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History/Project
Overview • KERP
Characteristics/Nature Trail
Pima County Stadium District receives 2006 Award of Excellence
The Army Corp of Engineers built the project with congressional encouragement by Ed Pastor; and it was turned over to the County in 2004. The Kino Environmental Restoration Project (KERP) modified the original detention basin to provide a natural ecological system whose characteristics and functions are now integrated with a storm water control facility. This project is the first of its kind completed in Arizona and is one of the first projects of its kind in the USA.
Funding and Expert ExperienceKERP funding came
from the Army Corp of Engineers in partnership with the Pima County
Flood Control District. The purpose of the project was
two fold; first to maintain its current status as a flood control facility,
and second to create an ecosystem restoration site, thereby fulfilling the
requirements of Section 1135 of the Water Resources Development Act
of 1986 (Public Law 99-662). This law authorizes the Secretary
of the Army to implement a program for modifying the structures
and operations
of existing water resources projects for the purpose of improving
the quality of the environment in the public interest.
Other stakeholders in the project include the Pima County Wastewater
Department, Pima County Health Department, Pima County Community Resources,
University
of Arizona, State of Arizona Game and Fish, and the National Audubon
Society. KERP Characteristics & Nature Trail
KERP Ecosystem
The idea of the project was to restore to the basin a habitat similar to a native habitat that would have originally existed in the Tucson Basin. Native plant species were specified to create different habitat zones that may occur within the Tucson area including Riparian, mesquite bosques, upland, creosote, and grassland zones. The project site was also determined to be an ideal relocation site for displaced burrowing owls that have lost their habitat due to development. State Game and Fish has installed numerous burrowing owl nesting tunnels and have successfully introduced nearly 30 birds into the project.
Community and Educational OutreachKERP walking tours and educational presentations are available to educators and students. For more information, please contactJohn Madril: 520.243.6347.
Water HarvestingThis unique project harvests water during the wet seasons in the basin streams, and in the large and small storage ponds. Water is circulated thorough the basin and then is moved into the irrigation ponds to be used to irrigate the Kino Sports Complex, Kino Hospital, and the Ajo Way medians. During the dry seasons, the harvested water is used until it is gone. The habitat is kept alive with the use of reclaimed water until more water can be harvested. From February 2003 to March 2004 the complex used 88,406,718 gallons of re-claimed (purchased) water. During the same time, KERP harvested 28,313,282 gallons of storm water (free). With 1.35 inches of rain in February 2005, approximately 18,246,424 gallons of water was harvested. The entire complex was irrigated with that water until the end of May.
KERP Harvest of Storm Water for Irrigation
Related Links:Reports Kino Environmental Restoration Report...more Projects
Articles What a “Kino” idea ...more
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