Water

Cienega Creek by Ricardo Small, Verde River by Gary Beverly, Water Sentinels Monitoring the Verde by Mark Coryell, and Little Colorado River by Stu Williams

(Top left to right) Cienega Creek by Ricardo Small, Verde River by Gary Beverly, Water Sentinels Monitoring the Verde by Mark Coryell (Bottom left) Little Colorado River by Stu Williams.

Protect Arizona’s Rivers, Streams, and Groundwater

Nearly forty years ago, when Congress passed the Clean Water Act, it set the goal of making all of our nation’s waters safe for fishing and swimming and to advance the ultimate goal of “restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s surface waters.”

Trump-era rollbacks to the Act have eliminated protections for many watersheds in Arizona.

Our Goals

  • Restore protections for Arizona’s intermittent and ephemeral waters (which do not flow consistently or year-round) – approximately 95 percent of our rivers and streams
  • Protect groundwater resources by promoting water conservation and limiting groundwater pumping to sustainable levels statewide
  • Monitor water quality and quantity in our rivers and streams in order to advocate for their protection
  • Promote hands-on conservation work to engage Arizonans in learning about our water resources and acting to restore and maintain them

Recent Programs

photo by Mike Dege

Current News/Take Action!

This film, "Every Last Drop: The Demise of Pinto Creek", was produced by award-winning filmmaker Craig Johnson. Watch the film to learn about Pinto Creek and why this rare perennial stream should be preserved.

Arizona's Water Crisis: What You Can Do!

Watershed Alliance Asks Court To Halt Massive San Pedro Development. More information here.

Check out the update on the "Going with the Flow" report for the Upper Verde River here and our new map of Upper Verde River flow monitoring sites here.

Upper Verde "Wild and Scenic River" Proposal

Sierra Club and a coalition of organizations have drafted "A Conservation Vision for Arizona's Water Future," which outlines why and how Arizona water policy needs to be updated. Add your name in support of this water vision! Please click here to Sign On.

Get involved in our Water Sentinels program! Check our online calendar for upcoming opportunities

Water Sentinels Project

The Sierra Club’s "Arizona Water Sentinels Program" mobilizes volunteers to protect, improve, and restore our waters through hands-on conservation work, public education, and citizen action. Our Sentinels work throughout the state, but our current focus is on the Verde and San Pedro rivers, where we monitor water quality conditions, and on the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area in Phoenix, where we conduct monthly weed-and-clean events to protect this important riparian area. We also organize stream clean-ups on several waterways across Arizona.

Learn more about this program using the links below or contact Jennifer Martin, our Water Sentinels Coordinator, at (602) 254-8362 or jennifer.martin@sierraclub.org

 

Arizona's Water Crises: What Can You Do?

January 25, 2023
...Support legislation to restrict groundwater pumping -- Support legislation to promote "water for nature" -- Advocate for effective water policies -- Vote for and lobby legislators who promise stronger, effective water policies...

Arizona Water Sentinels

Who are the Arizona Water Sentinels?  Water Sentinels are volunteers who do hands-on conservation work to protect Arizona’s rivers and streams. We’re part of the national Sierra Club Water Sentinels program whose mission is to protect,...

Upper Verde "Wild and Scenic River" Proposal

The upper Verde River in Arizona has been a candidate for designation as a Wild and Scenic River since 1982 when the Prescott National Forest prepared the first eligibility study for the area. Since that time, the river has been well researched,...