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January 2023 | View Upcoming Events

Greetings!

January 2023

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the Zane Grey Chapter January 2023 newsletter. We wish you the very best for the new year and hope you’ve had a joyous holiday season, and had an opportunity to spend time with friends and family.

While much of the U.S. is suffering severe weather, we are certainly blessed in Arizona; we can fish year-round. If Santa brought you new fishing gear you are dying to try, there are plenty of opportunities. While the mountain creeks may be chilly and low, there are still many opportunities for fishing here in the valley. One opportunity is our fortnightly Salt River Saturdays, the next one is next Saturday, January 7, 2023, where we will again co-host a Salt River Saturday event with Arizona Game and Fish Department. More information is below and here.

We’ve had a busy year: we had a number of activities, and here is a sample of the things we accomplished.

Co-hosted eight Salt River Saturdays and trash clean-ups
Helped Arizona Game and Fish Department, USFS Tonto National Forest improve in-stream fish habitat in a portion of the Upper East Verde River.
Held a number of planning session with board and members; established working committees, we’ve implemented some of the ideas, and are working on others.
Participated in Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club Kids Fishing Day
Hosted a table at various events in the valley
Had a table at the AZ Fly Shop opening (and received a $500 donation for fish camp)
Hosted a Kids fishing day with the Kiwanis Club of Phoenix and a South Phoenix Boys & Girls Club.
Co-Hosted a Carp fishing day with Desert Fly Casters Club
As part of the AZTU Council team, held two-weeks of fish camp at Camp R-C near Payson with 26 campers and 12-volunteers. Thanks again to the volunteers!
Hosted a Kids fishing day with the Kiwanis Club of Phoenix and a South Phoenix Boys & Girls Club.

Scroll to the Public Policy section to see the 2022 Public Policy Committee accomplishments.

Arizona Council News:

Save the Date: Thursday April 6, is the 13th Annual Native and Wild Trout Conference, and our 1st Fly-Fishing Film Festival. (See a film clip here)

Watch for upcoming conservation, youth opportunities, and community outreach announcements with the specific times and dates.

Ever wonder how much you should tip? Why—and how much—you should tip your fishing guide | Hatch Magazine - Fly Fishing, etc.

And guess what – we’ve entered the 21^st Century . . . we can now text you with important updates, reminders, and other information. We promise we won’t SPAM your phone, the most we’ll send is three-messages a month. But you’ll need to ‘opt-in’ to get our text messages. You can opt-in here

We thank you for your help and support!

Board Meeting - We’ve gone virtual!!!!

Please join us for our monthly board teleconferences

the first Thursday of each month @ 7:00 – 8:45 PM

Click here to receive a link to attend the meeting.

Until then,

Tight Lines.

Alan Davis

Help ~~Wanted~~ Needed!

Consider volunteering for a position with your chapter. We are currently looking for a number of volunteers. Scroll down to the Volunteer Section for more information. Or, contact any board member, or me.

Here are some of the articles in this month's Newsletter.

Your Zane Grey Chapter of TU has a great Instagram! Follow us here!
Arizona TU (@trout_unlimited_arizona)
Conservation & Fishing
Salt River Saturdays - 2 Dates in January!
Public Policy
Legislative Update
Rural Groundwater Working Group
Upcoming Events: Meeting Thursday January 12th @ 7PM
National Leadership Council
Why you should celebrate the delisting of the Apache Trout
Volunteer Opportunities and Updates:
See above in the President's Message and below
ZGTU Strategic Plan
Other Angling organizations
ZGTU and affiliates calendar
Follow ZGTU on Social Media

Partnering with Desert Fly Casters Club and Arizona Flycasters Club, we plan a series of Salt River Saturdays. Arizona Game and Fish Department has listed all Salt River Saturdays on their Arizona FishAZ Network.

