We now recognize the Verde River as one of the most important ecological resources in the Southwest, as the only surviving perennial river in Arizona. For details, download "Ten Reasons to Protect the Verde".
The first 25 miles of the upper Verde, from Paulden to Perkinsville, relies on Verde Springs for baseflow, and over 80% of that water is groundwater from the Big Chino Valley. This section of the Verde is deeply threatened by loss of flow. Groundwater pumping is the problem, consisting of current pumping, pumping to meet future demand, and importation from the Big Chino Water Ranch. Every gallon of groundwater removed from the Big Chino is virtually one less gallon for the river. Groundwater pumping in the Big Chino Valley diminishes the flow from Verde Springs and will eventually change the upper Verde into a dry wash that flows only after storms, destroying some of the finest riparian habitat in the southwest. For more detailed information, visit the Citizens Water Advocacy Group website.
The Sierra Club Water Sentinels flow measurements between 2007-present are listed on this graph. All flow values are in cubic feet per second (CFS). These measurements are the work of Tom Slaback, with the assistance of other Water Sentinels helpers. Paulden refers to flows measured at the USGS Paulden gage located 9.8 miles below Sullivan Dam, which is the zero mile reference point. Perkinsville refers to flows measured at Perkinsville, located approximately at mile 25.
The data show that the low flow at Perkinsville has dipped to 10 cfs or below every summer for the last 5 years. The implication is that if the flow from Verde Springs measured at the Paulden gage drops by 10 cfs, we will have a dry river at Perkinsville. Our groundwater modeling projects that this will happen within the next 10 decades unless we drastically reduce groundwater pumping in the Big Chino Valley. And, the rate of flow loss is increasing.
Prior groundwater pumping in the Big Chino has already reduced the baseflow at the Paulden streamgage by a third. The United States Geological Survey [USGS] estimated that continuing the current pumping, plus modest population growth, would further reduce the baseflow. Dr. Peter Kroopnick used the USGS model to test how baseflow responds to unmitigated operation of the Big Chino Pipeline and found yet another incremental reduction in baseflow. Add all this up and we’ve got trouble: in 2110 the Verde would be dry for six miles from Bear Siding to Perkinsville Bridge, destroying two extremely popular recreation sites and some of the finest riparian habitat remaining in Arizona.
For more information, see the written report: "Going with the Flow” which you can download. Also at this location is a full report on Water Sentinels water quality data “The State of the Verde River”