Arizona Game and Fish is a paid sponsor of Sonoran Living
When it comes to wildlife's survival, every drop of water counts.
Arizona is in the middle of a long-term drought. While we have been fortunate with winter and spring rains so far in 2024, it would take years of consistent rain to lift Arizona out of drought. As the weather heats up this summer, our wildlife will be hard-pressed to find the water they need to survive.
As part of its mission to conserve and protect the state's 800+ species of wildlife, the Arizona Game and Fish Department created the Send Water program. Through this program, AZGFD works to fill the 3,000 wildlife waters across Arizona, delivering hydration directly to wildlife habitats in the desert, mountains and lowlands.
Joe Currie, AZGFD's habitat planning program manager, knows the impact water has on wildlife's survival, but there's a specific experience that motivates his passion for this work. During a particularly dry summer, Currie passed a water tank reserved for firefighting in the forest near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. "A herd of 30 elk were staring at an old footprint beside the water tank as a tiny leak filled it," he recalls. "They took turns stepping up to drink what they could." He remembers the footprint beside the old tank, a reminder of what was needed but was no longer there.
This program - with the help of donors -- ensures that all wildlife species, from elk to squirrels to snakes and even bees, have a supply of water to sustain healthy populations across all of their habitats.
Water does more than simply quench an animal's thirst. Fish and frogs live in or near water their whole lives. Birds use water to keep their feathers clean and free of parasites, and larger animals like bighorn sheep use water to cool down their bodies. Every single water drop has a ripple effect across the mountains and deserts, allowing the cycle of life to continue.
Just like every water drop has an impact, every donation does too. Hauling water to 3,000 wildlife waters across Arizona's rugged terrain is a huge and costly undertaking, requiring specialized heavy equipment, helicopters and teams of volunteers from partner agencies. Because AZGFD does not receive any general fund tax dollars, public support is critical to the success of the program.
Donations also help AZGFD explore new monitoring tools, build new catchments in critical areas, and renovate existing wildlife waters to capture water more efficiently when it rains. .
"Donor support has made all the difference in enabling us to reach wildlife and provide water sources where they are most needed," says Currie. "Without water, there is no wildlife."
Every drop, every dollar, counts. Learn more today at SendWater.org.
