In February 2023, Sonoran Institute presented at the University of Arizona’s Water Resources Research Center’s Seminar Series.
The Santa Cruz River has long been the backbone of the region’s natural and cultural heritage. Although the river has changed since humans first arrived in the region 12,000 years ago, the river still exists and is a “living” entity that continues to support wildlife and communities along its course. Throughout Arizona, the release of effluent maintains flows of many river reaches. The Santa Cruz River is fortunate to have three stretches with effluent flows—one near Nogales in Santa Cruz County and two near Tucson in Pima County. Annual Living River reports communicate conditions in these stretches of the Santa Cruz River by presenting data on indicators of river health with easy-to-follow text and engaging graphics. This long-term monitoring program and communication tool is a key element of Sonoran Institute’s Santa Cruz River Program and makes use of diverse data sets collected by multiple agencies, serving as an important baseline of scientific information for river management decisions while also providing community members with approachable information about their local river.
Presenting on the work done along the Santa Cruz River are Luke Cole PhD, Director of the Santa Cruz River Program; Madeleine Oliver, Program Manager; and Claire Zugmeyer, Ecologist.