Friends of the Santa Cruz River Warn of IOI Catastrophe

Global Community Communications Alliance has been a major supporter of Friends of the Santa Cruz River (www.friendsofsantacruzriver.org) since moving to southern Arizona in 2008. Lah-May and Blue Evening Star have served on the board of Friends of the Santa Cruz River (FOSCR) since 2008. Lah-May is the secretary of FOSCR as well as being editor of their newsletter THE FLOW. Blue Evening Star is involved in the outreach/education committee and the mining committee of FOSCR.

As of 2016, Global Community Communications Alliance members Lah-May and Blue Evening Star continue to serve as board members of Friends of the Santa Cruz River (FOSCR).

In addition to ongoing work to protect the river by monitoring in the RiverWatch program, FOSCR has undertaken a project to address a serious pollution threat in the Santa Cruz Valley. John Dougherty of Investigative Media has been hired by FOSCR to create a 5 minute documentary video about the catastrophic danger of a failure of the IOI. Here is an explanation of this danger:

A catastrophe is coming unless we act now. FOSCR needs your help to protect our community. People's lives and health are at risk, as well as our drinking water supply. In addition, this catastrophe will unleash environmental destruction on a massive scale. A sewer line, known as the IOI, runs under Nogales Wash. Every day it transports 14 million gallons of waste water to the International Waste Water Treatment Plant. It is collapsing. Without immediate intervention to rebuild this structure, when the conditions are right, communities along the Santa Cruz River from Nogales north to Tucson are at risk of a devastating flood of raw sewage. FOSCR has contracted with John Dougherty, an award winning documentary film maker to make a short film, to educate government officials at all levels as well as the community about the nature of the problem and the urgent need to protect not only people but the recently returned Gila Topminnow to the Santa Cruz River watershed. You can assist our efforts by making a financial donation and becoming involved with FOSCR.

Global Community Communications Schools for Teens and Children have partnered with Friends of the Santa Cruz River through Blue Evening Star's BioRegional Activism class. Over the years this class has been involved in many activities with FOSCR including:

• The contribution of educational displays about the Santa Cruz River to the FOSCR booth and the presentation of a shared FOSCR/GCCSchools booth at many events such as the Tumacácori Fiesta(2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), the Grasslands Fair at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (2011, 2012), the Watershed Managemant Group celebration at Guy Tobin Trailhead in Rio Rico(2012), Earth Sustainability Day (2009, 2010, 2011) and Earth Harmony Festival (2012).
• Attending FOSCR hosted events such as the annual Fish Survey (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), RiverWatch (2010,2011), riverwalks (many times since 2009), and power point presentations on flora and fauna of the Santa Cruz River in local schools (2012).
• Participating with FOSCR and Watershed Management Group in creating rain-water harvesting features at Guy Tobin Trailhead in Rio Rico (Six workshops in 2012).
• Sixth Annual Celebrate the River Student Art Contest