Living River Celebration

April 16, 2016

What’s the “Living River”


living-river-charting-wetland-conditions-of-the-lower-santa-cruz-river-2014-water-year-06052015-1The Living River project, a joint initiative of the Sonoran Institute and Pima County, is a special series on the Santa Cruz River, which aims to assess the wetland conditions created and affected by the effluent (treated wastewater) that has been recharging the river for decades. Back in 2013, Pima County invested over $600 million to upgrade their water reclamation facilities. Since then, we’ve been strategically tracking the changes and improvements in the Santa Cruz River with respect to its native fish, wildlife and the overall enjoyability of the river. From a dried riverbed to a, once again, thriving ecosystem and valued community amenity – the Santa Cruz River has become a model for using scarce water resources in innovative ways. To view our latest Living River reports, check out our Resources page!

What’s Happening


Come view the award-winning Living River of Words: Youth Poetry and Art Exhibition! We’ll be holding all kinds of opportunities for you and your family to learn more about our Living River Project which includes:

  • A close-up look at life in the river water under the microscope
  • Arts and crafts

    Mario Reynoso
    Artwork by: Mario Reynoso
  • Exploring the ground water model
  • Seeing the Living River exhibits
  • Taking a nature walk along the river bank

Festivities begin at 9:00 AM on Saturday, April 16th and end at 12:00 PM. 

Please join us and our partners at Pima County for this wonderful annual event. Feel free to download directions and a map to the venue right here.