Winter 2008
Water Resources Research Center • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences • The University of Arizona
RIVER RESTORATION: Arizona’s Oft Neglected Waterways Get Overdue Attention
The inset shows land being cleared of exotic vegetation, a figurative and literal groundbreaking first step in many restoration projects. Before the wetlands in the main photo were restored, a thick growth of salt cedar was bulldozed from what was the historic confluence of the Gila and Colorado rivers. (Today’s confluence is four miles upstream.) Part of the Yuma East Restoration Project, the channel was restored in 2005: bulrush grows in the foreground with cottonwood and willow in the background. The Yuma Clapper Rail, an endangered specie, has established habitat along the channel. The Yuma Territorial Prison and the Ocean to Ocean Bridge are in view. Photos: Fred Phillips Urbanization, channelization, ground- including many endangered species. They processes that sustained the predistur- water depletion, irrigated agriculture, and reduce flood peaks, are sinks for sediments bance ecosystem is an important part a variety of other activities have signifi- and nutrients, provide water temperature of this definition. Given the severity of cantly affected many of Arizona’s rivers, control and groundwater recharge. Failure impacts and resulting ecological decline and citizens are awakening to the resulting to protect the health of these systems can suffered by many of our rivers, true res- problems. In contrast to their ecologically lead to loss of habitat and species, water toration is simply not possible, and many degraded counterparts, healthy, well-func- quality degradation, storm water manage- efforts to “fix” our rivers fall into the tioning rivers and wetlands are some of ment problems, and loss of recreational rehabilitation or replacement categories. the most productive ecosystems in North amenities, among other issues. However, the term “restoration” is widely America, providing habitat for wildlife, Generally, there are three possible used for any effort to improve ecosystem goals for efforts undertaken to improve conditions, and we use this more general the condition of a damaged ecosystem: meaning in this issue of Arroyo. restoration, rehabilitation, and replace- At stake is more than just the hy- Executive Publisher: Sharon Megdal ment. Strictly speaking, “restoration” is drological workings of rivers; humans Authors: Susanna Eden, Joe Gelt, defined as an attempt to create an ecosys- derive emotional satisfaction from healthy Melissa Lamberton tem exactly like the one that was present rivers. Although difficult to quantify, the Layout: Gabriel Leake prior to disturbance. Reestablishing the satisfaction humans derive from viewing Arroyo Winter 2008
changes. Irriga- Iglesias encompasses almost 1,100 acres tion diversions, between Los Reales Road and Congress groundwater Street. The project proposes to reestablish pumping, con- mesquite and riparian shrubs in the historic struction projects, floodplain of the river, and cottonwoods and flood control and willows at some tributaries, for an measures altered estimated cost of $97 million. Rainwater the relationship harvesting basins scattered throughout the of the river with project site will concentrate water on new its floodplain. plantings of cottonwoods and willows. These changes, Eventually, the new vegetation will serve as combined with the habitat for wildlife and shade for trails and Southwest’s dy- seating areas. El Rio Medio and Tres Rios namic climate (arid del Norte are two additional potential Santa conditions punctu- Cruz River restoration projects which, if ated by periodic funded, would result in restoration from floods) resulted in Congress Street in Tucson to Sanders Road channel incision: in Marana. the scouring of Such river restoration efforts to remedy sediment from degraded conditions are occurring more fre- the river channel quently throughout the state as citizens be- that changes the come increasingly aware of what is at stake topography of — the health and survival of their water- the channel from ways. This greater sensitivity about the natu- broad and shal- ral conditions of rivers and the availability low to narrow and of new funding sources has prompted res- deep. Riparian toration projects in every major watershed vegetation border- in the state. State map with locations of river restoration projects discussed in this publication. ing the incised the beauty of free-flowing water, rich with channel was left Restoration Projects Are native vegetation and wildlife, should not high and dry. Now groundwater levels are Many and Varied be underestimated. Acknowledgement of too deep to support riparian vegetation this emotional connection, in addition to even in the flood channel and only a few Like the rivers in the state, which vary in other benefits, is generating interest in river desert shrub species have become reestab- length, flow and quality, river restoration restoration. Efforts to restore Arizona riv- lished there. projects in Arizona vary greatly in size, ers have been receiving more and more at- Dumping compounded the problem. During the 1950s, one mil- tention. The many projects completed and Many Arizona Projects Occur on-going in Arizona testify to a growing lion tons of garbage was deposited commitment to the health of the state’s riv- in and