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Melissa McCann, ASLA State University | ASU Director University City Exchange (UCX)

RIO REIMAGINED INTRODUCTION TheRIO Rio REIMAGINED Salado Project Tempe Town Lake 02.06.18. RIVERSEDGE WEST CONFERENCE 1 INTRODUCTION Rio Salado/SRPMIC/Riverview Mesa RIO REIMAGINED 2 55+ mi. revitalization

The Rio Salado project has the potential to transform the bottom and realize an untapped Valley treasure. - U.S. Senator John McCain PROJECT AREA RIO REIMAGINED 3 55+ mi. revitalization

• RECONNECT THE COMMUNITY TO THE RIVER • ESTABLISH A METROPOLITAN VISION FOR THE FUTURE

• BE A CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH & INCLUSION • FEATURE DEMONSTRATIONS OF SUSTAINABLE PLANNING • BUILD AN UNPRECEDENTED REGIONAL DESTINATION

PROJECT ASPIRATIONS RIO REIMAGINED 44

RIO SALADO PHOENIX RIO REIMAGINED 5 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

project length in miles

0

40

20

90

80

30

70

60

50

10 100 Rio Salado Project 55+ Miles San Antonio River Improvements 15.5 Miles Trinity River Vision, Ft. Worth 88 Miles Trinity River Corridor, Dallas 20 Miles Buffalo Bayou, Houston 10 Miles Chicago River Corridor Plan, Chicago 30 Miles The BeltLine, Atlanta 22 Miles Highline, NY 1.5 Miles Three Rivers Park, Pittsburgh 13 Miles Los Angeles River, Los Angeles 51 Miles

PRECEDENTS: SCALE RIO REIMAGINED 6 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

project duration in years

2018 2050 Rio Salado Project 1967 San Antonio River Improvements, San Antonio 1926 Trinity River Vision, Ft. Worth 1971 Trinity River Corridor, Dallas 1994 Buffalo Bayou Park, Houston 1986 Chicago River Corridor Plan, Chicago 1997 The BeltLine, Atlanta 1999 Highline, New York 1999 Three Rivers Park, Pittsburgh 1999 Los Angeles River, Los Angeles 2002

PRECEDENTS: TIME RIO REIMAGINED 7 San Antonio TX Houston TX

Atlanta GA Fort Worth TX

PRECEDENTS: PROGRAM RIO REIMAGINED 8 WATER COMMUNITY

ECONOMY FUNDING

MAJOR TOPICS RIO REIMAGINED 9 STATEMENT OF INTENT RIO REIMAGINED Tres Rios Wetlands 10 STATEMENT OF INTENT RIO REIMAGINED 11 US Army Corps of Engineers

URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP Environmental Protection Agency | EPA Region 9

RIO REIMAGINED 12 US Army Corps of Engineers

6 7

FEDERAL | STATE PARTNERS TOUR RIO REIMAGINED 13 A d v i s o r y P r o j e c t Federal Entities B o a r d Wo r k i n g

Federal, State, County, G r o u p Economic Tribal and Local Elected Professional Staff and Development Officials Business Leadership Non-profit Orgs. Project Coordination Office of US Senator John Academia McCain and ASU

Utilities & Services Technical Consultants as needed Stakeholder Groups

STAKEHOLDER FRAMEWORK RIO REIMAGINED Gila River Confluence / Goodyear 14 P r o j e c t Wo r k i n g G r o u p Professional Staff and Business Leadership

Project Coordination Office of US Senator John McCain and ASU

West Valley Central Valley East Valley Z O N E 3 Z O N E 2 Z O N E 1

Avondale, Goodyear, GRIC GRIC, Phoenix and Tempe Mesa, SRP-MIC and Tempe and Buckeye

WORKING GROUP SUBCOMMITTEES RIO REIMAGINED Gila River Confluence / Goodyear 15 RIO WORKING GROUP

River Revitalization Project AUTHORITY CORPORATION FOUNDATION

A cooperative agreement via A non-governmental organization A non-profit organization IGA or JPA between public tasked with implementing the plan tasked with maintaining the vision, entities for the river right-of- through land development, providing leadership, and raising funds way with Army Corps and planning to execute the project others

PRECEDENTS: ORG STRUCTURE RIO REIMAGINED 16 RIO REIMAGINED VIDEO www.rioreimagined.org RIO REIMAGINED 17 21

Kelly Wolff Arizona Game & Fish Department | AZGFD Habitat Evaluation + Lands Program Manager, Region VI

RIOINTRODUCTION SALADO WEST VALLEY RIO REIMAGINED Tempe Town Lake 18 1818 17+ mi. revitalization

RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE RIO REIMAGINED 19 RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE RIO REIMAGINED 20 Lower Gila River Collaborative Began Several Years Ago

• Purpose: Serve as an ongoing forum for collaboration, coordination, integration and outreach for restoration, habitat enhancement, fuels and flood management, cultural resource protection, outdoor recreation and river-based economic development

RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE RIO REIMAGINED 21 Variety and Scope of Projects • 4 AZGFD Wildlife Areas (4,000+ • FCD Pilot Restoration Projects acres) • BLM Fuels Management • 6,800+ acres of AZGFD managed • Buckeye In Lieu Fee Lands lands • El Rio Lakes • Private Lakes • Buckeye Lakes • Integration with Regional Trail System • Goodyear Constructed Wetlands • Buckeye 40-acre Parcel • Tres Rios • Festival Fields • Estrella Mountain Regional Park • Rio Vista Trailhead • Buckeye Hills Regional Park • GRIC Restoration & Fuels • Arizona Audubon Habitat Study Management RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE RIO REIMAGINED 22 Aspirations (from April 2018 Sonoran Institute Workshop) ● The river is valued for the multiple social and economic opportunities and benefits it provides. ● Improved water quality ● Secure a dedicated/permanent water source ● Improved habitat quality and quantity ● The river is managed and monitored to ensure long term ecological health. ● Demonstrate benefits to all users and stakeholders ● Have the Gila River be recognized as a regional amenity and receive elevated public support and political consideration ● Ensure that the river provides access to trails and supports regional and local connectivity. ● An invested group of stakeholders and communities is convened to be stewards of the river. RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE RIO REIMAGINED 23

Current Lower Gila River Initiatives EL RIO MOU GROUP RIO REIMAGINED - WEST ZONE (Gila/Agua Fria to SR-85 Bridge) (Geography and Membership in Process)

PROJECT ASPIRATIONS Restore the river LOWER GILA RIVER COLLABORATIVE Reconnect the Community to the River Retain heritage landscape character • Establish a Metropolitan Vision for the Future (Salt/Gila to Gillespie Dam) Focus on multiple use • Be a Catalyst for Economic Growth and Inclusion Lined to surrounding communities • Feature Demonstration of Sustainable Planning Through public-private partnerships • Build an Unprecedented Regional Destination While enhancing public safety with WATER flood control measures • Project must be Water Positive Serve as an on-going forum for collaboration, • A Laboratory for Innovation PARTNERS coordination, integration and outreach for • Tightly Calibrated Uses and Impact as a Leading Indicator for the Future Maricopa County restoration, habitat enhancement, fuels and flood ECONOMY City of Buckeye management, cultural resource protection, outdoor • Acknowledge Legacy of the River Industries City of Avondale recreation and river based economic development • Brownfield Redevelopment Opportunities City of Goodyear • Be the Capitol of the Sustainability Business . • Signal a New Identity and Heightened Expectations for the Metro Region PARTNERS COMMUNITY • Focus on Social Equity and Integrative Planning Maricopa County NRCS • Access to Education, Training & Employment City of Buckeye USFWS • Offer Culturally Aware Points of Engagement City of Avondale BLM • Recognize & Empower the Next Generation of Leaders & Community Voices City of Goodyear APS

City of Phoenix BWCDD GRIC ARPA PARTNERS AGFD Buckeye Valley NRCD Maricopa County State Forestry ADEQ Audubon Arizona City of Buckeye AZ Dept of AG ADWR RiversEdge West City of Avondale USACE State Forestry Sonoran Institute City of Goodyear USDA/NRCS/FS BOR Pheasants Forever GRIC BLM/BOR/USGS/FWS

MAG EPA/ADEQ

AGFD FEMA/ADEMA

ADOT US Dept of Commerce

ADWR US Treasury

WestMarc

RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE

RIO REIMAGINED 24

Desired Future Collaboration RIO REIMAGINED - WEST ZONE (Geography and Membership in Process) LOWER GILA RIVER COLLABORATIVE (Salt/Gila to Gillespie Dam)

PARTNERS EL RIO MOU GROUP Maricopa County (Gila/Agua Fria to SR-85 Bridge) City of Buckeye PARTNERS City of Avondale Maricopa County City of Goodyear T&E Species City of Buckeye City of Phoenix Flood City of Avondale GRIC City of Goodyear PARTNERS AGFD GRIC Maricopa County Cultural Heritage ADEQ Water Quantity MAG City of Buckeye ADWR AGFD City of Avondale State Forestry Recreation & Connection ADOT City of Goodyear BOR ADWR . NRCS Community & Business State Forestry Infrastructure USFWS Revitalize Ecological Engagement AZ Dept of AG BLM Functions USACE APS Economic Air Quality USDA/NRCS/FS BWCDD Development BLM/BOR/USGS/FWS Brownfields ARPA EPA/ADEQ Buckeye Valley NRCD FEMA/ADEMA Water Quality Audubon Arizona Habitat Retention US Dept of Commerce RiversEdge West US Treasury Fire Sonoran Institute WestMarc Pheasants Forever

Habitat Restoration

Equitable & Sustainable Development RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE RIO REIMAGINED 25 ARIZONA

RIO REIMAGINED WEST ZONE RIO REIMAGINED 26 21

SUMMARYINTRODUCTION RIO REIMAGINED Tempe Town Lake 2727 Join us for the Valley’s most impactful green infrastructure project in a century

RIO REIMAGINED WEBSITE www.rioreimagined.org RIO REIMAGINED 28 LOWER GILA RIVER COLLABORATIVE http://bit.ly/LGRCStory RIO REIMAGINED 29 The Rio Salado project has the potential to transform the Salt River bottom and realize an untapped Valley treasure. - U.S. Senator John McCain

T H A N K Y O U Tempe Town Lake RIO REIMAGINED 23