The Buzz won two Public Media Journalists Association Awards over the weekend.Our Episode Feature Three University of Arizona Students Who Witnessed the Events Leading up to the Death of Dr. Thomas Meiksner ‘ was the number one interview podcast, and the episode was number two in the radio interview category.
The Verde River is the longest river in Arizona and still flows from its original starting point to its ending point.
The river begins near Perkinsville in Yavapai County and empties into the Salt River near Fountain Hills.
In September, The Buzz host Christopher Conover and producer Zach Ziegler went kayaking north of Clarkdale with Doug von Gaussig, executive director of the Verde River Institute.
According to von Gausig, the water in the river was not as clear as it normally is.
“This material is primarily coming from Sycamore Canyon, about 13 miles upstream from here,” he said.
In the summer of 2021, the Rafael Fires burned more than 36,000 acres. About half of what was burned was in or near the canyon. The epidemic has spread to the northeast, prompting residents in the far southwest corner of Flagstaff to prepare to evacuate.
“A month after the fire, this 18,000-acre fire wreck experienced the largest monsoon storm the Verde Valley has ever experienced,” he said. “And two of them [the storm cells] I sat right over the fire scar and brought all the dirt, ash, and tree branches. [and] A stump on the Verde River. ”
A layer of mud that washed into the river made the levees 7 feet higher than they were before the storm. Von Gaussig said the soil arrived in a place that is not normally very rich in organic matter, providing an opportunity for plants not often found on riverbanks to invade.
“And now, all of a sudden, we have this garden that is over-fertilized. But the worst part is that since this silt was introduced, a few really nice and important trees like the Arizona alder have continued to die. ”
The death of Arizona alder in the Verde River is also affecting wildlife. Dobson flies like to lay their eggs on alder trees, he said, because the alder trees overhang the river and the larvae drop into the water when they hatch. These larvae are a favorite food for birds such as kingfishers.
Von Gaussik said the fires and subsequent flooding were just one example of how climate change is changing the Verde River.
“You never know what will happen next month. Years ago you could have answered that question. It’s completely unpredictable right now because of climate change.”
Von Gaussig’s river conservation efforts included turning the area into a place with easy access to water activities such as kayaking, swimming and fishing. He worked on the project during his 17 years as mayor of Clarkdale, a river town of 4,400 people.
“When we first started this project in the town of Clarkdale, [the river], everyone came out and said, “Oh, I’m going to ruin the river.” You’ll love it to death, it’s going to be just like Salt River. ”
This concern has led the town to place so-called “river ambassadors” along portions of the river that runs through Clarkdale. The town’s licenses are also required for outfitters conducting tours down the river, and they must follow eco-friendly regulations to maintain their licenses.
Von Gaussig said he frequently told townspeople that the project would probably require more people, but was better than the alternative.
“Few people who live by the river really care about having this many people in their backyard. There are signs that say: “Respect the residents and all things. And the contractors understand that very well. But the choice here is to make people Either throw it in the river and try not to lose it completely, or put up with a little more traffic,” I said. Save the river on the river. ”
