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Black Canyon Riparian Restoration
The Black Canyon City Community Association, a non-profit organization, received a 27 acre parcel of land with 153 acre feet of water rights as a donation from the Albans Family.  The Black Canyon Riparian Restoration Project area consists of a 22 acre area within the donated portion; this includes 14.1 acres of channel area and 7.9 acres of upper terrace flood plain within the Agua Fria River Corridor.  Historically, the project area once supported a host of wildlife species, including the Gila Chub, a piscine species of concern. In 2005, the project area (which contained valuable native riparian habitat) was destroyed by fire, decimating much of the usable habitat for neo-tropical migrating birds and resident avian species. 

In order to increase the ecological integrity along the Agua Fria River Corridor, Fred Phillips Consulting wrote a grant proposal in June 2008 and received funding to restore 22 acres.  FPC has led the restoration efforts by obtaining all necessary permits from Yavapai County and various government agencies, designing and implementing exotic species removal plans, and conducting site and soil analysis. The consulting firm has also drafted grading, excavation, revegetation and monitoring plans.  This project will enhance and restore a total of 22 acres within the Agua Fria River Corridor located in Black Canyon City, Arizona and provide beneficial habitat for numerous wildlife species.  Upon completion and approval of the restoration plans FPC began construction layout and supervision of the channel excavation and recontouring of the pond, installing the irrigation system and planting design, as well as implementing the monitoring plan and ongoing maintenance. 

This project is part of a larger, regional effort by the Black Canyon Historical Society, Friends of the Agua Fria River, North County Conservancy, Yavapai County, Bureau of Land Management, AZ Game and Fish, and the US Fish and Wildlife to remove exotic species from the Agua Fria River Corridor and restore riparian habitat for a variety of wildlife species.