Where the clay is fractured or discontinuous, artisan pressure forces saline groundwater into the upper aquifer, thereby creating local saline conditions. Grazing allotments are common within this management zone, particularly in an area designated as a National Riparian Conservation Area. As a best management practice, the advisory group has installed fences in this area to reduce the impact of livestock on water quality. A toolbox of other BMPs for grazing, recreation, and sand and gravel operations, is being developed for implementation next year. Other activities that may contribute nonpoint source pollution to the environment must also be addressed through best management practices.
Educational outreach is an important aspect of the advisory group's program.
Methods such as special event displays, a speakers' forum, meetings with local special interest groups, and multimedia outlets for news, updates, and progress reports have been developed. In central Arizona, the Verde River and its tributaries represent 170 miles of flowing desert stream. The river is marked with marshes, canyons, and woodlands, and travels through privately owned lands, national forests, canyons, woodlands, and high desert regions. A section of the river south of Camp Verde has received the distinction as a wild and scenic river. Archaeologic ruins dot the river's landscape, dating to thousands of years before the present, and serve as a constant reminder of the river's value to those who came before us.