Arizona Game and Fish is a paid sponsor of Sonoran Living

When it comes to wildlife survival, every drop of water counts.
Arizona is in the midst of a long-term drought. Although we’ve been lucky with winter and spring rains so far in 2024, it would take years of sustained rain to get Arizona out of drought. As the weather warms this summer, our wildlife will have a hard time finding the water they need to survive.

As part of its mission to conserve and protect the state’s more than 800 wildlife species, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has created the Send Water program. Through this program, the AZGFD works to fill the 3,000 wildwater bodies throughout Arizona, providing water directly to desert, mountain and lowland wildlife habitats.

Joe Currie, habitat planning program manager for AZGFD, knows the impact water has on wildlife survival, but there is one particular experience that motivates his passion for this work. During one particularly dry summer, Currie passed by a water tank reserved for firefighting in the forest near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. “A herd of 30 elk were staring at an old footprint next to the water tank as it was being filled by a tiny leak,” he recalls. “They took turns stepping up to drink what they could.” He remembers the footprint next to the old tank, a reminder of what was needed but was no longer there.

This program – with the help of donors – ensures that all wildlife species, from moose to squirrels to snakes and even bees, have a water supply that maintains healthy populations in all their habitats.

Water doesn’t just quench an animal’s thirst. Fish and frogs live in or near water their entire lives. Birds use water to keep their feathers clean and free of parasites, and larger animals like bighorn sheep use water to cool their bodies. Every single drop of water has a ripple effect across the mountains and deserts, ensuring that the cycle of life continues.

Just as every drop of water makes an impact, every donation makes an impact. Transporting water to 3,000 wildwater bodies in Arizona’s rugged terrain is a massive and costly undertaking that requires specialized heavy equipment, helicopters, and volunteer teams from partner agencies. Because the AZGFD receives no taxpayer dollars from the general fund, public support is critical to the program’s success.

Donations also help the AZGFD develop new monitoring tools, build new catchment basins in critical areas, and rehabilitate existing wildwater bodies to capture water more efficiently when it rains.

“Donor support has been critical in helping us reach wildlife and provide water sources where they are needed most,” says Currie. “Without water, there is no wildlife.”

Every drop, every dollar counts. Learn more today at SendWater.org.