around the river in cavities “Under the Radar” ers and streams. created by sand and gravel mining. No longer a living river for The upsurge in river restoration activities most of the year, the Santa Cruz has nationwide has made cataloging projects an Fixing the Santa Cruz River served as a street, a shelter, even an enormous task. The National River Restoration A stretch of the Santa Cruz River once illegal track for off-road vehicles. Science Synthesis is attempting to synthesize flowed year-round as a shallow stream from There is no better measure of the lessons from many thousands of projects com- San Xavier del Bac through Tucson across extent to which the natural condi- pleted in the recent past and currently under- a wide floodplain. The braided, meander- tions of this segment of the river way. For the southwestern node of the NRRSS, ing channel was lined with cottonwood- have been altered than the fact that which includes data on Arizona’s projects, the willow woodlands and mesquite bosques. whatever water happens to flow database contains almost 600 projects (198 in Remnants of the “Grand Mesquite Forest” within its banks is viewed as a nov- Arizona), which may represent as little as 50 upstream of Tucson, locally dense bosques elty or worse yet, a nuisance. In an percent of the total number of projects in the downstream, and the cottonwood gallery effort to remedy the situation, river region. The studies that provided the basic forests survived into the 1960s, but later dis- restoration plans are afoot to reclaim information for this issue of Arroyo describe appeared completely. sections of the river. about 30 projects in Arizona, some not includ- Human settlement wrought these One such project, Paseo de las ed in the NRRSS database. Winter 2008 Arroyo
their varied Kaler enlisted the support of the Gila characteristics, Watershed Partnership to obtain various might be viewed state grants, with the funds used to place as chapters in the culverts underground and to extend the story of them to drain directly into the river in areas restoration work where the banks are stable. With less sedi- in the state. The ment and cattle waste entering the river and following discus- greater bank stabilization, river conditions sion focuses on are improving. Improved water quality will specific projects ensure better habitat for the loach minnow, — or individual a threatened fish that lives in the river. Also chapters — to the ranch will no longer be a major source present an over- of E. coli entering the river. The Santa Cruz River in Tucson had a perennial flow with secondary growth of view of the kind Since 1996 Nutrioso Creek in the mesquite and cottonwood lining the channel when this picture was taken in the early of restoration White Mountains, which flows through 1900s. Photo: Arizona Historical Society/Tucson AHS no. 24868 activities occur- the EC Bar Ranch, eventually reaching the ring within the Little Colorado River, has benefited from scope and complexity. In one project, a state, each sharing the vision of securing a the management practices of ranch owner rancher is managing his land to benefit the vital legacy for future generations. Jim Crosswhite. Originally homesteaded in San Francisco River in the Upper Gila Wa- 1882, the 400-acre ranch has a history of tershed. In another, partners in the Lower overgrazing. The riparian zone along the Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Ranchers Take On creek was non-functioning, and the turbid Program plan to create more than 8,100 Small-scale Projects waters of the creek itself were officially acres of new or restored cottonwood- hen Dick Kaler purchased his ranch classified as impaired by the Arizona De- willow, mesquite, marsh and backwater W in 2003 he was not aware of several envi- partment of Environmental Quality. habitat. This will benefit six federally listed ronmental problems on the property. The Over the past decade, Crosswhite has endangered species as well as 20 additional ranch, located on the San Francisco River completed numerous government-recom- species. Partners in the MSCP include five in Greeley County in the Upper Gila Wa- mended Best Management Practices. He federal agencies, the three Lower Colorado tershed, had been used for livestock grazing fenced off the riparian area from cattle and Basin states, several Colorado River tribes, for over 100 years. Primary grazing pastures elk during the growing season, seeded the water and power contractors and other were located along the San Francisco River. banks with grass, and installed bank-stabiliz- stakeholders with interests in Lower Colo- When it rained, runoff flowed across the ing structures. He also drilled water wells rado River management. pastures directly into the river carrying with and installed a more efficient irrigation sys- Although the main goals of river resto- it sediment and animal waste. To resolve tem, which allowed him to divert less water ration efforts are the same — protecting Ar- the problem Kaler got an Environmental from the creek to irrigate upland pasture. izona’s last, lush places, and returning others Quality Incentive program grant from the His actions significantly improved the ripar- to their original splendor — projects take Natural Resources Conservation Service to ian area through the ranch. different paths to achieving their objectives. level his fields to reduce runoff. Many