Arizona Game and Fish: Lifesaving water delivered to wildlife expecting to reach 3 million gallons

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PHOENIX - On their 75th year of hauling water to Arizona wildlife, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is expecting to break a record by hauling 3 million gallons of water in 2021.

Officials say 2.4 million gallons of life-sustaining water to catchments were trucked and airlifted throughout the state.

Due to extreme drought conditions, AZGFD has not stopped hauling water from 2020.

"We usually get a break from hauling water in August after monsoon rains refill much of our water catchments," said Joseph Currie, Habitat Planning Program Manager, who oversees AZGFD’s water-catchment efforts.

To help fund the rising costs of providing water for Arizona's wildlife, the public is encouraged to support AZGFD "Send Water" donation campaign by texting "SENDWATER" to 41444.

All funds raised will ensure that AZGFD can deliver water to remote areas across Arizona and help mitigate population fluctuations caused by severe drought conditions.

"Historic drought periods, such as this one, were typically followed by massive die-offs of wildlife," Currie said. "By hauling water, we are able to stabilize those populations, keeping them alive and out of urban areas in search of water."

AZGFD maintains about 1,000 of its own catchments which is filled with water flown by helicopter and maintains 1,000 Bureau of Land Management and 1,000 U.S. Forest Service catchments.