Collaborating for conservation: Camp Verde’s new rain garden helps grow community-centered water solutions
The Verde River is more than a water source – it connects communities and ecosystems across Arizona’s Verde Valley region. As one of the state’s last remaining perennial rivers, the Verde is a critical water source for communities, farms and ecosystems in central Arizona.
For the Town of Camp Verde in particular, the 18 miles of river that passes through this rural area is critical for farming and ranching, as well as fishing and recreating.
“I recently read that the Verde River is running at just 36 percent capacity. This vital lifeline flowing through Camp Verde is not only a natural treasure, but a shared responsibility,” said Patty Mancini, the stormwater specialist for Camp Verde. “We must nurture and conserve this precious resource so that future generations can experience the same sense of wonder we do today.”
The Verde River’s water supply is steadily depleting due to the combined impacts of prolonged drought, climate change and increased groundwater pumping, all of which are diminishing the river’s natural flow. This growing challenge is especially acute for rural communities like Camp Verde, which often lack the resources, infrastructure and policy support that larger urban areas can draw upon.
Despite these limitations, there is a significant opportunity for community-driven solutions that harness local knowledge, partnerships and shared commitment to protecting the river.
Community-driven water solutions
Recognizing this opportunity to collaborate with rural communities on water issues, Arizona State University’s Project Cities program hosted the Verde Valley Water Workshop in March 2024 with support from Impact Water - Arizona, a pillar of the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative.
The workshop brought together an intergenerational group of local community members, city leadership, water management practitioners and others from Camp Verde, and nearby Clarkdale, to participate in meaningful discussions around regional water issues.
Based on the outcomes of the workshop, Project Cities partnered with the communities on their project ideas in two-stages that included a semester-long research project followed by an implementation project. For the Town of Camp Verde, two public affairs students conducted a water policy analysis in the fall, with one student focusing on opportunities for community-engaged water conservation education and programming.
This is the kind of work Project Cities is able to accomplish through a model that scales community solutions with research and practice by connecting ASU students and faculty with local governments to co-develop practical solutions to pressing challenges. By embedding student work directly into real municipal priorities, the program empowers rural communities to explore new possibilities while building pathways toward implementation.
Stemming from the student recommendations, Mancini, the stormwater specialist, was most interested in developing a rainwater harvesting demonstration garden housed at the Town’s “Green Building.”
This garden is not only intended to be a community resource, but also as a starting point for scaling water conservation efforts to the larger community, engaging a variety of residents, youth and community staff.
The project culminated in the joint Rainwater Demonstration Garden Workshop, co-hosted by the Town of Camp Verde and Watershed Management Group’s Charlie Alcorn. Workshop participants learned about the rain garden design and maintenance, and participated in the installation over four hours.
The rain demonstration garden is a practical, educational example of how rainwater can be captured and used on-site. While many conservation strategies focus on reducing water demand, this project highlights an approach that invests in community spaces as water assets.
The garden incorporates passive rainwater harvesting features, including two 1,100-gallon rain harvesting barrels, that capture runoff and redirect it to nearby basins and swales. This approach allows water to naturally irrigate native landscaping and infiltrate the ground, helping to recharge the aquifer.
A model for sustainable water management
As a model of low-impact development, the garden demonstrates how managing rain where it falls can reduce runoff, improve water quality and contribute to long-term groundwater sustainability.
“It’s important to realize that we are not victims of a dwindling resource. The decreasing flow is not the end of the story – it’s a call to action,” said Mancini. “Through water conservation methods, rainwater harvesting, the use of raingarden techniques and capturing and using rainwater when it does grace our desert lands, we can add to the river, not just take from it.”
Since the April workshop, the raingarden has been reported to capture approximately 600 gallons of rainwater during a single rainstorm, showcasing the impact of passive rainwater collection.
“We are doing all we can to encourage greater use of both passive and active rainwater harvest systems,” said one participant from Greenlee County. “As this drought continues, we all need to work on ‘buffer’ to help break the flood and drought cycle."
The garden serves as a replicable model for accessible water conservation that can be adopted at home and scaled for impact in the region.
“Together, we can make a lasting difference and ensure a healthy, flowing Verde River,” said Mancini. “That also means we’re creating a reliable water supply for years to come.”
About the author: Alison Almand is the Program Manager for Project Cities, which is a member of the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Network (EPIC-N) and is administered by ASU’s Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and the Sustainable Cities Network. Stay up to date with Project Cities and the Sustainable Cities Network by following us on social media or subscribing to our newsletter.
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