How Coca-Cola, Google and REI Join Efforts to Protect Arizona’s Verde River

Decades of drought and taking more water from the Colorado River than it can provide have damaged the river and the $1.4 trillion economy it supports. Investing in water resilience is important for companies operating in the region, but it requires a different approach than most are used to.

A tested and successful example can be found in the Verde River, which is the Northern Arizona



branch of the Salt River in the Colorado River Basin. The Verde River provides water for area farms and supplies about 40 percent of the water to major urban areas in the Phoenix metro area. But its long life is threatened by removal, groundwater pumping, warming climate and drought.

Companies including Boeing, REI, Coca-Cola, Meta, Microsoft, Cox, PepsiCo, Google, Procter & Gamble, EdgeCore and Intel have partnered with groups such as The Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Verde River, National Forest Foundation and Salt River . The project has supported many volunteer projects over the past decade in the Verde River. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) reports that in the past five years, projects in seven irrigation districts have saved about 50,000 hectares of water. It’s enough to support 100,000 US families a year.

These projects focus on creating healthy streams and wetlands, reducing the risk of wildfire disasters and increasing the capacity of water supply systems. Here are some examples.

To reduce wildfire risk

The overgrowth of shrubs and small trees in the forested areas of the Verde River has increased the risk of devastating fires that would affect communities and water supplies and infrastructure. Partnerships involving organizations, non-



governmental organizations and corporate donors have developed projects that remove overgrowth and restore healthy forest conditions. This work has reduced fire risk, improved water availability and increased water security in the area. Corporate partners, including EdgeCore, PepsiCo, Apple, Meta and Google, were critical to the success of these projects.

“Meta’s water stewardship efforts include investing in projects that help set the conditions that enable sustainable water management,” said Stefanie Woodward, Meta’s water management leader. “We are proud to support projects that help restore healthy forest conditions in Verde and empower environmental nonprofits and communities to build long-term capacity in Arizona.”

Increasing water conservation

Ancient irrigation ditches carry water from the Verde River to farms throughout the central Verde watershed. Leakage through many miles of the system increased the amount of water taken out of the river and made it difficult to irrigate the fields.

Multiple Verde River Watersheds partnered with The Nature Conservancy to pipe over 4 miles of irrigation ditches and improve water management by installing new water control structures. The work has increased water conservation and improved water flow. Companies participating in the initiative include Swire Coca-Cola USA, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Meta, Coors Seltzer, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Advanced Semiconductor Materials (ASM) and the Pulliam Trust.

“Together with The Coca-Cola Company, our support of conservation organizations along the Verde River aims to address the critical water challenges facing this important ecosystem,” said Mike Bernier, director of operations. of Swire Coca-Cola operations. “By funding projects such as the installation of the Verde Ditch pipes, we are helping to implement long-term solutions to reduce leakage, improve water efficiency and ensure resource sustainability. this water for the millions below the water.”

Changing agricultural water demand

Many traditional crops in the Verde Valley are water intensive and require heavy irrigation during the summer months when water flows are low. An inclusive partnership Synagogue Malt, TNC and local farmers implemented a new program that replaced water-intensive crops with barley, which requires less water in the summer season. The project provided a solution that provides brewers with Arizona’s first malt while improving water flow in the Verde River.

To improve the flow of the river

In addition to conservation and productivity goals, removing invasive plant species can also improve water flow. Companies and donors including REI, Intel and Forever Our Rivers each funded work to remove invasive Arundo and Tamarisk plants from the middle of the Verde River and nearby areas. mouth of the Verde on the Salt River. These plants force native plants and can use water at a higher rate. Removing them helped restore habitat, improve biodiversity and keep more water flowing in the Verde River.

Laying the foundation for success

Ready-to-fund projects that directly support business goals are not available. Understanding the history and context of Verde River’s work can help companies succeed in other areas.

Community strengths: Most of Verde’s projects were carried out in areas where a broad base had already been created by the organizations that would later cooperate with the cooperatives. Groups and non-profit organizations spent time building relationships and credibility with landowners, organizations and partners before commercial investment. A public service base was in place, or set to grow.

Take away: Consider the need to support key enabling activities such as planning, project planning or content access. Rarely are “shovel-ready plans” organized in the right places and on the right timelines to best align with business goals. Understanding and supporting pre-project strategies, including relationship building, can be critical.

Community related: A shared understanding of water challenges and solutions is necessary to achieve progress. There must be a relationship between social, commercial and conservation objectives. In the Verde River, an analysis by TNC and others of water issues,

challenges and solutions helped identify areas where public interests intersect with business and conservation priorities.

Take away: Longer-term, larger-scale self-sustainability projects require community buy-in to succeed. Specific business management goals, volume or complements should be based on a solid understanding of local priorities and circumstances. This includes current public opinion as well as the availability, feasibility, cost and timing of projects in a particular area.

Long game: Many projects require years of repair – for example, repairing and upgrading centuries-old irrigation ditches that cross several landowner boundaries required years of trust-building, engineering, problem solving and fundraising. In Verde’s case, several philanthropic organizations, including the Walton Family Foundation and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, provided initial funding that allowed partners on the ground to build trust in increments. and create a foundation for later success. It took 5-10 years to fully develop a plan for projects that could be funded and linked to business plans.

Take away: Be realistic and knowledgeable about the timelines and interactions required for success. Business timelines should reflect the actual conditions and needs on the ground.

Setting flexible goals: Goals that clearly define success criteria can create situations where goals cannot be achieved – or where business goals do not address the issues and problems of the local community. For example, a narrow, unchanging goal such as “by 2030, our company will support projects that reduce water waste by at least 20 percent in all areas where we operate” will create difficult to adapt to the real needs that reflect the changing waters. social problems and priorities in different areas.

Take away: Invest in multiple projects and set goals that are flexible enough to respond to local conditions, needs and circumstances. Don’t expect a single project or narrow approach to achieve business goals for water and related environmental needs.

By understanding and applying the important lessons learned across the Colorado River Basin, we can create a more secure water future. Learn more about how to build a community with water and partner to implement nature-based solutions.

This article was originally published on Aug. 27 2024 at Trellis.net