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- The Verde River is the lifeblood of central Arizona, supplying water to farms, yards and gardens, and drinking water and recreation opportunities to thousands.
- Now, the Conservancy, working with a local ditch company, has instituted an automated ditch irrigation system that will efficiently deliver water to landowners while preserving more water for the river.
Tall cottonwoods, leafy willows and groves of pecan trees provide dappled shade and green grass to the tidy community of Camp Verde, population 12,000.
It’s all made possible by water, Verde River water.
“It’s integral to the Verde Valley. This would be an entirely different place if it didn’t have water flowing through it,” says 20-year Camp Verde resident Frank Germinden.
Hands shoved in the pockets of his overalls, Frank glances around the neighborhood; he’s clearly proud of this community with its well-kept yards, small gardens and orchards. He grows pecans, blackberries and hay on his 11 acres.
