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BLM invests more than $3.5 million in San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area

Funding supports ongoing repairs and water conservation efforts
Arizona
Gila DO
Tucson FO
Media Contact

TUCSON, Arizona – As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the Bureau of Land Management’s Tucson Field Office recently received funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the amount of $2.7 million for ongoing fence repair and $850,000 for water conservation work in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA), near Hereford.

The fence repairs and construction will be carried out in three phases, with phase one beginning in early 2025 for fencing located on the eastern boundary of the SPRNCA just north of Highway 82. The remaining two phases will include construction of fencing along the eastern and western boundaries of the SPRNCA, south of Highway 82.

This work builds upon previous work completed in March 2023 at St. David Cienega. The fencing projects will protect sensitive aquatic habitats and resources, and allow for better on-the-ground management of authorized activities.

The IRA funding will also support implementation of the SPRNCA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the BLM, Fort Huachuca, Cochise County, and the City of Sierra Vista, signed in September 2021. The funding ensures that multi-year recharge projects and surface and groundwater monitoring occur as required under the SPRNCA MOU implementation strategy. The funding includes:

  • $543,400 awarded to the City of Sierra Vista to support surface and groundwater modeling.
  • $306,600 for the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct aquifer, channel, spring, stream, and well monitoring.

This funding builds upon previous IRA investments in monitoring of ground and surface water flow. 

For more information, please contact June Lowery, jlowery@blm.gov, 520-345-2825.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.