Join a one-hour online meeting Thursday, Oct. 15, starting at 11 a.m., when Victoria Hermosilla will give an overview of water-related challenges shared by communities of the Cobre Valley: Globe, Miami and nearby incorporated areas. Hermosilla coordinates the Cobre Valley Watershed Partnership. She graduated from the University of Arizona’s Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences in 2019 with a Master’s degree and a graduate certificate of water policy. She brings over six years as a professional hydrologist and two years assisting with water policy work to the partnership. She has worked to build on the collaborative work started by, and continuously supported by, the Water Resources Research Center.

Reliable water that’s safe to drink, contamination, aging water infrastructure, a push for environmental considerations - for these and more reasons the local watershed partnership seeks to bring together stakeholders from a wide variety of backgrounds. The goal is a Watershed Action Plan with a clear vision, well-defined goals, viable projects and robust support from the communities in the Cobre Valley. Are you aware of the Pinal Creek Trails Group’s effort to create a demonstration trail on reclaimed mining property, one component of a master recreation plan for the region? Tune in Thursday to join the discussion. The partnership seeks to be a central hub for ideas and organization in the greater community. The Watershed Action Plan is being developed as the primary document where all information about the region’s background, current conditions and projects is coalesced for the community and in support of existing government policies. This presentation is not only to share the partnership’s progress, but also engage the community with ideas and vision.

The online link for Thursday’s 11 a.m. meeting is: arizona.zoom.us/j/95194988592 or email moderator Chris Jones at ckjones@arizona.edu for the link, and to be added to his invitation list for this and future discussions.

Mark your calendar for the third annual Cobre Valley Water Forum online both mornings Nov. 12-13, with the theme “Healthy Forests, Healthy Watershed.” Please register at:  
wrrc.arizona.edu/cobre-valley-water-2020
Local and Regional Experts

Hear from local and regional experts about how healthy forests and uplands contribute to the overall health of the Cobre Valley Watershed in southern Gila County. This virtual event is hosted by the Cobre Valley Watershed Partnership in collaboration with the University of Arizona Gila County Cooperative Extension and Water Resources Research Center.

A watershed is a deceptively simple concept - an area of land that drains water into streams and rivers. Smaller bodies of water flow into larger ones. In our case, the Cobre Valley Watershed is made up of multiple creeks and waterways that drain into the Salt River and Roosevelt Lake - a river system that serves millions of people. Watershed health and function are dependent on the many activities within its boundaries. Forests play an important role in this tightly knit ecological and hydrologic system. Wildfires and the resulting loss of vegetation can significantly reduce a forest’s ability to regulate the flow of water during and after rainstorms. Similarly, trails and dirt roads have an impact on the flow of water; poorly maintained or designed tracks can contribute to damaging erosion and flooding issues.

The November forum is a chance to find out more about why forest health matters to the Cobre Valley Watershed. Engage with local experts and regional stakeholders and add your voice to help identify the benefits of and threats to the forest-to-watershed relationship and develop local strategies to address watershed health. In a year of exceptionally damaging wildfires throughout Arizona and the West, it’s high time to talk about forest and watershed health in the Cobre Valley.

Survey respondents last year chose these as future Cobre Valley Watershed goals:

* Developing a comprehensive water budget, including environment requirements, based on recent hydrologic data;

* Developing an inventory with clear instructions on what data is needed and how the information will be used;

* Setting framework for private-public partnerships for long-term water supply resilience;

* Increasing the benefits of water recycling by high-quality treatment using reclaimed water; and

* Connecting trails and building safe trails to expand tourism options and attract more people to the region.