Monthly Archives: January 2017

February 2nd @ 6pm: What Happens to the Water After It Leaves Picture Canyon?

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Membership Meeting: What Happens to the Water After It Leaves Picture Canyon?

Hannah Griscom, Arizona Game and Fish Department

Thursday, February 2nd at 6pm

Montoya Community Center

Canyon of the Rio de Flag at Logan’s Crossing. Photo courteous of Tom Bean.

Join us Thursday, February 2nd to examine the mystery of diminishing water at Logan’s Crossing through preliminary data collected by Hannah Griscom, Arizona Game and Fish Department. Hannah will discuss the factors that may be contributing to the decline, discuss the role of the County and the Friends of the Rio, and ask for your input on the future of effluent discharges into the Rio.

The Rio de Flag is an ephemeral stream that relies upon storm events to provide intermittent flow. At the same time, treated effluent delivers water to the Rio de Flag at several locations throughout the City.

Last year, community members expressed concern over diminishing water levels in the Rio de Flag at Logan’s Crossing, just downstream of Doney Park. What is happening to this water? Is there a hope of getting it back? Join us Thursday, February 2nd to find out!

***In addition to Hannah’s presentation, we will have a short conversation at the end of our meeting to discuss the current state of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project

 

Watershed Planning Discussion: 1/5/2017 Meeting Minutes

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Last Thursday we had an excellent turnout for our discussion on watershed planning for the Rio de Flag watershed. A big thanks to all of our attendees and to Mayor Coral Evans for joining the discussion! To view meeting minutes please follow this link.

Rio de Flag Project Receives Reauthorization Funds of $102.9 Million

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City of Flagstaff • January 3, 2017 • News Release

FLAGSTAFF, AZ – On December 10, 2016, the Rio de Flag Flood Control project received $102 million in reauthorization funds from the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (WRDA 2000.)

This new $102.9 million reauthorization for the project was recently sent to the President for his signature. As an authorized project the Rio de Flag construction funds may be received which indicates the project will be completed in the next five to seven years.

A significant flood event would directly affect more than half of Flagstaff’s nearly 70,000 residents and would result in damages to approximately 1,500 structures valued at over $450,000,000. Implementation of the City’s Downtown and Southside Redevelopment Initiative are entirely dependent on the completion of the Rio de Flag Project. In addition to flood damage reduction, other benefits include elimination of mandatory flood insurance and restrictive floodplain management regulations.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) feasibility report proposes to contain the 100-year flood event through construction of 1.6 miles of flood control channel improvements, a 72-acre detention basin, property acquisition, utility relocations and three new bridges.

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See the original news release here.

January 5th – UPDATE: Special Guest Mayor Coral Evans to Join Discussion on Watershed Planning for the Rio de Flag

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Frances Short Pond with San Francisco Peaks, along the Rio de Flag, Nov. 5, 2015, Flagstaff

Membership Meeting: Watershed Planning for the Rio de Flag

Friends of the Rio Board of Directors

Thursday, January 5th at 6pm

Montoya Community Center

In 2017 the Friends of the Rio de Flag will begin watershed planning for the Rio de Flag. These efforts cannot happen without collaboration with key stakeholders including local government agencies, landowners, and the community.

Please join us on Thursday, January 5th as we seek input on and brainstorming for watershed planning of the Rio de Flag. As a small nonprofit organization, we rely on volunteers to achieve our major organizational goals. We invite your ideas and your skills in creating a viable plan for the Rio de Flag. UPDATE: We are honored to have Mayor Coral Evans joining us for this important discussion. 

We hope to see you at the Montoya Community Center at 6pm on Thursday, January 5th! Please bring a friend!