ADEQ partners with Arizona Game and Fish Department to promote water quality

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) awarded the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) a $412,000 Water Quality Improvement grant on Monday, which will be used to improve the water quality in the San Pedro River, Little Colorado River and Oak Creek.

“We think this will be a great framework for broadening our audience and customer base, and also for potentially implementing projects at low or no cost to landowners beyond maintenance requirements,” ADEQ Water Quality Division Director Trevor Baggiore said. “Teaming up with AZGFD’s Landowner Relations Program, which has a longstanding, strong local presence and ties to rural water management areas, will strengthen ADEQ’s ability to partner with rural landowners in identifying priority on-the-ground projects.”

The funding, which will be matched by AZGFD by at least $274,000, will be distributed to projects protecting or restoring water quality, grassland health, and priority wildlife habitats. Projects will be vetted by ADEQ and additional funding will come from the state, landowners, in-kind services and the Arizona Department of Agriculture Livestock Crop Conservation Grant Program.

“Many of ADEQ’s water quality improvement goals dovetail nicely with grassland, rangeland and habitat improvement goals we share with ranchers and other partnering agencies,” Wade Zarlingo, AZGFD Landowner Relations Program Coordinator, said.