Tortolita Alliance
TA Tidbits # 59 Giddyap!
Here are some upcoming events in our area by which you can volunteer, enjoy our Sonoran Desert environment and engage! Marana Parks &...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Aug 24
- 3 min
Tucson Urban Wildlife Conservation Program
Tortolita Alliance (TA) was invited and attended the first meeting of the Tucson Wildlife Partnership on 8/21/22 in Tucson. This...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Aug 4
- 2 min
TA Tidbits #58 Updates & The Ombudsman
Monsoon Brewing-Wild Burro Canyon (6/23/24) Dove Mountain Pedestrian Trail Maintenance Tortolita Alliance (TA) contacted the Dove...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 28
- 3 min
Tortolita Preserve-Mid-Summer Report
Tortolita Preserve-SW Panorama (7/28/24) Hiked the Tortolita Preserve (TP) Big Loop (7 miles) very early this morning (83 degrees-48%...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jul 3
- 2 min
TA Alert-Aerial Recon For Minerals
On June 16, 2024, a Dove Mountain resident reported to the Tortolita Alliance (TA) that an aircraft was flying over their home and making...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jun 21
- 2 min
Water Woes XXXI Agua Veto
Governor Hobbs Vetoes 5 and Signs 3 Water Bills The Arizona legislature approved 8 water bills at the very end of the 2024 legislative...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 14
- 5 min
Water Woes XXX-Open House-Supply v Demand-Population
Marana Water Open House Marana Water held an Open House on Wednesday (5/29/24). It included four presentations; (1) Marana Water...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jun 11
- 1 min
TA Alert!-Pedestrian Trail-Irrigation Lines-Trip Hazards-Fix Coming
Pedestrian Trail (Dove Mountain Blvd at Boulder Bridge Pass) Exposed Irrigation Lines TA contacted the Dove Mountain Civic Group and the...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jun 8
- 7 min
Tangerine Road Corridor-Part I
Tangerine Road (between I-10 and Dove Mountain Boulevard) parallels the Tortolita Preserve. Therefore, it is critical that we carefully...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 1
- 1 min
Water Woes XXIX-Monsoon Outlook & Colorado River Conditions
Post Monsoon Storm-Double Rainbow-Tortolita Preserve (8/28/21) Monsoon 2024 The monsoon season extends from June 15 through September 30....
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 15
- 3 min
Water Woes XXVIII-Water Info Now Flowing
Snoqualmie Falls-Snoqualmie, WA (4/28/24) On a recent visit with my grandchildren in North Bend, WA, I took them over to Snoqualmie Falls...
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Tortolita Alliance
- May 8
- 2 min
Tortolita Preserve-Planning For The Future
Tortolita Preserve Strategic Concepts-Trail System Expansion & Connections Map In early April, the Tortolita Alliance (TA) Board met with...
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Tortolita Alliance
- May 2
- 3 min
Desert Fence Busters Visit TP
Legacy Barbed Wire Fence [The Problem] Barbed wire fence was installed throughout the Sonoran Desert over many years to identify property...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Apr 21
- 2 min
TA Tidbits #56-TP Enjoyment
Tortolita Preserve (TP)-Mount Lemon View (3/27/24) TP Trail Counter-First Year Results Tortolita Alliance (TA) contributed $500 to Marana...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Apr 11
- 4 min
Marana Retreat Newsbeat
The Marana Town Council held its annual retreat (2/14-16/2024) in Chandler, AZ---75 miles away from the citizens of Marana!! There is no...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Apr 7
- 2 min
TA Tidbits #55 Spring Loaded
Upper Javelina Trail (4/7/24) The wildflowers are now abundant in the Tortolitas and it will get even better in the next few weeks as it...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Mar 18
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #54-TA Reaching Out
Highlands Lifelong Learning Group Tours Tortolita Preserve With Dave Barker (TA Board Member-back left) Tortolita Alliance (TA) is...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Mar 15
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #53-TP Wildlife Cams & The Puma
Mountain Lion (Puma)-Tortolita Preserve (3/14/24) Tortolita Preserve Wildlife Cameras On 3/6/24, two new wildlife cameras were set up in...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 28
- 2 min
Marana DAWS Modification-ADWR Decision On Objections-Draft Decision & Order and TA Response Letter
Picacho Peak & Full Moon Decision On Objections and Draft Decision & Order The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) issued a...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 16
- 3 min
Marana DAWS Modification-Objection Letter & Hearing Update
Tortolita Alliance (TA) filed its 6th Public Records Request (PRR) to obtain copies of the Objection Letters and obtain information...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 14
- 1 min
Heart Warming-Saguaro Planting Day
Baby Strong-Arm II Today's Valentine's Day Saguaro Planting Event at the Tortolita Preserve was a huge success. This event was sponsored...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 10
- 2 min
TA Strategic Plan & Financial Update
The Beginning The Tortolita Alliance (TA) was formed four years ago in response to efforts by the Town of Marana (Marana) and the Arizona...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Feb 3
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #52-TP Secure & Strong-Arm Still Strong
The Front Tortolita Preserve (1/24/24) TP North Entrance (Brittlebush Drive) Secure Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) has installed...
