Friends of the Santa Cruz River has been concerned for some time that the binational sewage pipe, the International Outfall Interceptor (IOI), could be breached by floods in the Nogales Wash under which it lies. A pipe break would spill raw sewage into the communities of Nogales, Rio Rico, Tubac and further north along the Santa Cruz River. Our warning …
Author: FOSCR
Nogales Wash and Climate Change
Article written by FOSCR Board member Ben Lomeli Every storm that hits Nogales, AZ puts pressure on the deteriorating sewage pipe that carries 14 million gallons of sewage daily, mostly from Mexico, right through the small city of Nogales, AZ to the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant (NIWTP) in Rio Rico, AZ. This pipe, the International Outfall Interceptor (IOI), was …
Climate change is shrinking the Colorado River
NOTE: This article is reposted from TheConversation.Com originally posted on June 13, 2017 10.22pm EDT. Read the original article with links to additional information at: https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-shrinking-the-colorado-river-76280 The nation’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead on the Arizona/Nevada border and Lake Powell on the Arizona/Utah border, were brim full in the year 2000. Four short years later, they had lost enough water to …
Endangered Gila topminnow to combat mosquitoes, West Nile and Zika in Pima County
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] From the Arizona Game and Fish Department: Endangered Gila topminnow to combat mosquitoes, West Nile and Zika in Pima County: Fish used to reduce West Nile, Zika virus threat Posted May 26, 2017 (*This release is issued jointly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Pima County.) PHOENIX …
“Flirting With Disaster”: How You Can Help!
We need to call for action! Tell these contacts that you want to see the International Outfall Interceptor (IOI) fixed—and soon! Feel free to use the “Talking Points” below in your communications. Senator John McCain: https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/casework-form (you can copy/paste points below onto this online form in “message” box) Tucson office: (520) 670-6334 Senator Jeff Flake: https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-jeff (also an online form where you …
FOSCR’s New Video: “Flirting with Disaster”
Flirting With Disaster: Eroding Sewer Pipe Threatens Santa Cruz River The International Outfall Interceptor (the “IOI”) sewage pipe is in danger of rupturing, spewing raw sewage and industrial waste over the poor border city of Nogales, Arizona, and into the Santa Cruz River watershed. The Federal government needs to fix the problem, caused by years of neglect, overuse, and sediment flows largely …
Press Release Highlights Plight of IOI Pipeline
McCain, Flake, McSally Introduce Bill to Unburden Nogales, Arizona From IOI Pipeline Costs Washington, D.C. March 8, 2017– U.S. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) this week introduced in the Senate the Nogales Wastewater Fairness Act, legislation that would transfer the unfair financial burden of maintenance and capital upgrades of the International Outfall Interceptor (IOI) sewage pipeline located underneath the …
Where wild things swim—again
A recent High Country News article entitled, “Where the wild things swim—again. In a borderlands river, improved water quality allows an endangered fish to return” highlighted the return of the Gila Top Minnow. The Top Minnow—an endangered species—has been discovered again in the Santa Cruz River thanks to the release of effluent from the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant. Read the …