Huachuca Audubon Society Conservation Committee

Conservation News

Volunteers test river water quality (Photo: Tiffany Sprague, 2011)
Water is quickly becoming the focal point of discussions about our future worldwide: its availability, its quality, its distribution and uses. It is no longer just a topic associated with impoverished African countries like Burkina Faso or despotic arrogance like Stalin's river-reversal project; developed nations like Australia and the United States are facing increasing challenges to meet growing demand for water and maintain its quality.

Here in Cochise County, we're fortunate to have a flowing river, the San Pedro, and a conservation area protecting it, the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA). We have a riparian ecosystem that we can monitor, measure, learn from, and take steps to conserve as we continue to balance human needs with those of our natural environment. In fact, that was the very topic of the last World Water Day on March 22: Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge. And that was the very day that a group called the Upper San Pedro Water Sentinels, born from the partnering of the Huachuca Audubon Society (HAS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Friends of the San Pedro River (FSPR) under the auspices of the Sierra Club, set out on its second event of 2011.

The Water Sentinels are a citizen scientist group who participate in a program focused on three projects: river cleanup and rehabilitation, water quality testing, and well water-level monitoring.

The first event undertaken by the group occurred last December, when teams of volunteers walked along the San Pedro from the Mexican border to the Highway 92 Bridge and collected trash. The second river segment slated for this activity stretches from the Hereford Bridge to Hunter Wash.

The second type of project the Water Sentinels engage in - water quality testing - was officially started when volunteers from the Sierra Vista, Benson, and Bisbee area gathered in January for training provided by Steve Pawlowski, the Sierra Club Water Sentinels Program Coordinator from Phoenix; Dr. Channah Rock, Water Quality Specialist from the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center; and BLM hydrologist Paul Brown. Sandy Bahr, the Conservation Outreach Director of the Sierra Club's Grand Canyon Chapter gave an engaging welcome speech and set the tone for this dedicated effort.

Five sampling sites were selected for water monitoring along the upper San Pedro River: in Palominas, upstream of the Highway 92 bridge; at the Hereford bridge; at the San Pedro House; at Charleston bridge; and at the Highway 82 bridge near Fairbank.

Each sampling site will be monitored quarterly in 2011. The first monitoring event was held on February 10 by three teams led by Tricia Gerrodette, Ted Mouras, and Dutch Nagle. Steve Pawlowski was also on hand to assist with the test equipment; he would also collect the test samples at the end of the day.

The purpose of these outings is to measure water quality through parameters like water temperature, dissolved oxygen content, total dissolved solids, pH, and conductivity. Flow is also noted, along with the color and odor of the water, any debris present; and photos are taken to complete the record. The other important activity is the collection of grab samples: dipping a sterile container in the river, capping, labeling, and putting it in a cooler for transportation. The grab samples are taken to a Tucson laboratory for E. coli testing.

The third Water Sentinels project is the monitoring of groundwater levels, using a special measuring tape, in 13 wells at Murray Springs for the BLM. Groundwater data collection by the volunteers began in February and will continue monthly throughout the year. The aim is to keep a close eye on groundwater levels that may threaten the artifacts at the Clovis archeological site.

The Water Sentinels invite everyone interested in learning more about these projects and/or participating in any or all of them to contact the FSPR at (520) 459-2555 or visit www.sanpedroriver.org.

Éva Nagy

(NOTE: Adobe Acrobat Reader available free from Adobe for reading PDF files)

Last updated: 09 April 2011 by REW.