Neighborhood Projects
Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association, Tucson, AZ
Campbell-Grant Neighborhood Association, Tucson, AZ
Samos Neighborhood Association, Tucson, AZ
Project Summaries
Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association, Tucson, AZ
Major funding provided by Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
Urban washes in Arizona often become neglected ecosystems where non-point source (NPS) pollutants such as trash, pet waste, automobile oil from street runoff, fertilizers from yards, and sediment are transported into washes through storm water runoff. Such washes lose their ecological and aesthetic value, and often cause water quality problems downstream. High School Wash in Tucson’s Rincon Heights neighborhood is a classic example of just such a wash. Thankfully, the neighborhood is also home to the Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association (RHNA), which hosts a group of organized and active volunteers ready to address water quality issues, and which has procured several grants for revegetation and flood reduction in the area.
Over two years (Summer 2008-Summer 2010), WMG is working with RHNA and other community partners to improve water quality in the neighborhood and in High School Wash, focusing on three areas:
Assess NPS pollution and plan Best Management Practices for High School Wash watershed (Fall 2008)
WMG worked with neighborhood residents, community experts and City officials to assess sources of non-point source pollutants in the neighborhood, and identify priority areas for implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce pollution. This step included an educational volunteer cleanup of High School Wash. This phase resulted in a site plan to implement BMPs on 10 blocks in the Rincon Heights neighborhood.
Hold community workshops (Fall 2008-early Summer 2009)
WMG held a series of hands-on workshops with neighborhood residents and community volunteers to increase awareness of NPS pollution and to implement BMPs in Rincon Heights neighborhood. Best Management Practices included bioretention basins, berms, vegetated buffer strips, mulch, curb cuts, and vegetated chicanes.
Take lessons learned to the larger community (Spring 2009-Summer 2010)
With the monsoon of 2009, we evaluated the effectiveness of the BMPs we installed in the workshops. Taking what we’ve learned from the practices and the project, WMG will use the “lessons learned” from the process to conduct training and outreach workshops in Tucson with other Neighborhood Associations, community groups, and city officials. We’ll also train community leaders from other watersheds in BMP design and implementation, and produce a summary publication for use by other citizens and neighborhood groups.
Campbell-Grant Neighborhood Association, Tucson, AZ
Major funding provided by PRO Neighborhoods
The Campbell-Grant Neighborhood Association (CGNA) took the initiative to apply for funding from PRO-Neighborhoods to build community networks through rainwater harvesting efforts to address stormwater flooding problems.
WMG partnered with CGNA to provide technical design and outreach expertise to enable the implementation of residential and right-of-way best management practices. CGNA took the unique approach of providing a workshop subsidy to two individual homeowners. This approach has helped increase support and awareness of each property owner's responsibility of offsite stormwater issues. Additionally the high turnout of homeowners at each workshop ensures neighbors learn how to better utilize rainfall runoff as a resource.
Another unique feature to CGNA are the many curb-less streets present in the neighborhood. CGNA, WMG, and the City of Tucson's Department of Transportation worked collaboratively to create a water harvesting design template that could be applied to the right-of-way along these curb-less streets.
Samos Neighborhood Association, Tucson, AZ
Major funding provided by City of Tucson Ward 3 Office and Arizona State Forestry Division
WMG is working collaboratively with the Samos Neighborhood Association to showcase right-of-way water harvesting features that promote native street trees throughout the neighborhood. With City of Tucson neighborhood funds and a grant WMG received from the Arizona Forestry Division work commenced in early 2010 to create these right-of-way features through neighborhood volunteer workshops. Samos Neighborhood has agreed to showcase these streetside improvements to other neighborhoods and city representatives to promote urban forests in Tucson. Increased urban forests utilizing stormwater can 1) reduce urban heat-island effects, 2) reduce stormwater runoff and water quality pollutant, 3) beautify neighborhoods, 4) promote habitat for urban wildlife.