Finding History and Wildlife at Frances Short Pond

Finding History and Wildlife at Frances Short Pond. . , Floods and People Chose the Rio's Course , For thousands of years, rain and snowmelt on the south-west slopes of the San Francisco Peaks flowed down the Rio de Flag drainage carving a shallow canyon where Bonito Street is located today. The City of Flagstaff rerouted the Rio de Flag from its original course to this location. , Damaging floods in 1888, 1903, and 1920 prompted the building of a dam and pond in 1923 to control high waters. After filling in with sediments, this site was utilized for street crew cinder storage and camp site for the annual Pow Wows despite more floods in 1938 and 1973. , An Education Idea Combined with Flood Control , In the 1970's, Flagstaff Junior High biology teacher Jim David proposed creating a pond and wetland habitat for wildlife, student study, as well as flood control. The "Flagstaff Pond Project" brought together the Flagstaff Unified School District, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Forest Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, State Land Department, the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County and others in the community. , The Community Rallies 'Round the Pond , Dubbed "The Duck Pond" for years, students and community members planted the island and edges with locally adapted wet-land vegetation. This school-side wetland habitat attracts watchable wildlife such as birds, snakes, frogs and insects, making this a unique outdoor classroom for students to study aquatic ecology. The pond continues to be stocked regularly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. , In 1978, educational activities at the pond sparked the creation of the Resource Center for Environmental Education - now known as Willow Bend Environmental Education Center to serve schools countywide. , The pond was officially named Frances Short Pond in 1993 in honor of the Flagstaff City Council member and Middle School teacher.