Title
AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION AND THE CITY OF GLENDALE
Staff Contact: Craig Johnson, P.E., Director, Water Services
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Purpose and Recommended Action
Recommendation
This is a request for City Council to authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Forest Foundation (NFF) to support the forest and watershed health initiative and approve the expenditure of funds to the Northern Arizona Forest Fund (NAFF) conservation program in the amount not to exceed $75,000.body
Background
Approximately 40% of the City's water supply is provided by Salt River Project (SRP) from the Salt and Verde River watersheds. SRP's surface water supply originates from Northern Arizona watersheds within the Coconino, Kaibab, Prescott, Apache-Sitgreaves, and Tonto National Forests. Maintaining healthy Salt and Verde River watersheds by funding restoration and management projects is vital to the long-term supply of SRP water that Glendale receives.
The health of these forests has been continually deteriorating due to past management practices. The un-thinned northern Arizona forests have resulted in catastrophic wildfires that have destroyed over 2 million acres. The devastating impacts of these fires include uncontrolled runoff and added silt and debris to the water supply. The monetary costs associated with a fire event include higher treatment costs to remove additional sediment and increased chemical costs to treat poor quality water. The current conditions of these forests in conjunction with the ongoing drought are threats to Glendale's SRP surface water supply.
SRP and the NFF have developed the NAFF in an effort to restore the watersheds back to a healthy condition through local partnerships with water providers, businesses, and residents. The Cities of Phoenix and Scottsdale currently have active MOU's that fund NAFF projects. The projects are high priority...
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