White Tank Mountain Regional Park Master Plan Update 2014-2034 {This page intentionally left blank.} {This page intentionally left blank.} {This page intentionally left blank.} Acknowledgements This master plan update was a collaborative process that involved the guidance and expertise of many. The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department would like to thank the Planning Team who committed their time to monthly meetings and document review; likewise to the Stakeholder Advisory Group who took time out of their personal lives to provide their invaluable input. Planning Team Stakeholder Advisory Group R.J. Cardin, Director Jamil Coury Jennifer Waller, Operations Manager Linda Gilgosch Jennifer Johnston, West Side Superintendent John Pesock Raymond Schell, Park Supervisor Frank Salowitz Michele Kogl, Planning and Development Manager Allen Ockenfels, Trails Development Manager Fareed Abou-Haidar, GIS Technician Leigh Johnson, Park Planner This Master Plan update was also made possible by the contributions and guidance of the following: • Maricopa County Board of Supervisors o Denny Barney, District 1 o Steve Chucri, District 2 o Andy Kunasek, District 3 o Clint L. Hickman, District 4 o Mary Rose Wilcox, District 5 • Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Commission o Jack Stapley, District 2 o Anne Lynch, District 3 o Dr. Robert Branch, District 4 o Carlton Yoshioka , Member-at-Large o Rod Jarvis, Member-at-Large • Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department staff • Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Patrol Division • Bill “Doc” Talboys, Interpretive Ranger, MCPRD (retired) • Shelly Rasmussen, Interpretive Ranger, MCPRD (retired) • Public meeting participants The Department would also like to thank its agency partners at the City of Surprise, City of Buckeye, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the Bureau of Land Management - Phoenix District Office for their input and guidance. The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department would also like to thank the tireless efforts of the park staff and volunteers, without whom the park could not operate. {This page intentionally left blank.} Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Term Definition ADA American’s with Disabilities Act ADOT Arizona Department of Transportation ADWR Arizona Department of Water Resources AMA Active Management Area APS Arizona Public Service Company ASU Arizona State University ARS Arizona Revised Statutes AZGFD Arizona Game and Fish Department AZGS Arizona Geological Survey ASLD Arizona State Land Department BH-RMP Bradshaw-Harquahala Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan BOS Board of Supervisors BLM Bureau of Land Management CIP Capital improvement plan County Maricopa County EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act ET Evapotranspiration FTE Fulltime Equivalent (employee) FY Fiscal Year GIS Geographic Information System GPS Geographic Positioning System HDMS Heritage Data Management System HUC Hydraulic Unit Code I- Interstate (number) IGA Intergovernmental Agreement LEED Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design LMP Lightscape Management Plan MAG Maricopa Association of Governments MCDOT Maricopa County Department of Transportation MCLD Maricopa County Library District MCPRD (or Department) Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department MCSO Maricopa County Sherriff’s Office MOU Memorandum of Understanding MPA Municipal Planning Area n.d. No date NOx Nitrogen Oxide OHV Off-Highway Vehicle PM Particulate Matter RAE Recreation Activity Evaluation R&PP Recreation and Public Purposes Act Term Definition RTP Regional Transportation Plan RV Recreational Vehicle SAG Stakeholder Advisory Group SERI Species of Economic and Recreational Importance SGCN Species of Greatest Conservation Need SHPO State Historic Preservation Office SR- State Route (number) SWAP State Wildlife Action Plan USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service VOC Volatile Organic Compounds VRM Visual Resource Management WTIA White Tanks Improvement Association Date of Master Plan amendments or updates: Date Activity 1964 Master Development Plan (original) 2014 Master Plan update {This page intentionally left blank.} Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………1-1 1.1 Project Background 1-1 1.2 Vision, Mission, and Theme 1-2 Chapter 2 Master Plan Process ……………………………………………………………………2-1 2.1 Purpose of the Master Plan 2-1 2.2 Previous Planning Efforts 2-1 2.3 Plan Amendments or Updates 2-2 2.4 Agency Participation Program 2-2 2.5 Public Participation Program 2-3 2.6 Planning Issues 2-6 2.7 Recreation Activity Evaluation 2-7 Chapter 3 Resource Analysis ……………………………………………………………………3-1 3.1 General Project Setting 3-1 3.2 Special Designations 3-2 3.3 Physiography and Climate 3-5 3.4 Water Resources 3-6 3.5 Earth Resources 3-8 3.6 Biological Resources 3-9 3.7 Cultural Resources and Native American 3-18 Consultation 3.8 Visual Resources 3-22 3.9 Recreation Resources 3-23 3.10 Land Use 3-27 3.11 Drive-time Analysis 3-38 3.12 Facilities and Infrastructure 3-39 3.13 Socioeconomics 3-45 3.14 Visitation and Tourism Trends 3-48 3.15 Park Use 3-51 3.16 Local Recreation, Needs, and Opportunities 3-53 3.17 Park Administration and Special Functions 3-54 3.18 Public Safety 3-56 3.19 Finances 3-57 Chapter 4 Trails ……………………………………………………………………4-1 4.1 Existing Trails 4-1 4.2 Trail Use 4-5 4.3 Trail Rating 4-5 Chapter 5 Management Zoning ……………………………………………………………………5-1 5.1 Methodology for Determining Management Zones 5-1 5.2 Description of Management Zones 5-1 5.3 Area Descriptions that Influence Park Zoning 5-3 Chapter 6 Recommended Park Improvement Projects ……………………………………………………………………6-1 6.1 Issues and Constraints Analysis 6-2 6.2 Recommended Park Improvements 6-2 List of Appendices (under separate cover) Appendix A Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) Appendix B Public Input Process Appendix C Photo Monitoring Program Appendix D Geology Appendix E Soils, shrink/swell potential Appendix F Special Status Species, Maricopa County Appendix G Noxious Weeds Appendix H Asset Inventory Appendix I Organization Chart Appendix J Trail System Plan Appendix K Implementation Plan Appendix L Dark Sky Initiative List of Maps, Figures, and Tables Maps Page Map 3-1: Park and Vicinity ..................3-2 Map 3-2: Biotic Communities, Arizona Game and Fish Department, HabiMap™ ................3-10 Map 3-3: Wildlife Linkages, Arizona Game and Fish Department ................3-14 Map 3-4: Hunting Map (subject to change) ................3-26 Map 3-5: Surrounding Land Ownership ................3-29 Map 3-6: Luke AFB Noise Contours ................3-32 Map 3-7: Village 3 Plan, City of Surprise, Arizona ................3-33 Map 3-8: Skyline Regional Park (Skyline Regional Park Master Plan, p28) ................3-35 Map 3-9: ASLD Westside Study Area Conceptual Plan (draft) ................3-36 Map 3-10: Existing and Future Roadways ................3-38 Map 3-11: Drive time analysis. 2009 Strategic System Master Plan, PROs Consulting, page 58. ................3-40 Map 3-12: SPCC Plan Site Map (maintenance facility), Figure 2 ................3-42 Map 4-1: Existing Trails ..................4-2 Map 5-1: Development Zones (Source: MCPRD 2009 Strategic System Master Plan, p 116) ..................5-3 Figures Page Figure 2-1: Public Open House Meeting (September 2013) ..................2-5 Figure 3-1: Nature Pond ..................3-3 Figure 3-2: Summer monsoon flash flood across a park roadway. ..................3-7 Figure 3-3: Javelina and Deer ................3-11 Figure 3-4: Desert pupfish. Photo credit, John Rinne, USFWS ................3-15 Figure 3-5: Vegetation: cholla, saguaro cacti ................3-17 Figure 3-6: Buffelgrass. Photo credit: Larry Allain, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database. ................3-17 Figure 3-7: Petroglyph panel (August 2010) ................3-19 Figure 3-8: Brand ................3-20 Figure 3-9: Interpretive signage along Waterfall Trail ................3-24 Figure 3-10: Amphitheater ................3-41 Figure 3-11: Picnic Area 4-D (Desert Varnish Ramada) ................3-43 Figure 3-12: Youth Campground ................3-44 Figure 3-13: Horse staging area ................3-45 Figure 3-14: Building Inventory by Year Built ................3-46 Figure 3-15: Visitor Race/Ethnicity ................3-48 Figure 3-16: Visitor residency (*new cities denoted with asterisk) ................3-50 Figure 3-17: Visitation by fiscal year ................3-51 Figure 3-18: Actual (blue) and forecasted (dark blue) visitation per fiscal year ................3-52 Figure 3-19: MCSO and Rural Metro on call ................3-58 Figure 3-20: Revenue per Fiscal Year ................3-59 Figure 3-21: Revenue by Month ................3-59 Figure 3-22: Souvenir Fund ................3-60 Figure 3-23: Camping per Fiscal Year ................3-60 Figure 3-24: Facility Rental ................3-61 Figure 3-25: Annual Passes ................3-61 Figure 3-26: Vehicle Entries ................3-62 Figure 3-27: Donations per Fiscal Year ................3-63 Figure 4-1: Waterfall Trail ..................4-1 Figure 4-2: Mule Deer Trail (Maricopa Trail), looking southwest. ..................4-4 Tables Page Table 1-1: Themes and Mandates ..................1-2 Table 2-1: Recreation Activity Evaluation (RAE) ..................2-7 Table 3-1: Average Temperature and Precipitation ..................3-5 Table 3-2: Drainage Areas of Major Washes ..................3-6 Table 3-3: Flood Alert System ..................3-7 Table 3-4: Springs ..................3-8 Table 3-5: Hunters Present in Park ................3-28