Gilbert has joined with SRP in thinning Arizona forests to prevent wildfires that endanger watersheds serving the Valley by committing more than $225,000 to the effort.

The town has contributed $225,114 to the Biomass Power Partnership to help pay for bioenergy that supports strategic thinning across the Salt River and Verde River watersheds, according to SRP.

“Maintaining healthy forests and watersheds within Arizona is critical to Gilbert’s sustainable water portfolio,” Jessica Marlow, Gilbert public works director, said.

“Without proactive forest restoration efforts, these vital ecosystems will continue to be devastated by wildfires each year. Gilbert is committed to a partnership that helps maintain the resiliency and quality of our water supplies throughout the Valley.”

SRP signed an agreement with several municipalities to provide funding to extend a purchased power agreement with Novo BioPower in Snowflake that generates renewable bioenergy by processing the small trees that are removed through forest thinning projects in northern Arizona.

“This will help us to restore Arizona’s forests to a more natural condition to ensure SRP can continue to deliver reliable and affordable water,” Elvy Barton, SRP manager of water and forest sustainability, said.

A challenge to restoration efforts is finding marketable options “for the enormous amount of low-value, small ponderosa pine trees that are removed,” SRP officials stated in a release.

The Biomass Power Partnership provides each municipality with Renewable Energy Credits based on their contribution. In addition, each city will receive watershed restoration and carbon benefits and support almost 2,000 acres of strategic forest thinning every year, according to SRP.

The 10-year agreement is part of SRP’s sustainability goals “to protect the health of the watersheds through partnerships, education and support to thin 500,000 acres of unhealthy overgrown forested lands by 2035.”

Arizona forests are at a high risk of catastrophic fires that could significantly affect the watersheds that feed SRP’s reservoir system and provide water to the Valley, according to the utility.

“Wildfires degrade water quality, significantly increase water treatment costs and impact water system resiliency by filling reservoirs with debris and sediment. Strategic forest thinning projects in northern Arizona reduce this risk and also protect nearby communities and wildlife habitats.”

The Novo Biopower plant uses small trees from forest thinning, other non-marketable woody material such as branches that are left over from thinning operations and sawmill residues. SRP purchases enough energy from the plant to serve approximately 3,200 average residential homes in the Phoenix metropolitan area, according to the release.

SRP manages the water supply for much of the Valley – most of which comes from 8.3 million acres of land in northern Arizona.

Snowfall and rain provide the water that travels through the watershed into SRP reservoirs, which is then delivered to 2.5 million homes and businesses in the Phoenix metropolitan area via an extensive network of canals, SRP officials said.