1. Oak Creek Watershed Council Meeting Thursday, December 12.
Please join us for our next bimonthly meeting for Oak Creek Watershed Council from 9:30am to 11:30am December 14th, 2018. We will meet in the Hummingbird Room at the Red Rock State Park Visitor Center, 4050 Red Rock Loop Road, Sedona, AZ. Let the gatekeeper know that you are there for the OCWC meeting and receive free admission to the park.
Our December meeting will cover:
- Our year-end accomplishments
- Welcoming our 2019 board members
- Upcoming events and fundraisers
- What’s next in 2019?
NOTICE OF MEETING
December 14th, 2018
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
RED ROCK STATE PARK, Hummingbird Room
Meeting Agenda:
9:30 Welcome and introductions
9:40 Round table status reports
10:05 A thank you to our 2018 board members
10:20 Welcome 2019 board members!
10:30 Snack Break
10:35 Upcoming events and fundraisers
10:40 Year-end accomplishments
11:00 What’s next in 2019?
11:25 Next Meeting is on Thursday, February 14th, 2019 from 9:30 –11:30am, at Red Rock State Park, Hummingbird Room.
11:30 – Adjourn
- OCWC Board Meeting at noon to 2 pm
Please visit our online calendar at www.oakcreekwatershed.org to view upcoming events and opportunities to volunteer
The Council has developed a membership program whereby individuals,
families, businesses, and organizations can support the vital work that OCWC does on a continual basis in Oak Creek watershed. We hope you will recognize the importance of this work and help OCWC attain its goal of protecting Oak Creek and keeping the waters clean by joining our membership. http://oakcreekwatershed.org/get-involved/become-a-member
Visit our Oak Creek Watershed website at http://oakcreekwatershed.org
2. Oak Creek Watershed Council Fund Raiser Event. Oak Creek Watershed Council will be partnering with Chipotle Saturday, December 15th from 4-8pm for a fundraiser. Come bring your family and friends and enjoy some delicious burritos in support of OCWC. We get a generous donation of the proceeds from Chipotle if we can bring in a certain amount of people, so please come to support us and spread the word to the community!
All you need to do is show up at 361 Forest Road Suite B in Sedona on Saturday, December 15th between 4:00pm and 8:00pm. Bring in this flyer, (info@oakcreekwatershed.org) show it on your smartphone, or tell the cashier you’re supporting the cause to make sure that the proceeds will be donated to Oak Creek Watershed Council! We hope to see you there!
3. Water Resources Research Center Early Bird Registration For February 1st Conference. How will Arizona communities ensure that they have sufficient water to meet their future needs? This is the critical question being addressed at the upcoming UA Water Resources Research Center’s annual conference to be held on Friday, February 1st at the Black Canyon Conference Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Registration is open now and is available at the early bird rate of $100 until 5 pm on December 21, 2018. To register and to see the agenda, go to https://wrrc.arizona.edu/wrrc-conference-2019- arizona-runs-water-scarcity-challenges-and-community-based-solutions?utm_source= WRRC+Weekly+Wave%2C+ Vol.+6%2C +Issue+34+%2812%2F7%2F18%29+ &utm_campaign=WW-12-7-18&utm_medium=email
We will spend much of the day looking at place-based ideas and solutions and addressing questions, including: Are there common barriers faced by communities or across water sectors? How do we build on accomplishments to create strong successes?, and What changes in state laws and governing policies would be helpful? One size does not fit all!
4. Officials Fear Alamo Dam Release Harmed Lake’s Fish Species. Wildlife officials are still working to figure out the impact of a release of more than 9 billion gallons (34.1 billion liters) of water from Alamo Dam.
Wildlife officials are working to figure out the impact of a release of more than 9 billion gallons (34.1 billion liters) of water from a dam in western Arizona.
The Arizona Department of Game and Fish conducted a study of the March water release from Alamo Dam months ago, and the results will be available early next year. Officials fear the worst for the lake’s fish species, Today’s Lake Havasu City News-Herald reported.
The release of water by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was needed to provide longoverdue maintenance to the 50-year-old dam, the agency said.
Chris Cantrell, fisheries manager with Game and Fish, said the release reduced Alamo Lake’s elevation by 10 feet (3.1 meters) in about 20 days, which might have harmed fish in the reproductive stage.
“Most if not all current spawning areas and eggs may have been lost, leading to fewer young fish and declines in recruitment,” Cantrell said. “Even if spawning nests remained submerged during the lake level declines, the changing lake environment may have caused largemouth bass or black crappie to abandon the spawning nests, making their eggs vulnerable to predators.”
Cantrell said the lower lake levels also might have resulted in a loss of underwater vegetation that protects younger fish against predation.