projects focus on reestablishing native Another problem confronting Kaler trees and shrubs along a degraded riverbed, Lower Colorado Program: were culverts, some large enough for a six- while others concentrate on pulling invasive A Vast Undertaking foot person to stand in upright, that drained plants out. Some are large-scale construc- a dirt road depositing the runoff onto his he Lower Colorado River Multi-Spe- tion efforts, and some deal with the removal T property. Although the culverts were in- cies Conservation Program is a complex of previously installed structures or obso- stalled to drain water to the river, they did and multifaceted program. A coordinated, lete dams. Sponsors of restoration projects not extend to the river’s edge; instead the comprehensive, long-term multi-agency ef- might have the goal of restoring the histori- culverts drained across the ranch’s livestock fort developed between 1996 and 2005, the cal conditions of an area, or might take ad- fields, washing soil and livestock waste into MSCP proffers a 50-year plan with a very vantage of newly forming habitats. the river and breaking down river banks. ambitious agenda. Its intent is to address Costs of projects described in this pub- lication range from less than $100 thousand to more than $100 million; their sizes vary Arroyo, a single-issue newsletter, is published by the Water from less than 20 acres to several thousand. Resources Research Center, College of Agricultural and Life Some projects occur close to populated Sciences, University of Arizona, 350 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, urban centers; others take place in remote Arizona 85719; phone: 520-791-9591; email: [email protected]. areas that few people visit. edu; web site: http://cals.arizona.edu/azwater The many restoration projects, with Arroyo Winter 2008 the needs of threatened and endangered well as creating more than 100 permanent ity of life of Yuma’s citizens. Before resto- wildlife listed under the federal Endangered and part-time jobs over the past six years. A ration work began, the 1,418-acre site had Species Act and reduce the likelihood that new growth industry is even being spawned. at least 20 illegal dump sites and almost as additional species will be listed. The project JSA Inc., a local landscaping company, is many transient encampments. Today, bird- also ensures the continuation of existing developing a new division specializing in na- watchers and dog walkers come daily to an Lower Colorado River water and power tive revegetation efforts. Revegetation could area that, only three years ago, most citizens operations. well become a major industry within the avoided. Hiking trails, picnic grounds and MSCP goals include creating more than next few decades. opportunities for other kinds of passive rec- 8,100 acres of riparian, marsh and backwa- Surrounded by development, the Yuma reation have brought the community back ter habitat along the lower Colorado River East project focuses on improving the qual- to the river. for native species. Further, MSCP partners will work together on species recovery pro- grams for two listed fish species: the razor- River Restoration, a Collective Effort back sucker and bonytail. A wide range of parties undertake river restoration projects. Sponsors of projects The MSCP covers an extensive area, in- include government, Native American tribes, non-profit organizations and universi- cluding the Colorado River and its historical ties. Projects are designed and implemented to reflect each organization’s mission and floodplain from the U.S. - Mexican border goals. up to and including the full-pool elevations In Arizona, County Flood Control Districts are responsible for stabilizing river- of lakes Havasu, Mohave and Mead. This is banks and controlling erosion, and typically undertake restoration strategies to mitigate a distance of about 400 river miles. Current damage at project sites. Pima County Regional Flood Control District has been unusu- conservation measures focus on the area al in protecting and restoring functioning ecosystems separate from engineering proj- from Hoover Dam to the international bor- ects. Non-profits like the Tucson Audubon Soci- der; the Grand Canyon may be included in ety and The Nature Conservancy, concerned with the future. maintaining ecosystems and preserving the value of the natural environment, are usually project Yuma East Project: managers. Native American tribes frequently cite Collaboration Pays Off cultural and historical benefits as a major reason for initiating restoration work. Universities focus Collaboration among varied organizations on scientific understanding and include strong re- is often a key to the success of a project, as search and education components when design- is demonstrated by the Yuma East Restora- ing a restoration project. tion Project. Begun in 1999 as a partnership Federal government agencies typically part- between the City of Yuma and the Quechan ner with local government entities or non-profit Indian Nation, the project has since grown organizations when they undertake restoration to include private landowners, federal com- work. This federal-local collaboration is a com- missions and public agencies, as well as mon characteristic of many of the projects in architects, engineers and biologists. Project Arizona. State agencies also collaborate in the managers say gaining