Water is said to be a top priority in Mojave County.
The county has four community parks: Veterans Park in Golden Valley, Neil Butler Park in North Kingman, Mount Tipton Park in Doran Springs, and Chloride Community Park in Chloride. We have 35 acres total! One inch of rain on one acre of land yields over 27,150 gallons of rainwater.
If they all got an inch of rain, they would total over 950,000 gallons of rainwater. It basically becomes wastewater because there is no catchment function to hold the water that does not permeate the ground. It just runs away.
No mulch, no compost, no pavilion gutters, no rain tanks to store water for later use. Not enough trees or native plants. They are kept bare, hot, dry and dusty.
If water is really a priority, these would be great demonstration areas for collecting rainwater, making the park more attractive to residents. After the vegetation matured, the berms between the basins may have provided shaded walking paths.
Water is life! Perhaps the county could hire someone with permaculture training to advise and oversee the project.
Community volunteers can help build these features, thereby potentially reducing installation costs. These are community parks after all!
If you really care about water, do something with the free water that comes in the form of rain!
I’ve heard from county supervisors that the county is looking at the big picture. Stop being a tourist and be an artist!
Wayne Hollins
golden valley
