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Water Resource Management        Big Chino Project

Big Chino Project

Introduction

The City of Prescott water service area is located within the Prescott Active Management Area (PrAMA) and also extends into the Town of Chino Valley, the Reservation of the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, some surrounding unincorporated areas of Yavapai County, and in the future a portion of the Town of Prescott Valley. The City of Prescott is the only designated water provider in the PrAMA with a 100-year Assured Water Supply. 

The City’s current water system is complex with five (5) active wells in Chino Valley. The water is pumped into two (2) five (5) million gallon reservoirs at the Chino Water Production Facility, and from there high-pressure pumps convey it into Prescott via water mains.  Three (3) additional wells have been drilled near the City Airport to meet existing and future demands in the area. The City’s water quality is excellent, requires very little treatment, and is monitored daily to ensure the highest quality. 

In January 1999, the Arizona Department of Water Resources declared that the PrAMA was no longer in safe-yield. This triggered full implementation of the Assured Water Supply Rules, requiring that only renewable or imported water supplies from outside of the PrAMA be utilized for new subdivisions within the PrAMA.

Basics

The Big Chino Water Ranch (BCWR) was acquired in 2004, and the supplies were subsequently added to the City’s Decision and Order of Assured Water Supply document in late 2009.  It is a future water supply for the city. 

The Big Chino Water Ranch is comprised of 4,582.1 acres (7.2 sq. mi.) of deeded lands and 1,948.6 acres (3.0 sq. mi.) of Arizona State Land within Yavapai County. The ranch is within the Big Chino Sub-basin of the Verde River Watershed; the sub-basin is defined by the State of Arizona to comprise 1,850 square miles of private, state and federal ownership. 

The City of Prescott is a 54.1% partner and the Town of Prescott Valley a 45.9% partner in water from the BCWR.

Section 45-555, Arizona Revised Statutes, allows for the transportation of groundwater by Prescott AMA (PrAMA) municipalities from the Big Chino Sub-basin for use inside the PrAMA.

  • Map of the Big Chino Water Ranch and Major Land Features

Agreements

Two agreements have been entered into by three parties that consist of the City of Prescott, Town of Prescott Valley, and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement & Power District and the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association. 

Agreement in Principle

Agreement in Principle (February 11, 2010) – A conceptual framework which set forth principles guiding the parties and forming the basis for more detailed future agreements addressing specific terms, including groundwater modeling, groundwater and surface water monitoring, and mitigation (if necessary) associated with future pumping from the City’s Big Chino Water Ranch and importation of water into the Prescott Active Management Area. 

  • City Council Resolution (Resolution No. 4006-1036)
  • Contract (Contract No. 2010-128)

Comprehensive Agreement No. 1

Comprehensive Agreement No. 1 (October 5, 2012) – An agreement that addresses monitoring and modeling in the Big Chino Sub-Basin, with the addition of mutual recognition of certain water rights arising from the Prescott Active Management Area. 

  • City Council Resolution (Resolution No. 4146-1306)
  • City Summary Memo (September 19, 2012)
  • Contract (Contract No. 2013-058)

Project Documents

Documents related to the CA1 Agreement

Annual Reports

Annual Reports 2012 - Current

First annual report (10/12–6/14) 

Second annual report (7/14–6/15)

Third annual report (7/15–6/16)

Fourth annual report (7/16–6/17)

Fifth annual report (7/17–6/18)

Sixth annual report (7/18–6/19)

Seventh annual report (7/19–6/20)

Eighth annual report (7/20–6/21)

Ninth annual report ( 7/21–6/22 )

Tenth annual report (7/22-6/23)

Eleventh annual report (7/23 - 6/24)

Monitoring

Contracts for ephemeral stream-flow monitoring within the Big Chino Sub-basin

Council Agenda Summary – August 27, 2013 

City Contract No. 2014-001

Council Agenda Summary – November 5, 2013

City Contract No. 2014-001 A1

Council agenda summary – June 09 2015

City Contract No. 2014-001A2

Council Agenda Summary – February 2, 2022

City Contract No. 2022-154

Contracts for geophysical monitoring within the Big Chino Sub-basin

Council Agenda Summary – March 25, 2014 

City Contract No. 2014-160

Council agenda summary – June 23 2015

City Contract No. 2014-160A1

Council agenda summary – January 24 2017

City Contract No. 2014-160A2

City Contract No. 2014-160A3

City Contract No. 2014-160A4

Comprehensive Agreement No. 1 Seasonal Reports – Streamflow monitoring

Monsoon Season Report: July 1 – September 30, 2014 

Winter/Spring Report: October 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015

Contract for Well Assessment within the Big Chino Sub-basin

Council Agenda Summary – June 7th, 2016 

City Contract No. 2016-296

Council Agenda Summary – July 25, 2017

City Contract No. 2016-296A1

Workplan to Collect Geochemical Data in the Big Chino Sub-basin

Council Agenda Summary – October 11, 2016 

City of Prescott Contract No. 2017-143

City Contract No. 2017-143A1

City Contract No. 2017-143A2

Contract for monitor well drilling in the Big Chino Sub-basin

Council Agenda Summary – December 12, 2017 

City Contract No. 2018-114

Contract for Big Chino Automated Groundwater Monitoring

City Contract No. 2020-136 

Contract for YCFCD Equipment on City-owned Property

City Contract No 2014-188 

City Contract No 2014-188 Exhibit A

Modeling

Requests for Statements of Qualifications

Statements of Qualifications for the Big Chino Sub-basin Groundwater Flow Model 

Contract for Groundwater Flow Modeling within the Big Chino Sub-basin

Council Agenda Summary – February 23, 2017

City Contract No. 2017-246 

City Contract No. 2017-246A1

City Contract No. 2017-246A2

City Contract No. 2017-256A3

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    Prescott, AZ 86301
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