ON WATER CONTROLLING OUR DESTINY

…the future of the Oak Creek Watershed

Editorial

The Oak Creek Watershed is part of the Verde River Watershed and has an area of approximately 300,000 acres where all the water that is under it, or drains off it, goes into Oak Creek.  Oak Creek is the major tributary of the Verde River and meanders for about 50 miles from its headwaters at the top of Oak Creek Canyon to the confluence with the Verde at Cornville and Cottonwood, Arizona. 

There are over 2100 watersheds across the country and not all are blessed with a management group to protect watershed integrity.  The Oak Creek Watershed Council (OCWC) originated 20 years ago under a different name and more modified goals, and formalized its structure as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2003.  It now has over 200 members at active, contributing and stakeholder levels and has developed the reputation for being a “can-do” organization.  The common thread among OCWC membership is not only the passion shared for protecting the watershed environment, but the quest to educate all members of our watershed community that water controls our destiny and responsibility for its stewardship is shared by each of us.

The OCWC membership includes citizen scientists, consultants, hydrologists, geologists, engineers, professionals with varied expertise and a volunteer force—Friends of Oak Creek.  The OCWC partners with all levels of government as well as other community organizations in its projects and activities including the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and the Sedona Community Foundation.  A common goal is to support sustainable tourism and at the same time address its impacts, as well as tackle other water issues of the community from a short and long term perspective.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), sustainable tourism development requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building. Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or corrective measures whenever necessary.

Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability.