Subject: FW: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #38

Subject: SW BIODIVERSITY ALERT #38

* ************* Southwest Biodiversity Alert #38 *****************
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*            southwest center for biological diversity           *
*                      ksuckling@sw-center.org                   *
*             http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/sw-center           *
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TWO CLEAN WATER VICTORIES FOR URBAN WATERSHEDS THREATENED BY GRAZING:

 -  APPEAL FORCES WITHDRAWAL OF GRAZING PLAN IN PHOENIX WATERSHED
 -  FOREST TO STUDY FLAGSTAFF WATERSHED FOLLOWING CLEAN WATER COMPLAINT

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APPEAL FORCES WITHDRAWAL OF GRAZING PLAN IN PHOENIX WATERSHED

     Following an appeal by the Southwest Center, the Tonto National
Forest has withdrawn a plan to allow 500 cattle to graze the eastern
end of the Superstition Wilderness Area. The Reavis Tortilla
allotment has been ungrazed since May, 1995 when the permit was
cancelled for non-compliance. Returning cattle to the wilderness
would have cost taxpayers $55,000 for "improvements."

     The Southwest Center appealed the decision because the cattle
would contaminate the Phoenix water supply with the microbial parasite
"Cryptosporidium."  Cattle are a major host of this sometimes fatal
parasite. The plan would have allowed cattle on Fish Creek, Lewis
and Pranty Creek and Pine Creek- all tributaries of the Salt River
which is a source of drinking water for Phoenix residents.


FOREST TO STUDY FLAGSTAFF WATERSHED FOLLOWING CLEAN WATER COMPLAINT

     Following an appeal and two petitions by the Southwest Center, the
Coconino National  Forest has agreed to budget $98,000 in 1997 to
comprehensively study its effects on the 90,000 acre Upper Lake Mary
watershed. Grazing in the watershed has come under fire since the
City of Flagstaff and the Southwest Center complained about the
possible contamination of the city's water supply by cattle borne
Cryptosporidium. The Forest originally planned to conduct a study
after 2000.

     Although five grazing allotments lie within the watershed, the
Forest does not intend to remove cattle during the analysis and does
not intend to monitor water quality in Upper Lake Mary. The Center
will continue to advocate for the removal of cattle from Lake Mary
and all urban watersheds in New Mexico, Arizona and southern
California.