Daily Archives: February 9, 2021

ADEQ seeks water quality data

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is seeking surface water quality data to use in the 2022 Clean Water Act (CWA) Assessment, also known as Arizona’s Integrated 305(b) Assessment and 303(d) Listing Report. ADEQ uses monitoring data to assess whether lake and stream uses are protected by the CWA and can be used for recreation, drinking, agriculture, wildlife and fish consumption.

ADEQ encourages and welcomes data from all sources: private citizens, businesses, public agencies, state and federal governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Time Period

ADEQ requests surface water quality data collected for the period from July 1, 2012, to April 30, 2021, that has not previously been submitted to ADEQ. Submissions will be accepted until April 30, 2021.

How to Submit Data

There are two ways to submit data for use in the CWA Assessment:

  1. The preferred method for data submissions is via the EPA Water Quality Data website | Click to Visit Website >
  2. Data may be submitted to ADEQ directly, but to be accepted, the submission must adhere to the ADEQ data submission guidelines | Click for Submission Guidelines > 

ADEQ appreciates and values your efforts and data contributions to help us protect and enhance Arizona’s surface waters now and in the future.

Pile burns planned this week

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CLINTS WELL — Coconino National Forest firefighters are planning to take advantage of favorable weather conditions this week for prescribed pile burn operations, beginning as early as tomorrow on the Mogollon Rim Ranger District.
Windmill Piles
  • When: Wednesday- Friday (2/10-12/21)
  • Where: Mogollon Rim Ranger District. 3 miles north of Clints Well east of Lake Mary Road. GPS: 34.592, -111.311
  • Size: 200 acres (machine piles).
  • Duration: 2-3 days operation, targeting 50 acres per day.
  • Method/Type of burn: Hand ignitions of machine piles.
  • Smoke Impacts: With southwest winds predicted, smoke is predicted to move northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn and will be visible from Lake Mary Road.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None.
Blue Ridge Piles
  • When: Thursday (2/11/21)
  • Where: Mogollon Rim Ranger District. 1 mile east of Blue Ridge Ranger Station on Forest Road 95. GPS: 34.609, -111.170
  • Size: 5 acres (hand piles).
  • Duration: 1 day operation.
  • Method/Type of burn: Hand ignitions of piles.
  • Smoke Impacts: With southwest winds predicted, smoke is predicted to move northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn and may be visible from State Highway 87.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None.
Prescribed burns are always dependent upon weather and wind conditions, as well as approval from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The public can view approved prescribed burns on ADEQ’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov. Coconino National Forest burns begin with the designator “COF.”
Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly by news releases throughout the season and also by the following online resources:

ADOT testing smart work zone along I-40 to make work zones safer for everyone

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PHOENIX – In order to increase safety and mobility in highway work zones, the Arizona Department of Transportation is studying a “smart work zone” at an existing I-40 bridge project located between Flagstaff and Winslow.

A smart work zone is a traffic management system that can be controlled remotely through computer networks, portable message boards and sensor technology to provide motorists with real-time traffic information as they approach construction work zones. This project utilizes a dynamic merge system, which is a specific type of smart work zone.

The dynamic merge system is designed to mitigate the potential hazards of lane closures by altering the time to merge based on the current level of traffic. When traffic is light, electronic signs placed well ahead of the work zone encourage drivers to merge into the open lane prior to the lane closure. When traffic is heavy, the system will encourage drivers to remain in the closed lane for as long as possible in what is known as a zipper merge.

ADOT has been utilizing the zipper merge on various projects since 2016. The zipper merge works by having drivers remain in their lanes and merge just before the lane closure begins. It’s a more efficient way of moving heavy traffic through a work zone where a lane is closed.

In order to study the potential impact a dynamic merge system can have on safety and mobility in a highway construction work zone, ADOT picked an existing bridge deck rehabilitation project on I-40 at the Two Guns and Meteor Crater bridges as a test site.

ADOT set up a dynamic merge smart work zone in the westbound direction and a traditional work zone in the eastbound direction in order to compare the effectiveness of a dynamic merge system.

Drivers passing through the work zone toward Flagstaff from Winslow should follow instructions on when to merge through electronic message signs.

Crash data and speed data will be gathered from the smart work zone and traditional work zone and used to evaluate the impact and inform decisions on future highway projects.

ADOT used something similar during a recent project to rehabilitate three I-15 bridges in the Virgin River Gorge. The queue warning system, as it was called, included portable message boards informing drivers of stop-and-go traffic ahead. That system, like this one on I-40, used equipment that detected traffic in real-time in an effort to help reduce collisions and improve safety and mobility.

New AZ511 website feature improves trucking route information

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PHOENIX – A new feature added to the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Traveler Information 511 website will help commercial vehicle drivers more easily plan their route through the state.

This new feature at az511.gov allows truck drivers to see commercial vehicle restrictions along state highways. This way, they can plan their route to avoid those restrictions. Click on the ‘Map Legend’ box on the right-hand side of the screen and check the box next to ‘Truck Restrictions’ to bring up the truck restriction icons on the map. Clicking on an icon will show details including length and width restrictions and any escort requirements.

This is the latest ADOT innovation that helps professional truck drivers. Last summer, ADOT added a feature to the 511 website to show the total number of commercial vehicle parking spaces at each of ADOT’s rest areas so truckers can find a place to rest.

Also last year, ADOT expanded the number of truck parking spaces along I-40 by nearly 100 spaces at the Haviland and Meteor Crater rest areas.

Nearly 2.4 million users have accessed az511.gov since the redesigned website launched in March 2019. More than 76,000 visited the site during the recent snowstorms at the end of January. For more information, please visit az511.gov and azdot.gov.

Student photographers have chance for Arizona Highways fame

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One of the most unique publications in the world, the ADOT-published Arizona Highways magazine, is offering student photographers a rare chance to have a nature photo published in an upcoming issue.

The publication, in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and COX Communications, is sponsoring the 2021 Adventures in Nature Student Photo Contest, which is open to Arizona students between the ages of 13 and 18.

The competition is open through Friday, April 16, and winners will be announced on May 6. Submissions of high-resolution nature photos must be submitted via arizonahighways.com.

A total of $10,000 in cash prizes await the top 10 winners and the overall winning entry will be published in Arizona Highways, which is renowned for its outstanding images taken by world-famous photographers.

Contestants can find more information on submission requirements at arizonahighways.com or nature.org/arizona.