consensus among di- planning and implementation of projects. Committed volunteers are often an verse stakeholders was as challenging as the Various entities provide funding for a range important part of a collective river restoration work itself. of projects. The Arizona Water Protection Fund restoration effort. These volunteers are Their common ground was the reedy, supports riparian restoration projects in general, working at the North Simpson Restora- tamarisk-choked riverbank that runs while the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has money tion Project. See page 11. through the city. Together, these groups cre- earmarked for the enhancement of wetlands. ated a project that stabilized the riverbanks, Arizona’s Heritage Fund Program provides $20 million each year divided between the removed invasive species and established Arizona Game and Fish and State Parks Departments for parks, trails, wildlife conser- salt-tolerant native vegetation. To date, 200 vation and the preservation of historic sites. acres of the project site along the Lower The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has a grant program spe- Colorado River has been restored. The cifically for improving water quality through projects designed to control non-point sponsors are currently monitoring the re- source pollution. ADEQ conducts water quality monitoring after implementation of turn of wildlife and endangered birds to the some projects to determine success, but otherwise its direct participation in projects is riparian area. minimal. The work at Yuma demonstrated that The U.S Army Corps of Engineers is an unusual organization with both the abili- restoration projects not only benefit the en- ty to fund projects and the human resources to implement them. The Water Resources vironment, but also can provide a boost to Development Act of 1986 authorizes the agency to participate in restoration projects the local economy. The project has provided that attempt to repair environmental damage done by previous Corps projects. $6 million dollars to Yuma’s economy, as Winter 2008 Arroyo
San Pedro River: ter management for the Upper San Pedro. channel by restricting future development The organization has been successful in and water use. Funds for the easements, Protecting the Flow achieving an impressive degree of coopera- which cost $5.5 million, were provided by The San Pedro River in southern Arizona tion and consensus in addressing problems the National Park Service’s Land and Water and the Verde River in the northern part of in the area. Conservation Fund and Fort Huachuca. the state are among Arizona’s most precious The survival and health of desert river Fort Huachuca spent $830,000 for two environmental resources. Last year, Ameri- ecosystems largely depend on whether suf- ranch easements, adjacent to one another, to can Rivers placed both systems in its annual ficient base flow — groundwater flow to the block development along the Babocomari “Most Endangered Rivers” list. Groundwa- stream from its alluvial aquifer — is main- River corridor. The Bureau of Land Man- ter pumping threatens river flow in both re- tained during dry seasons. When a stream agement purchased a third ranch easement gions, because the aquifers that feed the San meets this criterion, its flow is “perennial”. for $2.7 million that protects 674.6 acres, Pedro and Verde are critical water sources To maintain the San Pedro River’s base flow, including three and one-half miles of the for nearby cities, towns and farms. a collaborative effort is underway to reduce Babocomari River channel. The main objec- The San Pedro River flows from or cease groundwater pumping through tive of these purchases is to limit groundwa- Mexico into the United States through the purchases of property and conservation ter use. Another easement will protect 487.3 Madrean Archipelago, also known as the easements. Conservation easements are acres of grasslands that contain valuable Sky Islands, running about 100 miles from voluntary legal agreements that protect the wetland habitat by allowing the water table its headwaters in Canenea, Mexico, north land into perpetuity by limiting the property to remain at or near the surface. across the international border to its conflu- rights of current and subsequent owners. Previously TNC had worked with Fort ence with the Gila River near Winkelman. In line with this strategy, TNC has Huachuca to establish easements along Influenced by the biology of both the recently purchased four conservation ease- the San Pedro River in the Palominas area, Sierra Madre and the Rocky Mountains, ments in partnership with the Bureau of where the river crosses the border into the the region has an unparalleled diversity of Land Management, Fort Huachuca and United States from Mexico. In that situa- wildlife. Christened by The Nature Conser- landowners along the Babocomari River, a tion, TNC bought property and obtained an vancy as one of the “Last Great Places,” tributary to the San Pedro River. The U.S. easement restricting groundwater pumping the San Pedro’s riparian corridor is a haven Geological Survey identified the shallow and development on other property along for 350 species of birds, over 80 species of aquifer underlying the Babocomari River the river owned by the seller. mammals, two native species and several as one of the most important contributors Purchasing and