AFOSA is named for the Agua Fria River that flows intermittently above and below ground from Glassford Hill east of Prescott, Arizona to the Gila River west of Phoenix. AFOSA is principally concerned with the 1500 square-mile upper portion of the river’s watershed. There, despite small dams and reservoirs on its tributaries, the river rages wildly after summer thunderstorms, and many stretches of beautiful semi-natural riparian vegetation cover its banks.
The ruins of the home of King Woolsey, the Nineteenth Century settler who gave the river its English name, still stand in a field in what has become the town of Dewey-Humboldt. The ruins of prehistoric settlers are found throughout the region. Historical observations indicate that the desert grassland of the lower valleys was once home to thousands of antelope and myriad other creatures. For over a century most of the Basin has been grazed by livestock, and in recent years the grassland has begun to be replaced by streets and houses. Invasive plants and animals are spreading and replacing native species throughout the Basin. In the year 2000 only a few hundred antelope could be found, and about a third of these are expected to disappear during the next decade or two. AFOSA’s principal goals are to:
1.) Inventory and monitor vegetation, native and invasive plants and animals, and ecological conditions.
2.) Design educational materials and experiences.
3.) Encourage protection and restoration of native plant and animal communities.
Tiny Acmon Blue butterfly on locoweed.
Woodhouse’s Toad. This native of the Agua Fria River Basin coexists with the introduced American Bullfrog, a threat to native aquatic species. Go to www.helpafrog.org to learn about amphibian conservation.
