Tag Archives: Yuma

AZGFD takes action to reduce threats to bighorn sheep population

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File Photo. AZGF Photo.

YUMA – Multiple incidents of domestic sheep escaping their enclosures in southwestern Arizona have put Arizona’s wild bighorn sheep population in peril. Starting as far back as late September, an estimated 300 domestic sheep escaped temporary grazing areas on private land. Some have been rounded up but an unknown number with contagious diseases known to kill bighorns are unaccounted for. The escaped domestic sheep dispersed into bighorn sheep habitat in Yuma County.

Because these domestic sheep were observed mixing with bighorn sheep that live in the area, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has taken necessary steps to stop the transmission of disease. Domestic sheep have long been known to carry diseases for which bighorn sheep have limited defenses, and direct contact is not necessary to transmit disease. According to Mike Sumner, AZGFD regional supervisor, a small number of bighorns were euthanized to keep disease from spreading to other animals in the area.

“This is something no wildlife biologist wants to undertake, but to protect the 700-800 bighorn sheep that live in these mountains, we had to euthanize some individuals that had come in contact with domestic sheep,” said Sumner. “We value these individual animals, but must manage for the health of the whole bighorn population.”

On October 19, AZGFD personnel verified the presence of domestic sheep in bighorn habitat, and their owner gave the Department permission to remove them. Some of the domestics were found to be infected with contagious ecthyma, a painful disease which can prevent lambs from nursing and lead to mortality. The risk for disease transmission was considered high because of the length of time the domestic sheep were loose. Some domestic sheep as well as three bighorn sheep had to be euthanized.

In 2015, almost 40 percent of two bighorn herds in Montana north of Yellowstone National Park died after exposure to domestic ovine pneumonia. In the early to mid-1990s, domestic sheep and feral goats infected bighorns near Hells Canyon, Idaho, causing a catastrophic die off lasting almost a decade and killing 70 percent of the bighorn sheep populations spanning large areas of Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

AZGFD followed the guidelines of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, which recommend euthanizing bighorns that have likely associated or had direct contact with domestic sheep or goats to reduce the spread of disease. Similar actions were taken in Utah (2010), Washington (2013) and Nevada (2016) to protect the larger bighorn populations.

According to AZGFD Veterinarian Anne Justice-Allen, quarantining bighorns for observation and treatment was not an option because it would take 4 to 6 weeks of repeated sample collection and testing to learn if these bighorn sheep were indeed infected.

“Holding wild bighorn sheep for that period would be stressful and likely would cause several animals to die,” said Justice-Allen. “In addition, the Department has no suitable holding facility. Relocating them to a zoo was not possible because of the risk of disease transmission.”

The escaped domestic sheep caused other problems for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, law enforcement and health officials. More than 50 domestic sheep were found dead in a canal in the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District.

Fatal Yuma County off-highway vehicle accident a reminder to practice OHV safety

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds all off-highway vehicle (OHV) drivers and passengers to wear the proper safety gear, including a helmet, in the wake of a fatal accident that killed a 77-year-old Wellton, Arizona man Thursday.

The man lost control of the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) he was driving when he hit a rut in the roadway and was thrown from the vehicle, according to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, which investigated the crash. The man was not wearing a helmet and succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.

“It’s critically important for all OHV drivers and passengers to always wear a helmet,” said Kim Jackson, AZGFD Off-Highway Vehicle Safety Education program manager. “Helmets save lives and all riders should make sure they are wearing one before heading out on the trails.”

Helmets are required by law for all riders under the age of 18 regardless of the off-highway vehicle type. However, they are strongly recommended for all riders. In addition riders should remember to:

  • Wear a seat belt at all times, if equipped.
  • Only carry the number of passengers recommended by the manufacturer for your vehicle. Often many accidents are the result of too many people riding a machine that was designed for fewer passengers.
  • Wear riding goggles, a long-sleeved shirt, pants, riding gloves and over-the-ankle boots.
  • Never ride alone.
  • Be prepared and equipped with a map, a first aid kit, whistle and have basic tools on hand.
  • Stay on designated trails.
  • Take an OHV safety education course designed to teach off-road motorists how to ride safely and responsibly.

For more information about the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s OHV program and safety course options, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv.

Air Quality Division Stakeholder Meeting

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ADEQ invites you to attend a stakeholder meeting for the development of state rules for Arizona’s voluntary emissions bank. ADEQ seeks your input and ideas in amending the Arizona Administrative Code, Title 18, Chapter 2, Article 12 (PDF).

Earlier this year, the legislature amended the existing emissions bank statute (A.R.S. Section 49-410 or HB2152) to allow for new types of emissions reductions credits to be deposited in the bank. The amendments directed ADEQ to adopt rules implementing these changes. The rules will help promote Arizona as a more attractive option for companies seeking to locate or expand industrial operations while still maintaining healthy air quality.

This stakeholder meeting will be hosted in Yuma, which is currently not meeting national particulate matter air quality standards and the new ozone standards. Establishing the emissions bank rules, with your input, will provide businesses looking to locate in Yuma an opportunity to offset their emissions.

