About Our Drought Response and How You Can Help
Arizona is in a cycle of long-term drought, which means there is less available water for animals and a bigger fight for their survival. As temperatures here rise, their search for water becomes even more crucial.
How does drought impact wildlife?
Water is wildlife’s most important resource, vital for more than just quenching thirst. Large animals use water to cool down, birds use it to keep their feathers clean and free of parasites, and fish and frogs live in or near water their whole lives.
The longer a drought lasts, the more physical stress it can place on wildlife, lowering reproductive success and leaving them less able to survive the regular challenges of life in nature.
Fewer water sources cause wildlife to congregate in singular locations, increasing the risk of predation and spread of disease. They may also seek water in less safe places, like urban or agricultural environments.
How does AZGFD work to mitigate the impact of drought?
As the state’s wildlife agency, AZGFD has used the best available science to manage species successfully for 100+ years—including planning for drought—and works year round to mitigate drought’s impact on wildlife. Nearly every role in the agency plays some part in these efforts.
AZGFD’s wildlife experts help wildlife mitigate drought’s impacts in many ways, including translocating populations, adjusting hunt guidelines and hatchery efforts, responding to human-wildlife conflicts fueled by drought, and supporting the state’s wildfire response.
In addition, AZGFD and its partners maintain and deliver water to 3,000+ statewide wildlife waters, including manmade catchments, with some of the most remote locations requiring helicopters to reach them.
What impact have AZGFD’s drought response efforts had?
AZGFD’s efforts have had a meaningful impact on Arizona’s wildlife. From transporting generations of endangered Chiracahua leopard frogs from dried up water sources to adjusting hunt guidelines to maintain healthy, resilient and sustainable game populations, all species big and small benefit from AZGFD’s efforts.
Without AZGFD’s efforts to fill wildlife waters across the state each year, it is likely that many animals would not have survived the intense summer heat.
What challenges does AZGFD face with its drought response?
1. Heavy rainfall does not end the drought.
Water from a few days of heavy rainfall doesn’t stay on the ground for very long, limiting its benefit to wildlife. It can also have a negative impact on habitat, including causing runoff into lakes and streams that adversely affect wildlife.
2. A few consistent wet seasons would not immediately resolve the effects of long-term drought.
The drought has impacted Arizona’s wildlife for years, and recovery would not happen overnight. Mearn’s quail, for example, would likely need 3-5 years of normal rainfall to rebound from the consistently poor monsoon conditions.
3. Wildlife conservation is not free.
AZGFD’s funding from licenses, tags and stamps are stretched thin as the agency works to conserve and protect 800+ species. The water hauling program costs more than $1 million annually, and costs continue to climb each year.
No matter the challenges, it’s worth it to give our wildlife a fighting chance at survival.
How can the public support AZGFD’s drought response efforts?
Donations and volunteers play a large role in the sustainability of AZGFD’s water hauling efforts.
AZGFD is self-funded, so generous donations make a significant impact on efforts to provide lifesaving hydration to wildlife all year long. 100% of donations received go toward costs such as vehicle maintenance, new trailers, and catchment repairs and upkeep.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact volunteer@azgfd.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I learn more about AZGFD’s drought response?
Hear from Joe Currie, Habitat Planning Program Manager, about the impact of AZGFD’s water hauling program and the challenges it faces after the recent years of dry winters and record-setting summers.
To see AZGFD’s drought mitigation efforts in action, visit the Drought and Wildlife playlist on YouTube.
Why does AZGFD need to haul water year round to the 3,000 wildlife waters across the state?
Wildlife drinking frequency is dependent upon air temperature, air moisture and food moisture. During a normal year, AZGFD hauls water from April to September, but record-setting hot and dry years mean AZGFD has had to haul water year round.
A dry winter’s water requirements are almost more than summer. Warmer winter temps increase wildlife’s water use; plants are dead and dry, so it takes more water for wildlife to process their food and stay hydrated.
How is AZGFD making its water hauling program more sustainable?
AZGFD is renovating and standardizing its wildlife water designs to be more efficient and self-sustaining. This will allow for fewer water hauls without reducing the water available to wildlife on the landscape.
AZGFD is also installing satellite water sensors on wildlife waters statewide, providing access to water level data for each catchment in real time.
What is AZGFD doing to enhance the resilience of wildlife and their habitats?
Explore an overview of existing management strategies that AZGFD currently implements to enhance resilience of wildlife and their habitats to drought in its Drought Management Actions Plan.
Review examples of drought’s impact on Arizona’s wildlife and learn about AZGFD’s response in the Drought and Wildlife in Arizona article from Arizona Wildlife Views magazine.