Webinar: Gila River Flow Needs Assessment
Channel: Conservation and Adaptation Resources Toolbox
Date: 2015-07-02

Desert LCC Webinar: Gila River Flow Needs Assessment

DATE: Wednesday, April 15, 2015
TIME: 1 PM Pacific Daylight Time (Arizona) / 2 PM Mountain Daylight Time / 3 PM Central Daylight Time (Mexico City) / 4 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Presenter: Martha Cooper, Southwest New Mexico Field Representative for The Nature Conservancy

Abstract:
This report describes the existing condition of the Gila River in the Cliff-Gila Valley and examines the potential impacts of CUFA diversion and climate change on the riparian and aquatic ecosystem. Scientists who have expertise in some aspect of the Gila River’s hydrology and ecology wrote and contributed to this assessment. Flow variability is the defining feature of the Gila River in the Cliff-Gila Valley—creating a multi-aged riparian forest, floodplain wetlands and an array of aquatic and floodplain habitats that supports a diversity of wildlife, including six threatened and endangered species. River flows fluctuate widely from one year to another and also within a year. Flows during each season have specific ecological functions and maintain diverse habitats. Examples of the relationships of how river flows directly influence biodiversity will be presented. In addition, two scenarios will be described: 
1) diversion allowed under the Arizona Water Settlements Act and 2) climate modeling and corresponding changes in streamflow. Both scenarios will reduce the number and magnitude of mid-size flows in the 400-4,000 cubic feet per second range. If the frequency of these flows is reduced, the floodplain will be inundated less often, with decreases in the alluvial aquifer recharge, faster declines in surface water and groundwater, and increased surface water temperatures. These potential changes will affect components of the Gila River ecosystem in a variety of ways, which will be the focus of this presentation.

About the Presenter:
Martha Cooper is the Southwest New Mexico Field Representative for The Nature Conservancy in New Mexico. Martha works with community and agency partners to advance conservation objectives in the Gila and Mimbres watersheds and oversees stewardship of the Gila and Mimbres Riparian Preserves. With TNC-NM’s Director of Science Dr. Dave Gori, Martha coordinated co-authors of the Assessment and contributed to several chapters. Martha has a MS in Forest Ecosystem Science from the University of Maine and has worked in New Mexico for over 15 years.