establishing easements introduced species of fish and more than 40 to the San Pedro aquifer in the Upper San are a form of “passive” restoration. Passive species of amphibians and reptiles. Pedro Valley. The easements protect 1,411 restoration seeks to remove disturbances One of the last free-flowing desert acres and more than four miles of the river such as excessive groundwater pumping that rivers in the Southwest, the San Pedro is damaged the river system and have pre- threatened by groundwater pumping occur- vented it from returning to health. Where ring within the Upper San Pedro watershed. passive methods can be used, they are very “The narrows,” a natural constriction in cost-effective alternatives to more active the San Pedro River Valley located about restoration efforts involving excavation, 10 miles downstream from the town of construction, irrigation and other costly ac- Benson, divides the upper and lower basins, tivities to accomplish project goals. with the U.S. portion of the Upper San Pe- Along the San Pedro River, TNC dro Basin south of the narrows. Groundwa- also has been involved in projects taking ter pumping and natural uses within the ba- a more active approach. One such major sin result in more water being taken out of restoration project involved purchasing the the aquifer than is being naturally recharged. Three Links Farm: more than 2,000 acres Compounding the problem is the ongoing of ranchland north of Benson. The proj- multi-year drought. In July 2005, flow at the ect was a four-million dollar undertaking: U.S. Geological Survey’s gauge near Charles- $2,770,000 for acquiring the land in 2002 ton, Arizona went dry for the first time in and the remainder for restoration activi- more than a century of record keeping. ties, including fencing off the property and United in their concern about the river, reestablishing native vegetation in the old local governments, agencies and community agricultural fields. members have banded together to form the TNC is recouping the costs by dividing Upper San Pedro Partnership, a voluntary the land into five parcels for private pur- watershed association. A consortium of 21 chase and establishing a conservation ease- The Nature Conservancy projects along the San agencies and organizations, the USPP has ment on the properties. The proposed five Pedro River. Map: Dan Marka, The Nature adopted the goal of sustainable groundwa- new properties can have only one house- Conservancy Arroyo Winter 2008 hold per parcel, and groundwater pumping vegetation for thousands of years — had seasons, a variability that supports habitat for all five is limited to a maximum of 300 mostly ceased to flow. diversity. acre-feet per year. This means that nearly From its headwaters in the San Rafael Such heartening benefits, however, are 4,200 acre-feet of water previously used Valley in Arizona, the Santa Cruz River offset by some drawbacks. The elevated am- each year by the farm has been “retired” and loops south into Mexico before reentering monia and low oxygen levels in the water, left in the ground to bolster the San Pedro’s Arizona about five miles east of Nogales. as well as traces of chemicals that remain faltering supply. It then flows north-northwest to its conflu- in the water after it is discharged from the At the time of purchase, the San Pedro ence with the Gila River near Phoenix. treatment plant, make this river less than flowed only intermittently on the farm and One of the efforts to restore a segment ideal habitat. Few invertebrates and almost for miles downstream. TNC purchased the of the Santa Cruz River is the previously no fish can survive. There are unanswered property intending to restore and enhance discussed Paseo de las Iglesias project. (See questions regarding the environmental ef- both groundwater levels and surface flows page 2) Another segment of the Santa Cruz fects of trace contaminants that remain on about 20 miles of the river. Tom Col- River has benefited by what might be de- in the water after it is discharged from the lazo, TNC associate state director, says, “We scribed as accidental restoration; it might treatment plant — substances such as phar- turned off the pumps and we have seen also be described as a case of fortunate un- maceuticals and estrogenic compounds. dramatic recovery of stream flow, not only intended consequences. The band of riparian vegetation is narrow on the property but for quite a ways down- In the 1970s, no one intended to initi- and crowds close to the water’s edge in river as well, and subsequently a dramatic ate an environmental restoration project on most places, diminishing its usefulness to increase in cottonwood-willow habitat and the typically dry Santa Cruz River north of wildlife. But the site is still a testament to willow flycatcher populations and a number the Roger and Ina Road wastewater treat- what can be accomplished simply by allow- of other riparian related species.” ment plants. But the area is now vibrant ing water to flow once again in river chan- Other restoration projects on property with life — the result of discharging efflu- nels. Large-scale restoration projects are acquired by TNC along the San Pedro River underway along the Santa include the San Pedro Preserve and the Cruz through Tucson, Bingham Cienega Natural Preserve. The River Science — Interdisciplinary with plans to improve consistency of the plan is