Virtual event on Thurs. March 25 and Fri. March 26, 2021 Scientists, artists, resource managers and community leaders will join to share Santa Cruz River research and conservation efforts as well as natural… MORE ›
On November 13, Sonoran Institute coordinated the annual fish survey at four locations along the Santa Cruz to determine which species are currently in the river. This multi-partner effort included staff from Arizona… MORE ›
In 2015, we found about a dozen endangered Gila topminnow in the Santa Cruz River near Tubac. If you had told me then, that in 2020 I would help catch hundreds of the… MORE ›
In the arid West, there is much uncertainty around water. Falling water supplies. Growing cities and towns. Competing needs of farmers, cities, and tribes. Having enough water for wildlife. These factors underscore that we live in a world rife with uncertainty—who would have guessed we… MORE ›
Charting Santa Cruz River Conditions from Northwest Tucson to Marana – 2019 Water Year The Santa Cruz River near El Camino Del Cerro and flowing north into Marana, has been improving for almost… MORE ›
“This is what happens when a stretch of river comes back to life. There are many benefits. We should aspire to more wet stretches.” -Lauri Kaye, Tucson artist Nature has inspired human creativity… MORE ›
Born a block from the border, Guillermo Valencia dedicates his time and career to benefit Ambos Nogales, the twin cities on either side of the U.S.- Mexico border. As a child, he remembers riding on… MORE ›
It would be an easy site to miss, compared to nearby attractions like the de Anza Trail and the Santa Cruz River, but this cement ruin means something more to Diana. It was once a pedestrian bridge that spanned the wide Santa Cruz River, and Diana used to walk across this bridge to visit her grandmother on the other side. The bridge has been partially removed and is now almost completely forgotten; the river is no longer wide enough to need it.
Four of us from the Tucson office visited a recent exhibition at Tucson Museum of Art: The Western Sublime: Majestic Landscapes of the American West. Here are some takeaways from Elise Christmon, Luke… MORE ›
Wastewater has been transformed into crystal clear, life-supporting water. John Light is the area operations manager at the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant, and today he’s also the tour guide of this federal facility.
Elise Christmon leans in as if to tell a secret. “If you want to see something cool and unexpected, come see the Santa Cruz River. You think you have an idea of what… MORE ›
“You feel like it’s a place that people have had deep meaningful connections to for a long time.” —Roger Dorr, chief of resource management and park archaeologist at Tumacácori National Historic Park Roger… MORE ›
Numbers and dots on a map do not say everything about the river’s value. The community’s experiences and stories are equally important. —Amanda Smith, Program Coordinator Over the course of several months, I… MORE ›
Newly Released Living River Report for Water Year 2018 Highlights Aquatic Invertebrate Diversity Increase and Improved Water Quality The health of the Santa Cruz River continues to improve significantly. The return of aquatic… MORE ›
Valuing the conservation of natural spaces benefits the people of the region as much as it does the plants and animals, and filmmaking is the perfect medium to digest the complex intricacies of… MORE ›
A Splash of Summer It’s summertime! That time of year, when we all like to get away and enjoy friends, family, or just some quiet time alone. It’s time to visit new places and favorite,… MORE ›
Arizona’s communities will soon have new tools to ensure local resilience and address uncertainty about water availability. Thanks to a partnership between two non-profit organizations, the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy… MORE ›
A new flow for the Santa Cruz River in Downtown Tucson On June 24th Tucson Water will launch the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project with the release of highly treated recycled water into the… MORE ›
Being a binational organization One thing that often surprises people when I describe Sonoran Institute is when I say that our office in Mexico is larger than our offices in the US combined—by… MORE ›
Being a Binational Organization When we’re resilient, well supported and dedicated to collaboration most issues can be seen as good challenges. We don’t have to avoid obstacles, we just have to work through… MORE ›