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AWPF Proposals Reviewed, Evaluated
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In its first year of operation, the Arizona
Water Protection Fund Program attracted 82 applications, with
funding requests totaling $27,610,523. The Arizona Legislature
appropriated $10 million for the program.
- The AWPF program was established for "protecting and restoring
this state's rivers and streams and associated riparian habitats,
including fish and wildlife resources that are dependent on these
important habitats."
- About 10 of the 82 applications were rejected for violating provisions
within the authorizing legislation. Some proposals requested administrative
costs in excess of 5 percent of the total cost of the project, although
the act states that such costs are not to exceed 5 percent. This condition
was inserted to favor hands-on field projects over, for example, university
research, with its high overhead costs.
- Applications came from a fairly wide geographical area, indicating
the program was well publicized (see map, page 1). The AWPF Commission
conducted meetings and workshops throughout Arizona to attract interest
in the program.
- The Verde, Santa Cruz, and San Pedro watersheds respectively represent
the main areas of origin and concern for submitted proposals. All
three watersheds are experiencing rapid population growth that may
affect river conditions. The San Pedro water shed especially has been
the focus of controversy about what effects the growth of Sierra Vista
and Fort Huachuca are having on the flow of the San Pedro River.
- Among proposal topics, riparian habitat restoration or enhancement
is the most frequent topic of concern, with water supply purchasing
the third. Water supply purchasing refers to purchasing water for
riparian use.
- As the AWPF program developed, the purchase of Central Arizona
Project water for riparian use was once considered a priority. It
became apparent, however, that this was an unrealistic strategy. Areas
located away from the canal did not have access t o CAP water. As
a result, most of the proposals requesting funds to purchase water
supplies refer to effluent.
- "Water supply: site specific" refers to projects conducted at a
definite location for a particular purpose, as opposed to a research
project seeking to investigate general concepts. The former might
be a project determining whether pumping from a ce rtain aquifer diminishes
stream flow along a specific river segment. The latter could be a
study investigating various geological conditions and their relationship
to stream flow.
- Fund legislation, however, lumps together all projects that are
primarily for "research and data collection, compilation, and analysis."
These projects cannot receive more than 5 percent of the money available;
many proposals fall within this broad, but narrowly funded area.
- A large number of federal agencies applied for funding partly because
their budgets are being reduced. The large number of federal applicants
also reflects the fact that a great many federal agencies are involved
in riparian issues.
- At the same time, however, the 20 percent of federal applicants
is overstated because a single federal agency submitted a study of
a tributary of the Verde River as six separate projects, each studying
the same problem from a different perspective, r ather than as a single
project.
- Project officials are pleased with the large percentage of proposals
submitted by private individuals. This category includes individual
ranchers or land owners wanting to resolve such problems as land erosion
causing downstream silting.
- These individuals, however, may be at a disadvantage compared to
agencies and organizations with the staff and resources to complete
comprehensive proposals. Natural Resource Conservation District applicants
represent local, community-based organiza tions, and also lack the
staff and resources to support extensive application development.
- Proposal evaluation involves a public comment period which began
shortly after the August 1 application deadline and will end September
29. Also, applicants will make an 8-minute oral presentation, scheduled
September 25 and 26, before the AWPF Comm ission.
- Meanwhile, the Arizona Department of Water Quality, assisted by
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Arizona Game and Fish,
is reviewing applications to ensure each meets legal, budgetary, technical,
and administrative criteria. The result s of this review then will
be used to assign a score to each proposal according to the program
criteria.
- The AWPF Commission thus will have three sources of information
for making its final award recommendations: public comments, ADWR
reviews with assigned scores, and oral presentations. The commission
will meet in late November to begin deliberations, with final recommendations
expected by December 1.
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