Consideration and Approval of Joint Funding Request:  Gauging Station at Newman Canyon Wash.

In order to better monitor and understand the volume, timing and quality of surface water recharge into the lake from the surrounding forested areas, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with the City of Flagstaff will install a gaging station to record flow through the largest tributary into the Lake, Newman Canyon Wash.

 

This Joint Funding Request will provide a commitment on the City's behalf in the amount of $74,300.  The funding sources for the City's portion over the next five fiscal years will be $54,300 from the Water Fund and $20,000 from the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project Fund (FWPP).  The Water Fund will be reimbursed $31,250 from the National Park Service Foundation via agreement with the Lake Mary-Walnut Creek Technical Advisory Committee (LM-WC TAC) as approved by Council on April 1, 2014. 

 

5. Retain, expand, and diversify economic base;
11. Effective governance. 
This agreement will demonstrate continued collaboration of the City with other entities that benefit from a healthy watershed.

Yes. Council gave approval to the LM-WC TAC to fund this project on April 1, 2014, from a restricted fund with the National Park Service Foundation (current balance is $127,000).

1) Authorize the signing of the agreement with the USGS and support the collective effort to monitor water quality and water quantity into Upper Lake Mary from the surrounding forested areas.
2) Do not authorize the signing of the agreement with the USGS and ask City Staff to install and operate a flow gage at the same location

In 2001 a Stipulation (Civil No. 6417) was signed by the City of Flagstaff and the United States on behalf of the National Park Service (NPS) Flagstaff Area National Monuments and the Forest Service (USFS) Coconino National Forest recognizing & confirming the water rights of each Party within the Walnut Creek Watershed. It was agreed that either Party would not object to, dispute, or challenge these rights in the Little Colorado River Adjudication. In this Stipulation the parties agreed to cooperate in good faith to meet the objectives identified in the Stipulation. As part of the Stipulation, the City made a one-time contribution of $100,000 (now $127,000 with interest) to a trust account that may be used to fund studies to accomplish objectives to identify best management practices and to evaluate methods that may increase the likelihood of flood flows and improve the inner-canyon environment in Walnut Canyon National Monuments, as defined in the Stipulation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the establishment of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) was signed by the Parties on September 2, 2003 with a 10-year term. That MOU was revised by the TAC and signed by Mayor Nabours on January 22, 2013. On April 1, 2014 City Council approved this project as recommended by the LM-WC TAC.

Upper Lake Mary serves as an important water source for the City of Flagstaff, and has therefore drawn much attention by foresters and hydrologists regarding the watershed's risk and vulnerability to catastrophic fires and climate change. By approving this Joint Funding Agreement the City recognizes the importance of the USGS monitoring rainfall/sediment/streamflow gage in Newman Canyon Wash, the largest tributary of the lake, in order to better monitor and understand the volume, timing and quality of surface water recharge into the lake from the surrounding forested areas. The proposed gage will be installed by the USGS, with annual operating costs funded under cooperation with the City Utilities Division, LM-WC TAC and FWPP. The gage will collect rainfall and stream flow data in real-time (as it occurs) and store it in a database for future analysis. These data will also be available on the USGS website within minutes of occurring, which will allow water managers to know when and at what level the wash is flowing and therefore, when water quality and sediment sampling from this intermittent/ephemeral wash may be possible. The data may also be useful in evaluating change in water quality and water quantity that result from forest thinning projects that will be occurring within the watershed. Additionally, data from the gage will support essential data collection efforts required to document the effectiveness of the planned FWPP and 4FRI forest treatments for the Upper Lake Mary watershed, which, based on the results of similar projects as demonstrated by researchers with NAU, should increase flood flows and/or frequency into Upper Lake Mary. Flow data collected by this project may be used as part of a greater effort to research forest treatments to maintain and fund by the watershed protection fund; those that demonstrate increased flood flow and/or frequency within the Upper Lake Mary watershed.

Fiscal Year	Total City Portion	LM-WC TAC	FWPP	Water Fund
2015	$ 34,650	$ 24,650	$ 5,000	$ 5,000
2016	12,200	2,200	5,000	5,000
2017	12,200	2,200	5,000	5,000
2018	12,200	2,200	5,000	5,000
2019	12,200	0	0	3,050
	$ 74,300	$ 31,250	$ 20,000	$ 23,050

The USGS can provide matching funds to non-federal dollars.  The cost of the equipment and installation of the Newman Canyon gage will be split 60% City and 40% USGS.  The annual operating cost for monitoring the equipment will be split 50% City and 50% USGS.  The total for the five year agreement will be $74,300 to the City (split between LM-WC TAC, Water Funds, and FWPP) and $66,200 to USGS.  Future spending authorizations for this project after FY 2015 will require budget authority by future Councils.  For FY 2015 the FWPP funding is available in account 407-09-425-3277-1-4290 project number GG3270MO and the Water Fund funding is available in 202-08-301-1014-0-4314 ($5,000) and 202-08-304-6165-0-4360 ($24,650).  The funding for the City portion by fiscal years is presented in the table.

The intent of the Stipulation between the City, NPS & USFS is to increase flood flows in Walnut Creek by improving the surface water supply. More runoff into Upper Lake Mary would not only benefit our municipal surface water supply, but increases the chance for water to flow over the dam and through the Walnut Canyon National Monument. Additionally, this project will support community goals of FWPP, which concern water quality and quantity in Upper Lake Mary, and reducing the risk of catastrophic fire in the watershed.

Inform Consult Involve Collaborate