Come out for coffee, conservation, camaraderie, and an opportunity to fish the Salt River. Oh, and of course we'll have donuts

We'll hold these events more or less fortnightly beginning in November, and generally follow this schedule: Click Here for Schedule

~~Saturday, Nov. 5th -- CANCELLED~~

~~Saturday, November 19th~~

~~Saturday, December 3rd~~ ~~w DFC~~

~~Saturday, December 17th~~

Saturday, January 7th with AZGFD

Saturday, January 21st with AFC

Saturday, February 4th with AFC

Saturday, February 18th with DFC

Saturday, March 4th with AZGFD

Saturday, March 18th with AZGFD

Saturday, April 1st with AZGFD

Saturday, April 15th with AZGFD

Legislative Update

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law this past August. It delivers major wins for public lands, native and wild trout and salmon fisheries, and communities already facing the impacts of a changing climate. Read more about how this legislation will help TU’s mission of conserving coldwater fisheries.

TU was awarded a $200k grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to start our phase 1 planning work in the headwaters of the West Fork Black River. Eventually this restoration work will consist of building beaver analog dams, planting willows, forest thinning and culvert improvements. Read our proposal HERE

Ed Sanchez from the AZ Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) gave a very interesting update on the Arizona Legislature. There are lots of new members in the Legislature this session: 32 in the House and 5 in the Senate. He said the AZGFD will primarily focus on establishing/maintaining relationships with the members. Also, Representative Grijalva is moving forward with approval of a proposed National Monument in lieu of the Grand Canyon Protection Act.

Rural Groundwater Working Group

The Rural Groundwater Working Group is an ad-hoc committee launched from the Governor's Water Augmentation, Innovation and Conservation Committee. The Group continues to work on a strategy to get the Arizona Legislature to pass legislation to allow counties to manage their groundwater.

Progress on the local level:

From the Arizona Department of Water Resources:

Douglas groundwater Basin

On August 30, 2022, in response to a petition that was filed by residents, the Board of Supervisors of Cochise County called for an election, to be held on November 8, 2022, on whether to designate the Douglas Groundwater Basin as a subsequent active management area (“AMA”).

Pursuant to Arizona law,, only those lands that were legally irrigated in the five years preceding that date (August 30, 2022) may be irrigated within the basin. “Irrigate” means to apply water to two or more acres of land to produce plants or parts of plants for sale or human consumption, or for use as feed for livestock, range livestock, or poultry.

With the designation of AMA on December 1, 2022 the prohibition on irrigation of new acres within the basin (with certain limited exceptions) remains in effect permanently. Additionally, a person may withdraw groundwater from a well having a pump with a maximum capacity greater than 35 gallons per minute ("non-exempt well") only if the person holds a right to withdraw the groundwater. Individuals must apply for grandfathered rights by March 1, 2024.

Learn more here: https://new.azwater.gov/ama/douglas-ama

Willcox Basin

Voters rejected a second measure to create a similar management area in the neighboring Willcox Basin, where groundwater withdrawal will continue to go unregulated. The Willcox initiative failed by a 2-to-1 margin.

Hualapai Valley Groundwater Basin Near Kingman, AZ

On December 19, 2022, the Director issued a decision establishing the Hualapai Valley Irrigation Non-Expansion Area (INA). The rules for this INA will be similar to those listed above for the Douglas AMA.

Learn more here: https://new.azwater.gov/hualapai-valley-ina-request

Upcoming Events

January 2023 Meeting: Thursday, January 12th at 7:00 PM. Our guest speaker will be Erin Jordan, a manager with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

The AZTU Public Policy Committee (PPC) hosts a virtual meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 until 8:00 PM. If you are interested, please contact Ron Stearns at PublicPolicyChair@az-tu.org .

Why you should celebrate the delisting of the Apache Trout from the Endangered Species List.

You like fishing and if one species is gone, well who cares—it’s survival of the fittest, right? Here’s the deal: With each species that is lost, a domino effect happens which can have a ripple effect on the rest of the ecosystem, potentially leading to the loss of other species. A diverse range of species is important for maintaining a healthy and balanced ecosystem. Many species provide valuable ecological services such as pollination, pest control and nutrient cycling. The loss of even one species can disrupt these services and have a negative impact on the ecosystem. Although most TU members practice catch and release, around the world fish are a critical source of protein for many people. Further, many people place great value on fish and nature and the role they play in our various cultures and ways of life. The loss of a species could have social and cultural consequences for these folks and their communities.