Game and Fish sought unsuccessfully to stop the lake from being drained.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is scheduled to meet Friday to consider a memorandum of understanding between the department and the Army Corps, which is evaluating if operational changes are needed at the dam. The Army Corps held meetings earlier this year and is reviewing comments from anglers, environmentalists, utility companies and off-road vehicle enthusiasts.
The meeting will help inform future maintenance and drainage of the water in the dam, and keep the Game and Fish Department in the loop for any planned water releases.
Information from: Today’s News-Herald, http://www.havasunews.com
5. Greening Up The Holidays: Wrapping Gifts And Packaging. Tis the season for buying gifts for loved ones and friends. When placing the gifts in a box, protect the gift with a green filler.
Green packing materials may include corn-based packing peanuts, inflated small party balloons, recycled foam packing material, crumpled newspaper, peanut shells, sawdust old towels, old worn out clothing, large kerf sawdust, popcorn, old billing statements and envelopes (be sure to redact any personal information), blown up plastic newspaper bags (tie end like a balloon), whole or chopped up pulp or Styrofoam egg cartons, plastic grocery bags, and more.
To green your gift wrapping, consider using newspaper, or use old clothing fabric, old magazine pages, meat packing paper, recycled Christmas paper from previous years, old calendars, mixed and matched wide side cuts from cereal boxes, crayon colored or painted paper grocery bags, cut up old shower curtain, cut up old bed sheets and pillow cases, and more. Source: editor
6. How To Keep Your Christmas Tree Needles On The Tree And Off The Ground. Despite the rising popularity of artificial Christmas trees, the beauty and smells of a real tree still draw over 20 million Americans to purchase their own every season. However, with the authenticity and perks of a real tree come the issue of needles falling. For years, researchers and tree owners have tried dozens of different tricks to minimize the needle sweeping.
Before ever heading to the tree farm, remembering a few key tricks could save you a big mess.
When choosing which tree to cut or selecting a pre-cut tree, an owner can test the strength of the needles by tugging on them lightly. If they come off easily, the tree is most likely not in the best condition. You can also bounce a cut tree softly on ground to see if any loose needles fall off.
After selecting your tree and doing all the work that it takes to drag it into the living room, the first thing to do is to make sure the tree has plenty of water. Trees stay fresh by having consistent and adequate water. According to popularmechanics.com, the sap in a tree will start sealing over the cut base immediately after cutting and the process lasts about three hours.
Photo © Provided by Accuweather, Inc christmas tree
By quickly hydrating the tree and making sure that the water in the stand is well above the cut bottom, tree owners can ensure needles stay put. A helpful rule is to remember that a tree needs a quart of water for each inch of its diameter. From there, it’s important to make sure conditions are adequate to help it stay healthy as long as possible.
One way to do this is by making sure to keep the tree away from hot and dry air. By placing it in a cooler area and by using LED lights that don’t get as hot as traditional lights, the tree temperature will stay lower. By slowing the rate of water absorption and evaporation, the tree is less likely to dry out and lose needles.
© Provided by Accuweather, Inc Christmas tree needles
Outside of the environment of the tree, there have also been plenty of do-it-yourself ideas to keep needles from falling.
If you have a swimming pool or a pond, toss the tree into the pool/pond for a day. Remove it from the water and allow for it to drip dry.
One popular debate is whether or not a sugar additive can help the tree absorb more water. Some have even argued that soda like 7-up or full-sugar lemonade can help. While supporters say that the sugar helps mimic tree sap, agricultural scientists say there is little evidence to prove this works.
Another DIY trick that some have tried is hairspray. A study conducted by Australian researchers published in the Australian Journal of Botany showed that hairspray blocked the stoma on the needles, slowing the decay process. It’s important to remember the flammability of hairspray, however, as the tree will need to be far from any open flame.
Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/how-to-keep-your-christmas-tree-needles-on-the-branches-and-off-the-ground/ar-BBQLDod
7. Christmas Quiz: Which Plant Is Of The Genus Ilex? Answer below
8. Electric Christmas. If you have the will and the means to do a little traveling, you might want to check out the holiday light of the Phoenix Botanical Garden (“Electric Dessert”); Phoenix “Zoo Lights”; Sedona Northern Lights; Arizona State Fairgrounds (Phoenix); Festival of Lights (Lake Havasu City); Courthouse Plaza, Prescott; Glendale Glitters; Holiday Lights at Little America Hotel, Flagstaff; Las Noches de las Luminarias, Phoenix; Lighting of the Luminarias, Tombstone; Luminaria Nights at the Tucson Botanical Garden, Tucson; Temple Gardens Christmas Lights, Mesa; Tinsel Town at Tlaquepaque, Sedona; Tumbleweed Tree, Chandler; Winterhaven Festival of Lights, Tucson.
Drive safely, enjoy the lights, and stay close to family!
Answer To No. 7 Genus Ilex = Holly