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Tortolita Alliance
- Jan 21
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #51-TP Fence Complete & Valentine's-TP Saguaro Planting Day
Tortolita Preserve (TP)-Western Fence Project-North Section TP Western Fence Project Complete Marana has completed the Western Fence...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jan 14
- 4 min
DAWS Flaws
Tony Davis wrote an excellent article regarding the Marana DAWS Modification Application (Application) that headlined in today's Arizona...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jan 6
- 1 min
Marana Water DAWS Modification-Reminder-Objection Letter
Our Marana In Marana Water DAWS Modification-Part IV-Objection Letter we provided the Background, Revised Public Notice & Objection...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Dec 30, 2023
- 2 min
Marana Water DAWS Modification-Part IV-Objection Letter
Our Marana Water is the sustenance of life. We cannot live without it. Yet the Town of Marana-Marana Water (MW) plans to quadruple the...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Dec 21, 2023
- 1 min
TA Alert-#2!-Marana Water DAWS Modification Application-Public Notice
Public Notice The public notice (left) requesting written objections to the Marana Water Designated Assured Water Supply (DAWS)...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Dec 19, 2023
- 2 min
TA Alert!-Marana Water DAWS Modification Application-Public Comment Period
Application-Public Comment Period Marana Water filed a Designated Assured Water Supply (DAWS) Modification Application on 5/18/22. For...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Dec 10, 2023
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #50-Invasive Grasses Too Close To Home
Buffelgrass-Brittlebush Drive-Dove Mountain (11/29/23) On a recent hike, my wife (Shirley) and I noticed a patch of buffelgrass on...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Nov 25, 2023
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #48 One Water Public Comments & No LIV Golf-Tucson (2024)
One Water-Public Comments Arizona Daily Star (Tony Davis) reported recently that many public comments regarding the Tucson Water (TW) One...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Nov 19, 2023
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #47 Litter, Glitter & Critters
Tortolita Preserve (10/28/23) Branch Litter Mulching To Restore Old Cow Path Tortolita Preserve (TP) Projects In The News The TP...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Sep 30, 2023
- 1 min
TA Tidbits #46-Trailhead Construction & Rose Kennedy
Tortolita Preserve-New Moore Rd. Trailhead Construction (9/30/23) Tortolita Preserve (TP)-Moore Rd Trailhead Construction The...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Sep 1, 2023
- 2 min
Animals And Plants Of The Tortolita Preserve
The Tortolita Alliance (TA) Strategic Plan (2020) included a strategic goal to collaborate with other groups/agencies/public to conduct a...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Aug 27, 2023
- 2 min
Tortolita Preserve-Post Storm(s) Report
Tortolita Preserve-After The Monsoon (8/27/23) Hiked the Tortolita Preserve (TP) Main Loop (7 miles) this early this morning. Reports of...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Aug 20, 2023
- 2 min
TA Tidbits #45-Mr. Big Stuff, Pygmy Owl, Monsoon & More
Mr. Big Stuff Tortolita Preserve (TP) This huge Sonoran Desert Tortoise paid a visit to a property adjacent to TP near Moore Road and...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 23, 2023
- 1 min
Hot? Think Snow!
Tortolita Preserve-Snow Bound (3/2/23) Only 143 days ago we had 4 inches of snow in our Sonoran Desert and now the daily temperatures...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 16, 2023
- 2 min
TA Tidbits # 44-Tortolita Preserve Project Updates
Shades of Purple (TP-4/23/23) Tortolita Alliance (TA ) has been working with Marana Parks & Recreation (MPR) for the last 3.5 years on...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 9, 2023
- 1 min
Tucson Water Responds
Tortolita Alliance (TA) provided a detailed Comment Letter (6/7/23) regarding the Tucson Water-One Water 2100 Plan-May 2023 Draft (Plan)....
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jul 2, 2023
- 1 min
Tortolita Summer
Tortolita Summer The summer solstice is 10 days nigh, And the temps are getting kinda high. But the early morning you can’t dislike, A...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 19, 2023
- 1 min
Night Blooming Wild Cereus Plant Ready To Bloom In Tortolita Preserve
One of the plant species identified in the Fall Tortolita Preserve (TP) Bioblitz was the Night Blooming Wild Cereus Plant aka Queen of...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 7, 2023
- 1 min
Tucson Water-One Water 2100 Plan Comments
Tortolita Alliance has filed the following comment letter with Tucson Water (TW) this morning regarding TW's One Water 2100 Plan. You can...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Jun 4, 2023
- 1 min
Fruitful Hike
Hiked the Upper Javelina Trail early this morning. First time on the new section near Boulder Canyon Pass (see photos in collage). The...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 28, 2023
- 2 min
Water Woes XXIII-H2O Medley
The following is a medley of recent H2O developments with the Colorado River, Marana Water and Tucson Water. New-Colorado River...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 14, 2023
- 2 min
Water Woes XXII-Cautious & Frugal
The water situation in the West has improved but it is only one year in a 24-year period whereby the Colorado River reservoir system has...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 10, 2023
- 2 min
Dave DeGroot-Trailblazer
Dave DeGroot-Grand Canyon One of the great benefits of the Tortolita Alliance (TA) is meeting and working with wonderfully talented...
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Mark L. Johnson
- May 7, 2023
- 1 min
Dry But Colorful
Hedgehog Cactus Tortolita Preserve (4/23/23) Hiked the Wild Burro-Alamo Springs-Spur Trail early this morning. The lower trail potions...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Apr 22, 2023
- 2 min
TA Tidbits #43-Blitz & Bitz
The following serves to update some important activities at the Tortolita Preserve (TP) and Upper Javelina Trail. TP Spring Bioblitz The...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Apr 10, 2023
- 4 min
Saguaro Facts & Status
It has not been a good year for our treasured saguaros. Strong-Arm passed after a wonderful 160-year life in the Tortolita Preserve. We...
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Mark L. Johnson
- Mar 26, 2023
- 1 min
March Gladness
Most likely your favorite team(s) have been eliminated from the NCAA basketball tournament. So its time for a little March Gladness to...
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