Group seeks Wild & Scenic designation for Verde River

Steve Ayers

COTTONWOOD - In 1984, a 40-mile stretch of the Verde River, running from Beasley Flat downstream to Red Creek, became the state's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River.

The designation provides a level of protection for what have been coined "outstandingly remarkable values" -- values such as the river's unique fish population and the fact it is a flowing desert stream, along with its scenery, cultural sites and recreational potential.

At the same time, consideration was given to the upper portion of the river -- upstream from Clarkdale to the headwaters.

For a variety of reasons, political and otherwise, consideration was dropped. However, it was not forgotten.

For the last few years, a group of people has kept the idea alive, working quietly to build consensus among the state and federal agencies, ranchers and private landowners, whose responsibilities and livelihoods are tied to the river.

A couple of months ago, the group received what can only be described as a welcome break, when Salt River Project and the communities of Prescott and Prescott Valley signed a historic agreement pledging to work cooperatively to protect flows to the river.

One of the elements of that agreement was a pledge to cooperate in getting the long-sought Wild and Scenic designation for the upper reach of the river.

On Wednesday, those folks who have kept the dream alive presented their first draft of a proposed plan for Wild and Scenic designation at a meeting of the Verde Watershed Association.

As proposed, the Wild and Scenic designation would extend from the last 1.5-mile reach of Granite Creek, downstream to where the Verde River crosses the border of the Prescott National Forest, including the lower four miles of Sycamore Creek below Parson Springs.

As proposed, it would include approximately 30 miles of wild river, 10 miles of scenic river and about eight miles designated for recreational use.

"This is a working draft that we are sending out for comment," says Gary Beverly, a member of the steering committee working on the proposal. "We realize we must balance the proposal between protecting the outstandingly remarkable values of the river and making it happen politically."

With those political realities in mind, the draft is markedly different from other Wild and Scenic proposals.

For starters, those working to bring it to fruition have made a point of building consensus among those most affected. And perhaps the most affected group is the ranchers and cattlemen with grazing allotments along the river.

In the past, they have been counted among groups opposing Wild and Scenic designations.

Beverly, who has a doctorate in physical chemistry, but spent most of his career as a small businessman, notes that the group's approach is centered on lessening the impact on top stakeholders along the river.

"I have a pragmatic attitude about these things," Beverly says. "Ranchers are small businessmen. I'm a small businessman. We all struggle. And the real truth is most of them are good custodians of the land. We just want to stay out of their way."

Typically, the borders of a Wild and Scenic River designation are, as Beverly puts it, drawn like one would stroke a half-mile paint bush down the center of the river, with a rigidly defined border, a quarter mile wide on each side.

Instead, for the upper river, the proposed border would follow the rim of the river canyon, where it exists or, where it doesn't, define it by the 100-year floodplain.

"The idea of drawing a half-mile-wide boundary on a map without respect to what's on the ground is foolish," Beverly says. "I found out we could draw a boundary along clearly defined physical features."

In the 1990s, Prescott National Forest prohibited grazing of cattle along the river. Most grazing allotments terminate at the river's rim. By drawing the line at the rim, the group has managed to eliminate any effects on 11 of the 13 grazing allotments that border the river.

"We also believe the designation would work to alleviate some of the problems ranchers must deal with from irresponsible campers and illegal and destructive off-road vehicle users," Beverly says.

Beverly told the members of the VWA on Wednesday that the proposal is headed out to several agencies responsible for the management of the river and that his group has been meeting with private property owners and ranchers.

"After we have incorporated everyone's comments and suggestions, we will send the proposal to Congress, and at that point it will go out to the public for their comments and suggestion," Beverly says. 

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Source: http://verdenews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=35525

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