The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has announced the award of a $12,850 Water Quality Improvement Grant to the Town of Gila Bend to protect the ruins of a thousand-year-old Hohokam village, the Gatlin site, from erosion and runoff from storm water. The site has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the State Historic Preservation Office, but a large portion of the site is threatened by storm runoff and eroding soil, which during severe thunderstorms enters neighboring irrigation fields and sometimes the Gila River. The ADEQ grant funds two projects to stabilize the soil and reduce erosion and runoff. Volunteers will fill in soil and reshape the landscape at two sites located in one of the drainage areas. Groups that have committed volunteers include the Arizona Archaeological Society and the Southwest Archaeological Team. See the full announcement here: http://www.azdeq.gov/function/news/2009/download/0616.pdf
