Over 80 concerned Tri-Community residents showed up to an LSPWA Public Meeting, held on Feb. 11 at the Mammoth Community Center, to learn about the serious challenges faced by the San Pedro Watershed. These include industrial and climatic threats both to local community water resources and the San Pedro's unfragmented riparian wilderness—one whose unique biodiversity remains unmatched and whose magnitude, as an Arizona river ecosystem, is exceeded only by the Grand Canyon.
Peter Else, Lower San Pedro Watershed Alliance (Chair): Who is LSPWA, what challenges does the San Pedro River Valley face, and why is the Lower San Pedro so darn worth fighting for? (Watch Now, 22 min.)
Rob Peters, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas (Executive Director): A look at how mining companies are really operating in a neighboring Arizona community and how residents rallied. (Watch Now, 18 min.)
Chris Eastoe, Cascabel Conservation Association (President, geohydrologist): A study of the San Pedro’s decreasing water tables over 25 years of megadrought, how regional geology shapes subsurface flow, and how mining would negatively and directly impact the river and nearby groundwater. (Watch Now, 22 min.)
Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity (Southwest Conservation Advocate): A look at threats to the Lower San Pedro, majestic wildlife captured on cam (hint: spotted cats), and the importance of community voices. Plus: how the Center can help communities respond to highly technical documents during public comment periods.* (Watch Now, 11 min.)
Roger Featherstone, Arizona Mining Reform Coalition (Director): Myths about Mining, including the 1872 Mining Law that governs today’s operations, and more. (Watch Now, 11 min.)
* Note: A Public Virtual Meeting with BLM is scheduled for March 6. More information to follow soon!