Board approves minutes after staff explains JE Fuller hydrology charges totaling about $45,700

The Cochise County Flood Control District approved minutes for the Sept. 16 and Sept. 30 meetings on Tuesday after a supervisor asked staff to explain two consultant charges noted in the minutes.

Supervisor Gomez moved to approve the minutes and Supervisor Crosby seconded; the motion passed 3-0.

During discussion Mr. Solis explained the charges attributed to JE Fuller Hydrology. He said a $31,744.45 charge covered thermal stream monitoring and field data collection by consultants, including sensor downloads and preparation of an annual report. "When you do data collection, you have these sensors that are recording real time data ... the consultants have to come down and download that information so that way they can see what kind of monitoring there was," Solis said.

Solis said the monitoring addresses rainfall, soil moisture and flow measurements and helps determine whether water is recharging to the aquifer at monitored sites. Regarding the second item — described in the meeting as about $14,000 — Solis said it paid for hydrological analysis to estimate water quantities and to rate potential recharge sites within the Wilcox watershed, using a 1-to-4 rating where 4 indicated the best sites.

Supervisor Crosby asked what benefit taxpayers receive for the two contracts and whether the work demonstrates sites suitable for recharge. Solis replied the work provides data to determine whether sites are recharging as intended and to guide future recharge efforts.

Crosby also raised a broader question — not expecting an answer from staff at the meeting — about the overall cost to replenish the aquifer. That question was acknowledged as "the million dollar question" during the exchange.

The board approved the minutes and then moved on to other agenda business.