Agua Fria National Monument (AFNM) Intra Basin Water Management (IBWM) Project, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – Yavapai County, AZ
2010 - 2014: Chris, under a former employer, managed & led a comprehensive surface & groundwater assessment of the 71,000-acre AFNM watershed was completed to reserve a quantity of water sufficient to fulfill the purposes for which the AFNM was established (preservation).
Assisted by BLM (Mariano Lanza, Hydrologist) & teamed with JE Fuller Hydrology & Geomorphology, Inc. The project included:
ground surveying
design & installation of 6 fully automated (telemetric) self-contained stream gage & precipitation stations
quarterly groundwater level monitoring from 12 existing stock wells
an evapotranspiration study
a geochemical forensics study of groundwater & surface water
a summary report discussing the source and quantity of various available water resources
The six (6) new fully automated stream gage & precipitation stations have since become part of Yavapai County’s growing network of gaging devices which make up their ALERT system.. Data collected from these sites can be accessed in real-time at: http://gis.yavapai.us/alert/
The study accomplished the following:
Quantified surface water rights for future adjudication filings with the Arizona Special Master, Special Master, Arizona General Stream Adjudication
Determined aquifer & surface water connectivity as it relates to securing future groundwater rights with the ADWR
Augmented Yavapai County’s ALERT Flood Warning System in an area heavy populated downstream of the Monument
Protected & reserved critical riparian habitat which relies on water for survival.
The project was completed $10,000 under budget & scored a perfect 10 on a client satisfaction survey.
Mariano Lanza, Hydrologist (BLM) - “Chris is an extremely talented & dedicated hydrogeologist who consistently demonstrates commitment & dedication to the Agua Fria National Monument (AFNM) needs & local community water groups. Chris's performance was always above & beyond my expectations. The ongoing success of my office on water rights actions applications is a testimony to Chris’ dedication & skills. Chris was not only dedicated to the project’s success, but he also contributed in a tangible manner to the understanding & implementation of new hydrological data to enhance & protect endangered water resources within the AFNM.”