Do you have four minutes? Listen to Chris Wood thanking Arizona for all we do for conservation!

About two weeks ago, Chris Wood addressed the Trout Unlimited membership in a Town Hall forum. Chris is always an elegant and enthusiastic orator, so I encourage you to listen to the presentation in its entirety. However, if you only have a few minutes, jump to minute 30:22 in the link here to hear about the remarkable preservation of one of the southernmost native trout—our own Apache Trout. Chris outlines the vision of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and the partnership of many to advocate for the preservation of this coldwater fish.

And, you can still help the Arizona Council and Zane Grey Chapter fundraising by contributing to our "Delist the Apache and Gila Trout" campaign. Click here

The Endangered Species List was created as a result of the 1966 Endangered Species Preservation Act which outlawed the harming of any of the species on the list. Over the years laws established comprehensive protections for endangered species through the protections of critical habitats.

Overall, the extinction of any species is a loss for the planet and can have far-reaching and sometimes unforeseen consequences for the ecosystem and for humans.

If you would like to learn more about Trout Unlimited’s mission and goals, or how you can help, please contact Arizona’s NLC representative, Susan Geer, here or at the link below.

I Want To Learn More About The NLC And (MAYBE) Get Involved!

REMEMBER:

Your Conservation License Plate Supports Our Programs

The Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC) license plate fund is derived from the sale of wildlife conservation license plates and member organizations as well as non-member organizations are eligible to apply for those funds.

The Arizona TU Council and Chapters have received funds over the past seven years in support of the Annual Native and Wild Trout Conferences, Fish Camp, Trout in the Classroom programs and conservation projects.

The next time your registration comes up for renewal, choose the conservation license plate option at registration to show your support for conservation and our projects.

ZGTU Volunteer Opportunities

Recently the Zane Grey Chapter of Trout Unlimited (ZGTU) Chapter Board of Directors developed a Strategic Action Plan aligning our many diverse activities and helping better define our mission while setting our organizational course for the next several years.

Our focus, in formulating this plan, are the key factors that drive the Zane Grey Chapter as an organization:

conservation;
membership outreach;
external and community outreach;
chapter sustainability and leadership development; and,
fundraising.

The ZGTU strategic plan is a dynamic document covering the next three-years and created as a map for ZGTU’s future. Our intention is implementing and updating often. Here is a link to the Plan or click on the picture below.

We are now looking to you, our chapter members, for help in reaching our Chapter goals! We know we have many talented chapter members that could assist in various ways, and we encourage you to become involved. Whether it’s an hour a month or more we want you! This will be a fun and rewarding endeavor! If you would like to know more and or are ready to “jump in” please reach out to:

Rod Buchanan - Conservation - conservationchair@zanegreytu.org
Tom Goodwin - Community Outreach - vp@zanegreytu.org
Tom Goodwin - Membership - vp@zanegreytu.org

Or, contact Rod Buchanan Planning Chair, or me

Arizona Game and Fish Department, Desert Fly Casters, Arizona Flycasters and Zane Grey Chapter are co-sponsoring Salt River Saturday Conservation and Fishing events.

There are 2 dates in January!

Check our calendar and stay tuned!

Social Media:

Check out the Instagram page for

Arizona of Trout Unlimited: @Trout_Unlimited_Arizona

If you're more traditional, try signing up for the private Facebook group: Arizona Women of Trout Unlimited.

Looking for a Fishing Opportunity?

Below is a list of fishing organizations in Arizona. Feel free to join, explore, visit their websites or attend a meeting to find out more information:

Organization

Arizona Flycasters Club

@ The Arizona American Italian Club

7509 N 12th St

Phoenix, AZ 85020

Link To Website

https://azflycasters.org/

Fly-Fishing Social Event night - 2nd Tuesday of each month. Great speaker and awesome raffle. Donations support our Community outreach partners from Veterans to Youth activities.

Contact