Natural Resource Planning and Assessment

AWPF Project Evaluations

Arizona Department of Water Resources

AWPF has funded riparian enhancement projects over the past 10 years. The purpose of this two-year project was to evaluate each project for effectiveness, successful practices, and overall benefit to riparian resources. The information will be used to steer future AWPF projects.

Black Canyon Riparian Restoration Project

Black Canyon City Community Association  

The project calls for excavation, revegetation and construction of water control structures to restore 7.9 acres of riparian habitat.  NCD is supplying survey work and design plans.

Cottonwood Creek Restoration Project

Coronado RC & D

This project included installation of 750-800 rock structures throughout the Cottonwood Creek watershed uplands, and the development and implementation of grazing management and fencing plans, to increase the duration of annual stream flow and the enhancement of watershed riparian areas.

Culvert Design on Unimproved Roads on the Navajo Nation

Bureau of Indian Affairs

A manual for technicians to appropriately determine the size, number, and layout of culverts on unimproved roads on the Navajo Nation. The protocols were developed to design culverts that would maintain sediment transport in these systems to maintain stream function and lower maintenance costs.

Hart Prairie Permeable Road

The Nature Conservancy

Compaction of existing unpaved roads restricted the subsurface flow of wetland meadows. The project included design of a road with permeable sections to maintain natural hydrology.

Hopi Springs

Hopi Tribal Water Resources

Three historic springs (Toreva, Lemeva, Bacavi) on the Hopi Mesas were degraded due to erosion and sedimentation generated from poor drainage from adjacent residential areas.  The project included redesigning local drainage to protect springs in a manner consistent with local and architectural norms.

Hotevilla Springs Sediment Reduction

The Hopi Tribe  

Hotevilla Springs is an important water source for the village of Hotevilla.  Its waters have historically been utilized for the irrigation of terrace gardens and religious ceremonies.  Currently the spring’s water quality is impaired due to erosion from the surrounding village.  NCD has been asked to provide an assessment and design to address erosion-induced water quality issues.

M-Diamond Ranch Erosion Control

M-Diamond Ranch

Erosion control and spillway design for an existing livestock tank in central Arizona.

Rainbow Lake

Show Low Creek Watershed Enhancement Partnership

Rainbow Lake is a small reservoir in the urban areas of Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona. The site is perfect to showcase alternative stormwater practices. A vegetated barrier of native willows was designed and installed to reduce nutrient inflow to the lake and provide a successful example of the practice for local landowners.

Santa Clara River Master Plan

Washington County Water Conservancy District

This master planning effort included 40 miles of the Santa Clara River in the communities of St. George and Santa Clara, Utah. The plan included recommendations for stable stream channel morphology, transportation corridors, land uses, bank stabilization practices, development restrictions, habitat enhancement sites, and identified problem areas.

Southwest Willow Flycatcher Habitat Demonstration

Washington County Water Conservancy District.

This project includes the demonstration of methods for private landowners along the Virgin River to enhance riparian habitat to benefit the Willow flycatcher.

Virgin River - Fort Pearce Wash Master Plans

Washington County Water Conservancy District 

This master planning effort included 8 miles of the Virgin River and 5 miles of Fort Pearce Wash in the communities of St. George and Washington, Utah. The plan included recommendations for stable stream channel morphology, transportation corridors, land uses, bank stabilization practices, development restrictions, habitat enhancement sites, as well as identification of problem areas.

Washington County Programmatic Biological Assessment

Natural Resources Conservation Service - Utah 

Preparation of a programmatic Biological Assessment to cover more than 80 various NRCS practices funded under the Farm Bill programs on private properties in Washington County, Utah.  The biological assessment covered three endangered fish species and two endangered riparian birds.

Watson Woods Stormwater Management (319 Project)

Prescott Creeks Association 

Uncontrolled stormwater flow from an upgraded highway was creating erosion and sedimentation in the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve in Prescott, Arizona. The project designed an appropriate method for conveying stormwater from higher elevations down to Granite Creek in the Preserve.