HUALAPAI TRIBE COOPERATIVE DROUGHT CONTIGENCY PLAN

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HUALAPAI TRIBE COOPERATIVE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY
PLAN, Peach Springs, Arizona DR. KERRY
CHRISTENSEN, SENIOR SCIENTIST, Hualapai
Department of Natural Resources P.O. Box 300,
Peach Springs, Arizona 86434 928-769-2255 Fax
928-769-2309
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• HUALAPAI RESERVATION - BACKGROUND
• Location Northwestern Arizona
• Size One million acres including 108 miles of
  the Colorado River in Grand Canyon
• Habitats Wide range from ponderosa pine
  forests, pinyon-juniper woodlands to dry desert
  scrub. Elevations range from 1,100 to near
  7,000.
• Economy Tourism (river rafting, Grand Canyon
  tours), cattle ranching, timber sales, big game
  hunting (bighorn sheep, elk, antelope, turkey)
• Drought Impacts Cattle (60 head lost in 2003),
  wildlife (40 head lost in 2003), Reduction in
  antelope herd
• 1. Water hauling since 2001

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The Process

• A. Determine Monitoring Protocols and Personnel
• Which drought indices to be used
• Identify the responsible parties
• How often monitored

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The Process cont.

• B. Identify Drought Response, Preparedness and
  Maintenance Activities
• What needs to be done during various phases
  of drought and non-drought conditions
• Who is responsible for performing these
  activities

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The Process cont.

• To accomplish this, we assembled a team from
  within the Natural Resources Department to
  identify personnel, programs, departments and
  local and regional agencies that would be
  responsible for drought monitoring, drought
  response activities, implementation of drought
  preparedness mitigation and for drought relief
  funding during the various phases of drought
  conditions.
• This effort resulted in several tables within
  the Plan that really provided a framework and a
  road map for the implementation of the Plan. See
  Handout.

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HUALAPAI TRIBAL PARTICIPANTS

• Drought Task Force Overall Program Management
• Agriculture Program Infrastructure improvement,
  range monitoring
• Range Water Program Monitoring, infrastructure
  maintenance
• Water Resources Program Wetland and water
  quality monitoring program
• Cattle Districts Herd management
• Public Works Department Municipal
  infrastructure, conservation program
• Planning Department Infrastructure development
• Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Program water
  and feed distribution for cattle and wildlife
• Natural Resources Department Monitoring, seeks
  funding, planning and administration
• Forestry Program Fuels reductions
• Hualapai Tribal Council Drought declaration,
  policy decisions

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OUTSIDE PARTICIPANTS

• Bureau of Indian Affairs Forestry Program
  (Fire)
• Mohave County
• Arizona Game and Fish Department
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

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ACTIVITIES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS
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ACTIVITIES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS cont.
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ACTIVITIES UNDER EMERGENCY DROUGHT CONDITIONS
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ACTIVITIES OF OUTSIDE AGENCIES
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PROBLEMS

• We took too long to involve a diverse number of
  interested parties in Plan development. One
  person or a few people just cant get it done.
• No real template to base Plan on. After viewing
  Navajo Plan, things got a lot clearer.
• Biggest part of the Plan was to flesh out the
  drought response/preparedness tables.
• Need to separate out response versus preparation
  mitigation versus operations and maintenance.

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STRENGTHS

• Bureau of Reclamation and others provided very
  valuable input into development of the Plan.
• Lower BOR Ms. Amy Porter
• Ms. Tina Mullis
• Mr. Steve Jones
• National Drought Center Dr. Michael Hayes

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STRENTGHS cont.

• Involvement of outside Agencies.
• Fleshing out of the response, preparedness and O
  M activities.
• Plan needs to be process and personnel oriented
  versus project oriented.
• - Projects, however, are identified to reduce
  future disaster impacts.
• - Costs can be identified for the tribal copy
  not for BOR copy.
• - Investigate potential funding sources beyond
  Reclamation.
• Identify activities to perform when you are not
  in drought.
• - tank cleaning, equipment purchases, pipeline
  installation.
• Keep the number of drought categories small
  keep it simple.
• - Normal, Alert, Warning, Emergency

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HUALAPAI TRIBES CURRENT DROUGHT ACTIVITIES

• Continued Monitoring of Moisture Conditions and
  Water Availabilities.
• - Fire restrictions in the forests.
• Emergency Drought Relief Funding from BOR
• - Drilling of new wells and installation of new
  pipelines.
• -Development of a new water source for the Peach
  Springs Community.
• - Installation of water catchments with storage
  containers in the driest areas of the
  reservation.
• - Submission of proposals for additional wells,
  well integrations (connecting three wells to each
  other distribution lines.)
• Future Test of the Hualapai Drought Contingency
  Plan.
• -Do involved entities know what to do and when?

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FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLAN

• Following the test of the drought plan, we will
  evaluate its apparent effectiveness and make
  appropriate changes.
• Complete review and revision of Plan every two
  years or sooner if necessary.