Hike the Agua Fria River Canyon for SCIENCE

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Read below for a fun volunteer activity that gets you out into a cool river canyon while you help protect our public lands.

2015 marks the 15 year anniversary of Agua Fria National Monument, a little-known gem of Arizona and one of the most dense areas of archaeological resources in the Southwest. The national monument, directly east of I-17 near the Sunset Point Rest Area, features two large grassland mesas incised by the Agua Fria River and several small tributaries. The river has been designated as an "Important Bird Area" (IBA) and is eligible for Wild and Scenic River designation.

On June 20, volunteers will hike selected portions of the river canyon to document where surface water is present. This is a critical activity in providing the Bureau of Land Management and AZ Game and Fish Dept the information they need to make quality land and wildlife management decisions. It is also important in establishing water rights for the monument habitat.

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Phoenix District Office and the Friends of the Agua Fria National Monument (AFNM) are looking for volunteers for the eighth annual Wet/ Dry Mapping of the Agua Fria River, June 20, 2015.

To participate in the mapping event, volunteers must first complete a training and orientation session from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., this Saturday. The training will be held at the BLM Phoenix District Office at 21605 N. 7th Avenue, in Phoenix, near the Deer Valley Airport. Please register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5D3P86V­ or contact Tim Flood (tjflood@att.net) Volunteers who have previously attend BLM Wet/Dry Mapping training within the past year are not required to attend.

A celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the National Conservation Lands and the Agua Fria National Monument will be held immediately following the volunteers’ return to the Black Canyon City Heritage Park (BCCHP). The event at the BCCHP begins at 9 a.m. but speakers will not come on until 10:30 a.m. For more information about the celebration, contact Chris Caseldine (ccaseldi@asu.edu)

Wet/dry mapping of the Agua Fria River is a yearly event that measures the water levels in the river and its tributaries. The important data that is collected serves as an official record of the base flow of the river, measured on a day likely to be the hottest and driest day of the year to avoid being amplified by rain or snow runoff.

Teams of volunteers will hike sections of trails, between one to five miles in length to take measurements at one of the 17 points along the river. Volunteers should be experienced hiking through desert and rugged terrains and wear appropriate clothing. Teams of volunteers should return to the base station at the Black Canyon City Heritage Park by 10 a.m.