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Registered voter Morris tells Cochise County Flood Control District San Pedro River gauge went dry, urges water conservation
Summary
A resident who identified themself as Morris told the Cochise County Flood Control District that a U.S. Geological Survey gauge near Sierra Vista went dry on June 22 and remained at zero for over two weeks, urging the county to prioritize water conservation and raising concerns about groundwater pumping and proposed data-center development.
Morris, who identified themself in the transcript as "a registered voter from Portal," told the Cochise County Flood Control District on Tuesday that a U.S. Geological Survey stream gauge near Sierra Vista stopped flowing on June 22 and remained at zero for more than two weeks.
"For the 2nd time in 122 years, a sensitive gauge measuring the San Pedro River stream flow near Sierra Vista went dry," Morris said, reading from a Sierra Vista Herald report and urging supervisors to prioritize conservation. They said hotter, drier conditions and long-term groundwater pumping near Fort Huachuca and Sierra Vista have contributed to the decline.
Morris called attention to basin-level differences in water use and data gaps. They said nut growers account for large shares of water use in parts of the county — citing a figure of 90% in the Wilcox basin reported during a recent work session — but also warned that reporting requirements vary by basin and that data are limited for some areas.
Morris also said roughly 110 residents emailed the board on June 1 opposing proposed data-center development, and urged supervisors not to "politicize this essential but rapidly vanishing natural resource." "Water is a nonpartisan issue," Morris added.
A supervisor who spoke after the public comment period acknowledged the concern and urged action on conservation measures, including attention to cottonwood thinning and outreach to neighboring jurisdictions that share basins such as the Douglas Basin. The board did not take formal action on the speaker's requests during this meeting.
The meeting moved on after public comment to a consent agenda and routine business; no vote or formal direction specific to Morris's comments was recorded at this session.
