In this case, the famous line from the movie "Field of Dreams" applies to created wetlands that the founders hoped would attract waterfowl and other wildlife.
     Retired USDA-Forest Service wildlife biologist Mel Wilhelm said, "Wetlands are a natural way for water to be cleaned. There's also the benefit to wildlife. It's been a win-win situation for everyone involved."
     The general public will have an opportunity to learn more about these regional treasures Sept. 12 on the 30th anniversary of their creation. A tour of the wetlands will start from the Show Low Library parking lot at 9 a.m. Saturday followed by a lunch hosted by the City of Show Low.
     A Wetland Forum will start at the library at 1 p.m. Anyone wanting more information may call Mel Wilhelm at (928) 537-7436 or David Cagle at (928) 367-4261 or e-mail wilhelm3c@citlink.net or dcagle@azgfd.gov.
     The unique project was being discussed as long ago as 1976 when the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests initiated a Wetland Management Program.
     "The Forest Service has always said wetlands and riparian habitat are critical to environmental health. That's why there has been so much emphasis on protecting riparian areas on the national forests," Wilhelm said.
     At the same time, the need for a better wastewater disposal system for local municipalities was critical. The City of Show Low built its first wastewater treatment plant in 1958. It included two stabilization ponds, but the effluent flowed from the ponds into Show Low Creek and then into Fool Hollow Lake, creating algae blooms and fish kills from an overabundance of nutrients. It became clear that the system was creating environmental problems.
     Wastewater dumping into Show Low Creek stopped in 1970. With the cooperation of the Forest Service, the effluent was pumped two miles north into a natural depression called Telephone Lake on the national forest.
     By 1977 the Show Low population had increased so much that Telephone Lake was no longer adequate. The next step would be to pump the excess water across the highway to Pintail Lake, another natural depression east of Show Low in the Allen Severson Memorial Wildlife Area managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
     No one saw the possibilities of the wetland project more clearly than Game and Fish. Dave Cagle, the wildlife program manager for Region I said, "We saw an opportunity to use wastewater to create habitat for ducks. We already have creeks and lakes in the White Mountains. Maybe we could really increase the duck population with these created wetlands. We could add surface acres of nesting habitat and resting habitat. We would have all the components ducks need if they're coming through or nesting."
     The project was successful beyond all expectations. The population of ducklings increased every year. Ducks are only one of many waterfowl and other birds that use the marshes.
     "This is a good 'duck factory,' but it's not just for ducks. Elk and other wildlife use the marsh. They can find water, feed, seclusion here without going too far. The basic needs of wildlife are all here - food, water and cover," Cagle said.
     "We gear our management towards ducks, but other species benefit, including humans. From the point of view of wildlife-oriented recreation, people have a chance to see a variety of wildlife."
     The Forest Service entered into a cooperative agreement with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Show Low Sanitary District and the City of Show Low in 1978. The Forest Service constructed man-made islands in the marshlands where waterfowl could nest safe from predators. The first water began to flow into Pintail Lake 30 years ago in 1979.
     By 1985 effluent had increased beyond the capacity of the treatment and disposal systems. With the construction of Redhead Marsh northwest of Telephone Lake, Show Low finally had a complex but efficient water delivery system.
     Ken Wilcock is the environmental manager for Show Low Public Works Department. Managing the city's wastewater is his primary job. He oversees the city's wells and tanks, as well as the production, pumping, treatment and conveyance of wastewater.
     "This wetland system has saved a tremendous amount of money for the city over the past 30 years," he said.
     The addition of water to previously arid sites has brought dramatic changes in vegetation and wildlife populations.
     "We've made a commitment to the Forest Service and Game and Fish. We may use the flows for other purposes in the future, but we will continue to use the wetlands. It's good for the environment. It brings in people. It's a drawing card," Wilcock said.
     The amenities at Pintail Lake such as a nature trail, wildlife observation bunker and open observation deck draw bird watchers, school children, tourists and local residents to the area to study and photograph wildlife.
     The Pintail Lake complex was first, but Pinetop and Lakeside soon followed suit. In the 1970s Pinetop was experiencing its own environmental problems. Pinetop was a fast-growing community 10 miles south of Show Low that was not yet incorporated.
     Ground percolation was so poor in the mountain soil that septic tanks and leech lines were polluting the surface and groundwater throughout the area. To the horror of realtors and residents, the EPA shut down permits until the town could solve its sewage problems. Something had to be done and done quickly if Pinetop and Lakeside were to grow.
     A group of thoughtful individuals succeeded in overriding all objections and took a bold step to form the Pinetop-Lakeside Sanitary District. A sewer system would be expensive because of all the malapais rock in the area, but the district governing board understood that the future of the area depended on its infrastructure and environmental integrity. A sewer system had to be built, and they looked at all the options.
     "It took a while to find all the hoops to put it together. At that time a community the size of Pinetop would normally have lagoons that dumped effluent into a creek or lake. Somehow, somewhere, someone made the decision to build a state-of-the-art mechanical plant instead of lagoons," Sanitary District Operating Engineer Phil Hayes said. The district governing board also decided to divert the treated water into a created wetland instead of dumping it into Billy Creek.
     With the assistance of an EPA grant, a secondary treatment plant, diversion ditch and Jacques Marsh were built. Hayes has been overseeing the operation of the plant, the composting and the marsh for 29 years.
     "It has been a very efficient final disposal scenario. We have pushed 6-8 billion gallons of water through the system into the marsh over the past 30 years. We started with 400,000 gallons per day, and now we're up to a million gallons per day because of the population growth," he said.
     Hayes' proudest achievement is the sanitary district's digester.
     "It's a closed system," he said. "The biosolids are composted and are marketable. Our treated wastewater goes into the marsh and benefits wildlife."
     It's a complex plant that is still in good working condition, thanks to years of expert maintenance.
     "We have had people from all over the world come here to study the system. A man who toured here in the '90s started it in Australia," Hayes said.
     Wilhelm said, "From the beginning the wetlands have been a cooperative effort. The Arizona Game and Fish Department wanted increased waterfowl habitat. The municipalities wanted a place to put wastewater instead of dumping it into the creeks ... The decision that was made here to use effluent for wildlife habitat was a wise one.
     "I think it's something the Mountain can be proud of. It was an unselfish attitude. The partnership still works. The city moves the water around. Game and Fish monitors the wildlife. The Forest Service helps maintain it."