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Cochise County Flood Control District approves demands, budget amendments and funds Wilcox watershed study
Summary
At its April 22 meeting, the Cochise County Flood Control District approved consent minutes and a package of demands and budget amendments that included a $32,451.63 contract with JE Fuller for a Wilcox watershed study; the board also heard staff explain the district's 500 cubic-feet-per-second regulatory flood-flow threshold.
The Cochise County Flood Control District Board of Supervisors on April 22 approved consent agenda minutes and a set of demands and budget amendments that included a $32,451.63 contract with JE Fuller for a Wilcox watershed study.
The approvals came during the Flood Control District meeting in the Supervisor's Hearing Room. The board voted 3-0 to accept the minutes from the April 8, 2025 meeting and to approve demands and operating-transfer budget amendments that include the JE Fuller contract.
The JE Fuller work covers a master-plan watershed study for the Wilcox basin in the Sulphur Springs Valley, a staff member said. "The item there for JE Fuller for $32,451.63, that's for the Wilcox watershed study that we're doing in the Wilcox in the Sulphur Springs Valley," said Miss Watkins, a district staff member. She said the study will include flow rates of 500 cubic feet per second or greater, locations of potential recharge sites, and that a draft will likely be presented to the board in July.
Miss Watkins added, "500 CFS is what our regulatory floodplain is, our regulatory flood flow. So if there's any wash or flow discharge greater than 500 CFS, then it is regulatory regulatory flow rate by the flood control district." The board did not alter that threshold at the meeting.
Supervisor Crosby used his opportunity during discussion to criticize the extent of prior federally funded watershed studies generally, saying the area has seen "well over $10,000,000 of federal tax funded studies" and urging caution about additional studies and projects. He said experts have identified problems with the water table and argued against further study-driven efforts that he described as "renewable, sustainable boondoggles." He indicated he will circulate additional documentation and requested a future work session on the subject.
The board did not receive or record additional fiscal breakdowns for the operating-transfer amendments during the public meeting beyond the JE Fuller contract amount. Miss Lowenheim was referenced as planning to forward supplemental documents related to another watershed topic (the Sprinkas) for future briefing.
All votes on the two items were recorded as affirmative and the board moved on to the jail district meeting and then adjourned the Flood Control District portion of the session.
Next scheduled actions referenced at the meeting included a planned presentation of the Wilcox watershed draft in July and a future work session to discuss the Sprinka materials.
