River Restoration is Topic of Two Recent Publications

Two recent publications discuss river restoration projects, one focusing at the state level and the other taking a regional perspective.

Arizona Perspective
Like rivers in the state, which vary in length, flow and quality, river restoration projects in Arizona vary greatly in size, scope and complexity. A recent Water Resources Research Center publication, River Restoration: Arizona’s Oft Neglected Waterways Get Overdue Attention, provides an overview of river restoration activities in the state. Projects included for discussion represent various types of efforts undertaken in the state, ranging from the individual efforts of ranchers to the complex Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation program; from urban to back country projects; and from projects sponsored by tribal, local, state, and federal entities to work by The Nature Conservancy. Acknowledging that many Arizona rivers have suffered neglect, the publication also illustrates that many rivers are now benefitting from creative efforts to restore and enhance them.

The publication is part of the Arroyo series and is available at the WRRC web site http://cals.arizona.edu/AZWATER/ Hard copies are available by contacting WRRC; phone, 520-792-9591; email, wrrc@cals.arizona.edu

Regional Perspective
The focus of the report, Restoring Rivers in the West, is on the Rocky Mountain states. Background information, however, is relevant to the larger national picture. The report discusses recent federal developments affecting restoration planning, mentioning, for example, that in 2007, Congress allocated $39 million for road removal projects in national forests, including land in the Rockies, specifically to restore storm-damaged watersheds and fisheries. Impediments to restoration that are identified include inconsistency of state laws and state data collection. Case studies are provided that report on various river restoration projects in the West. The report ends on an optimistic note stating, “Rivers are the life of the dry Rocky Mountain West. By refocusing the attention of resource management in the Rockies to emphasize restoration — particularly of the region’s precious waterways — we may find that the legacy of mining, damming, and road-building can translate into the economic boom of the future. Only this time, the boom could benefit the environment rather than leave it in need of repair.”

The report is a chapter within Colorado College’s 2008 Colorado College State of the Rockies Report Card and is available online at http://www.coloradocollege.edu/StateoftheRockies/reportcard.html

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