COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Parks and Recreation was awarded an Arizona Water Protection Fund grant from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to conduct the Harrenburg Wash Enhancement Project.
Coconino County Parks and Recreation was awarded an Arizona Water Protection Fund grant from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to conduct the Harrenburg Wash Enhancement Project. This project will enhance the riparian habitat at Harrenburg Wash which is part of Pumphouse County Natural Area, located approximately ten miles south of Flagstaff in the community of Kachina Village. The grant award is $129,190.
The Board of Supervisors approved the grant last week for work that will focus on: channel restoration; treating invasive weeds; incorporating re-vegetation efforts along the channel, in the uplands and in an old parking area; outreach, monitoring, and maintenance; and other items that will contribute to higher riparian quality.
Harrenburg Wash is located just upstream from its confluence with Pumphouse Wash, both of which are in the Upper Verde River Watershed and are the headwaters of Oak Creek Canyon. The wash and associated wetland habitat have been impacted by several factors that are now causing downstream channel erosion due to high water velocity; channel head cuts; and the invasion of non-native weed species.
“The Pumphouse County Natural Area is home to numerous species of birds and wildlife, which is why this project to restore the landscape to a more natural state is of the utmost importance especially as invasive species threaten this special place. Coconino County is grateful to the Arizona Department of Water Resources for these funds which will bring about renewal for our native vegetation, improve the quality of our water and continue to provide opportunities for recreation for the people of the county and our visitors,” said Coconino County District 3 Supervisor, Matt Ryan.
After the grant project is implemented, visitors to the Harrenburg Wash area will experience improved water quality, more plant and animal diversity with the addition of more native plants and forbs, cottonwoods and willows, less invasive weeds, and increased recreational opportunities.
For more information, visit http://www.Coconino.AZ.Gov/Parks