer labor has commonly been a part of the effort.

Lessons learned: A coordinated and combined effort from the watershed groups working together can be effective in educating elected officials, even though more than 80 percent of the state's population and legislators are from urban areas. Most members of the general public are quite busy and prefer methods of communication, which allow them to access it from home and at their convenience. Newsletters, newspaper articles, and web sites seem to reach many more people than public meetings or displays.

Specific information is provided for two of the longer tenured groups.

A. Upper San Pedro Partnership

The Upper San Pedro Partnership was formed so that local citizens, groups, and government agencies could work together to develop and implement a San Pedro Conservation Plan. Maintaining the San Pedro as a free flowing river while increasing growth in the basin expands the use of ground water is a primary issue. The partnership organization includes an outreach committee, which develops and implements the outreach plan. Newspaper articles, public information sessions, etc. have been used. Currently an aggressive effort is scheduled for the next six-month period. It includes development of tri-fold informational brochures, preparation of an annual report for distribution to the public and media, condensation of the annual report into a newspaper insert, followed by a series of public workshops throughout the watershed.

Audience: general public and decision-makers. Want to inform those interested in and affected by water resource decisions so that they can participate if they choose.

Impacts: outreach efforts to elected officials have resulted in Congressman Jim Kolbe obtaining federal funding for both study and implementation portions of the effort. Although there is not a uniform agreement on solutions, there is an enhanced public awareness of water resource issues.

Lessons learned: the Upper San Pedro group reported on a recent public survey to determine preference for means of receiving information. The survey found web sites to be the most favored with newspapers second, radio and TV intermediate, and travel to a location to view exhibits or hear presentations being the least favored. Having implementation of some specific implementation projects approved or underway helps to maintain public interest and participation in the effort.

B. Verde Watershed Association

Through its Education and Outreach Committee the Verde Watershed Association (VWA) provides education on water and watershed resources and issues in the Verde watershed. For the last several years this has included a monthly newsletter which includes brief "capsules" of water news, reports of VWA activities and "white papers" providing more in-depth coverage of selected issues or water topics. In addition there is a web site with linkage to a number of other water resource sites. The VWA has also worked to further public education by facilitating and hosting public meetings on several water issues, including presentations on TMDL studies (Total Maximum Daily Load) by ADEQ, and Southwestern willow flycatcher critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act with the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Officers of the VWA have given presentations on water resources and issues to a wide variety of groups in the area. In one six month period the chairman and vice-chairmen gave presentations to audiences totaling more than 2,000 people. Meetings of the VWA are held monthly in locations throughout the watershed from Prescott to the Verde Valley to Pine. Educational presentations on water topics are usually a part of these meetings. The Natural Resource Committee also holds monthly meetings across the watershed and addresses technical water items. These meetings are also open to the public with some general public attendance, depending on the particular subject and meeting location.

Audience: the general public and, most especially, those interested in and/or affected by water resource activities and decisions. With the help of outside funding, the mailing list for the monthly newsletter grew to about 4,000. Currently, with that funding gone, the mailing list of paid members has been sharply reduced.

Impacts: favorable verbal and written responses to monthly newsletter. Public interest in water issues has led to Yavapai County formation of a Water Advisory Committee, representing local governments and Indian Tribes, with an associated Technical Advisory Committee. Several members of the leadership of VWA were appointed to the Technical Advisory Committee.

Funding: For several years, funding of the newsletter came from a grant with the Bureau of Reclamation. Currently, funds are derived through paid memberships from individuals, businesses, and governmental agencies. VWA has attained nonprofit status through the IRS and can receive grants and tax-deductible donations.

Lessons learned: Most members of the general public are more likely to attend public meetings and actively participate if they feel threatened in some way and feel a need to mobilize. If they believe that someone is adequately representing their interests, they are less likely to take the effort to come to meetings. Convenience is important in terms of receiving information. The newsletter has been widely read and the web site used frequently. However, only a small fraction of the individuals who receive information in this manner attend public meetings or presentations.

Website: http://vrbp.org/ (merged with VRPB)