White Mountain Apache Tribe Watershed Program

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White Mountain Apache TribeWatershed Program

• Water is Life
• Tu beeihidaa
• Presentation by Candy Lupe Watershed Program
  Director
• White Mountain Apache Tribe
• Watershed Program
• December 10, 2002

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Introduction

• Tu, water is one of the gifts of the Creator
  that is essential to the survival of the White
  Mountain Apache People. Water is inseparable
  from our land and culture. Our homeland has
  always been blessed with a great number of
  springs, streams, and meadows to sustain a
  diverse and vibrant community of plants, wildlife
  and people.

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• Apache view
• Water is one of the four main sacred elements
• Water is alive, witness the way that it ripples
  and flows in a river, the noise it makes is the
  sound of happiness
• Water is essential to life
• Water is used in traditional ceremonies
• Water generates, strengthens, and purifies the
  entire being of a person.

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Watershed Program Activities

• Stream/wetland/riparian Assessment and Monitoring
• Stream/wetland/riparian restoration efforts
• Water quality monitoring
• Nonpoint Source Pollution Control efforts
• Planning and coordination efforts
• Educational outreach
• Rodeo-Chediski Fire efforts

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Soldier Springs Restoration Efforts
Changes in conditions between construction of
riffles (June 1999--Above Left) and the height of
the growing season (August 1999--Above Right).

• Restoration Methods
• Constructing a 3 meter tall electric fence
  around the perimeter of the site
• Placing 38 rock check-dams
• Constructing 32 large rock and gravel riffles
  (see photos above and below)
• Transplanting sedges from nearby restoration
  areas
• Reseeding bare areas with native sedges and
  grasses

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Water Quality Monitoring

• March 27, 2000 Tribal Council adopted Water
  Quality
• Standards, Our standard are incorporated in our
• Water Quality Ordinance
• September 27, 2001 EPA approved standards
• By March 2003 Three year review
• Water Resources Working Group
• Responsible for assessing the quality of
  waters on
• the Reservation
• Watershed Program Surface water quality
  monitoring and non-point source pollution
• Environmental Planning Office enforcement of
  water quality standards
• Hydrology and Water Resources Program fecal
  coliform monitoring in springs
• We coordinate closely with Wildlife and Outdoor
  Recreation Division and others

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Nonpoint Source Pollution Control

• Evaluating impacts of forest roads on watershed
  condition
• Extensive and intensive monitoring of channel
  conditions and sediment movement
• Working with Tribal Housing Authority and other
  tribal entities on mitigation measures on NPS
  pollution

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• Educational Outreach
• Annual Ecological Youth Camp
• Field tours with tribal council
• Staff participation with reservation schools

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Rodeo - Chediski Fire Impacts
Watershed impacts 3 major watersheds affected
by fire (Carrizo, Cibecue, and Canyon Creek)
flooding is now a major concern Forest impacts
95,000 acres of timberlands, 61,000 acres of
woodlands were destroyed Economic impacts
timber lost, recreational opportunities Cultural
impacts culturally sensitive springs and
wetlands, sacred sites, and archeological sites
damaged
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Rodeo-Chediski Fire Recovery Efforts

• Program efforts under BAER
• Wetland and spring monitoring
• Erosion prevention measures
• Monitor channel morphology and
• Sediment monitoring stations
• Bank protection
• Program coordination efforts
• With support from EWP, NRCS
• Bank stabilization efforts

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The End.
Our Mission on this earth is to take care of the
beautiful world around us. When we look back, we
should see a beautiful garden where we have
walked.. may you walk in beauty.
Ahiyie(Thank you)