**Why are we so fascinated with water?** Perhaps, all aspects of our being know that water is life. Branching through the magnificent landscapes of the Central Arizona high desert is the Verde River system - creeks and rivers flowing through desert canyons and valleys creating lush, green ribbons along the way. Ribbons of life. ![Verde River](http://vrbp.org/wp-content/uploads/Verde-River-by-Gary-Beverly1.jpg "Verde River")**The Verde River Basin Partnership (The Partnership) values the Verde River system and the life it supports.** Additionally, we recognize how the Verde River Basin (Watershed) is valued as a unique treasure by people in our local communities, around the state, the nation, and the world. We also recognize that these unique desert waterways are at risk of vanishing. Vanishing rivers comprise a sad chapter in the story of the American West - so many, both the small and the mighty, are gone. And gone too are their ribbons of life. Many are gone due to diversions of their surface water and pumping of the groundwater that sustains them. **How could we let the Verde River – one of the last remaining perennial rivers in the Southwest – vanish from our lives?** **To understand how to avoid this fate, we aim to educate people about the interconnectedness of the basin’s surface waters and groundwater.** Using unbiased science is crucial to making sound water-resource management decisions and we work towards making that happen to preserve the Verde River system and the life it supports for all future generations. **[www.vrbp.org](http://vrbp.org)** #### Accomplishments To accomplish our mission, we:

Bring together people that have a stake in the Verde River Basin for meaningful conversations and educational experiences.	[Get to know us better.](http://vrbp.org/about-us/)
Produce and distribute free educational materials at various level of detail ranging from simple FAQ sheets to a fun topical newsletter to an in-depth primer on water resources.	[Browse our publications.](http://vrbp.org/our-publications/)
Outreach to the community by hosting presentations and field trips, exhibiting at local events, as well as offering an open-door policy at our meetings or for conferring with our members.	[See our upcoming events.](http://vrbp.org)
Promote scientific studies and reports that are germane to our regional water issues.	[Read highlights or full reports.](http://vrbp.org/strong-science/)

#### How to Support ![Verde River Watershed Map](http://vrbp.org/wp-content/uploads/Map-of-Verde-River-Watershed.png "Verde River Watershed Map") Enjoy your visit to our beautiful watershed! **Please respect nature and our communities.** **Spread the word** about the value of desert rivers like the Verde River. **Stay informed.** [Join our email list](http://vrbp.org/sign-up-for-email-announcements-and-newletters/) to receive highlights from regional and watershed-related news and about upcoming events. **Take action with us**. Please [visit our website](http://vrbp.org/take-action/) to read about other ways you can help.