When: Tuesday, January 16, 2018, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Yuma County Development Services
Aldrich Hall
2351 W 26th St
Yuma, AZ 85364

RSVP:
Natalie Muilenberg
nm3@azdeq.gov
602-771-1089

Desert bighorn sheep poached, left to waste near Yuma

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YUMA – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking information about the recent poaching of a desert bighorn sheep that was found near Yuma, Ariz.

A reward of up to $500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the killing of the adult ram through the department’s Operation Game Thief program. The Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society is offering an additional reward of up to $500 for a conviction in the case.

The carcass was found floating in the Wellton-Mohawk Canal, where it meets the Gila Main Gravity Canal. Some portions of the hide, legs and head of the animal had been removed, and additional leg quarters were found floating in nearby Fortuna Pond.

Game and Fish officials believe the sheep was shot around the week of Oct. 9 and that the suspects might have been visiting or camping at Fortuna Pond during that timeframe.

“There is no justifiable reason to poach an animal during a closed season and leave it to waste,” said Richard Myers, wildlife manager. “Poachers are not hunters or sportsmen. They are criminals who are stealing from the residents of Arizona.

“Due to the location of the crime scene, a fisherman or an off-highway vehicle user near the area may have seen something or heard something that may assist officers in solving this case.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700, or visit http://www.azgfd.gov/ogt_form.shtml, and refer to case #17-004025. Callers can remain anonymous upon request.

Binational initiative wins economic development award

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YUMA – A binational initiative to increase commerce and tourism in southwestern Arizona and the neighboring region in Mexico, stemming from a collaboration involving border communities and state entities including the Arizona Department of Transportation, has been honored for excellence in economic development.

The American Planning Association’s Economic Development Division selected the 4FrontED Initiative for its Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award, saying the public-private partnership “is adding economic value to a multi-jurisdictional region where it may not have otherwise occurred.”

The 4FrontED region includes Yuma, Somerton, Wellton and San Luis in Arizona, as well as San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico. The Cocopah Indian Tribe is a recent member of the initiative.

In 2013, ADOT, the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Office of Tourism worked with the border communities of Douglas, Nogales and San Luis/Yuma County to create the Arizona Border Communities Roadmap identifying assets and strategies to generate economic development.

The 4FrontED Initiative stems from a binational work program, the Border Business Case, that is the first step of the Border Communities Roadmap. Through the 4FrontED Initiative, communities and businesses in southwestern Arizona and in Mexico formed alliances to increase international commerce and tourism and develop strategies to connect investors with opportunities.

“ADOT recognizes that border communities, because of their binational nature, have unique needs but also present a number of valuable opportunities for growth and development,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “The collaborative approach through the Border Communities Roadmap ensures that we maximize the efforts to promote the region and foster new investment and job creation.”

Yuma Mayor Douglas J. Nicholls, who initiated 4FrontED’s launch, said the initiative’s successes have only just begun as participants unite behind its shared vision.

“We are doing so, in unison, with short-term and long-term goals, to put the region on the global map,” Nicholls said.

The award will be presented Monday, May 8, at the American Planning Association National Planning Conference in New York City.

ADOT project creating more reliable link to key Yuma County employer

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YUMA — Residents will have a more reliable link with Yuma County’s largest employer, Yuma Proving Ground, thanks to a 600-foot bridge the Arizona Department of Transportation is building across a flood-prone section of US 95.

Work began this week on the $9.3 million bridge spanning Fortuna Wash northeast of Yuma and is expected to be completed by next winter.

In addition to being a key trade route between the U.S. and Mexico, US 95 near Yuma sees increased demand during the winter months from agricultural workers and seasonal visitors. The highway currently passes through the wash, which sees flash flooding that forces closures.

“Building a bridge over Fortuna Wash is a critical safety project for the Yuma County region, the Yuma Proving Ground and the agricultural industry,” said ADOT Southwest District Engineer Paul Patane. “Motorists rely on this roadway every day to travel between Yuma and Interstate 10, and flash flooding at Fortuna Wash has previously closed the only north-south corridor in the region, forcing motorists to take lengthy detours. This new bridge will be a huge benefit to the region.”

The bridge, partially funded through a $3.2 million federal grant ADOT received in 2011, is going in at milepost 34, approximately 12 miles northeast of Yuma and 10 miles south of the turnoff (Imperial Dam Road) to Yuma Proving Ground.

Yuma Proving Ground, a U.S. Army facility with more than 3,000 military and civilian employees, is one of the largest military installations in the world and home to General Motors’ hot-weather vehicle test facility. It has an economic impact of more than $430 million annually.

“I personally have waited many hours on Highway 95 over the years because Fortuna Wash floodwaters flowed over the road,” said Chuck Wullenjohn, public affairs officer at Yuma Proving Ground. “The new bridge will be a boon both for commuters and for YPG cargo shipments that will no longer face being impeded by a flowing wash.”

ADOT’s long-term goal is widening about 15 miles of US 95 between Avenue 9E to Aberdeen Road, but that project would first need to be funded. The Fortuna Wash bridge will be built to accommodate four lanes of traffic but initially striped for two lanes with center-turn lane.

Crews are scheduled to work on the Fortuna Wash bridge project during weekdays between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Initial work will include setting up a temporary detour road and tree removals, while actual bridge construction is expected to begin in March.

Motorists should allow extra travel time as lane restrictions will be in place and flaggers will occasionally need to alternate traffic through the work zone.