crucial. Accord- and extend habitat along ing to David Harris, Director of Land and Study Promotes Restoration these effluent-dominated Water at TNC, the rehabilitated areas will be Restoration projects being undertaken today stand to reaches (see page 11). vulnerable until the entire river is protected. benefit from strides made in the field of river science Wastewater also provides Development upstream could threaten the in the last several decades. River restoration science has flow in the Upper Santa progress made on the Three Links Farm, been defined as an interdisciplinary study, combining the Cruz River. The Nogales but by buying and restoring threatened land, sciences of hydrology, geomorphology and ecology and International Wastewater TNC is creating a patchwork of protected incorporating social sciences. River science teams study Treatment Plant at Calaba- places along the river corridor. restoration projects to learn about the complex relation- sas in Santa Cruz County ships among the many components of a living river. The processes sewage from Santa Cruz River: understanding provided by river scientists helps protect Nogales, Arizona and Recovering a Lost Legacy existing healthy rivers and can be incorporated into de- Nogales, Sonora. About sign, implementation, maintenance and monitoring of 20 percent of the efflu- Work along the San Pedro is focused on projects to bring degraded rivers back to health. ent comes from Nogales protecting a functioning ecosystem. Most and Rio Rico, Arizona, other restoration projects in the state don’t with 80 percent coming have the luxury of working with a natu- ent to a previously empty riverbed. Today, from Nogales, Sonora. A rally flowing river. Most of the rivers that this river reach receives an almost constant new treatment plant is being constructed once provided green oases in the deserts flow of 50,000 to 60,000 acre-feet of efflu- at the same site as the older facility with of Southern and Central Arizona went dry ent per year. completion expected in fall 2009. Treatment long ago. Restoration projects in these areas Impressive changes resulted. Willow goals for the new plant include stringent often focus on bringing back what has been and cottonwood have returned to line the secondary treatment standards, nitrification- lost. banks of the river, their branches filled with denitrification and improved disinfection. The Santa Cruz River has long been birds’ nests. Invasive species like tamarisk While at present effluent discharges into the a troubled river. In 1910, G.E.P. Smith, a and buffelgrass have also taken advantage river average about 15 million gallons per renowned University of Arizona hydrolo- of the dependable flows. Floods scour the day, effluent discharge rates vary widely. The gist, reported that the Santa Cruz River was riverbed, depositing new sediment and discharged effluent flows north over shallow an “ever dwindling stream.” By the time of sweeping away the thick algal mats that alluvium recharging aquifers, supporting a statehood in 1912 the Santa Cruz River — a form in the nutrient rich water. Like a natu- riparian corridor, attracting tourists and in- source of water for settlers, wildlife and ral system, the river ebbs and flows with the creasing land values along the way. Winter 2008 Arroyo
Five miles upstream, however, the San- melted in the ta Fe Ranch restoration project will need to mountainous pump groundwater to establish the corridor parts of its water- of historic vegetation planned to trap sedi- shed. Before the ment and control erosion along this ephem- Roosevelt Dam eral 1,200-foot section of the Santa Cruz was constructed, River. The project’s sponsors hope to repair gallery forests of the damage from a 1967 flood and subse- cottonwood and quent neglect, a goal made more challenging willow lined its by drought and nearby water and land uses. lower reaches for hundreds of miles. Rio Salado, Restoration in During the twen- an Urban Landscape tieth century, the river was harnessed Location has a lot to do with the values as- by dams, and its sociated with a particular project. Designed water diverted for generally to accommodate human interest agricultural and and use, urban projects often have great urban uses in the quality-of-life value. Ecosystems within growing Phoenix city boundaries, however, are often heavily area. The river’s degraded; completely revitalizing the river flows became Rio Salado offers urban residents various kinds of recreation including hiking, is neither practical nor possible given avail- smaller, and then horseback riding and birdwatching. Also Rio Salado enables children to investi- able water supplies. Moreover constructing ceased; the water gate the fascinating qualities of water. The above children are observing fish. restoration projects often depends on voter table dropped. To- approval. As a result, such projects often day, only isolated A Phoenix urban area restoration proj- include civic amenities and opportunities fragments of the original riparian corridor ect now in the works, El Rio Watercourse for passive recreation to attract voter inter- remain. project will be an amenity in the newly est, including hiking trails, picnic grounds, The Rio Salado Project sought to bring developing West Valley along the Gila campsites, and river parks. back the historic woodlands of cotton- River. The plan is to develop a greenbelt Examples of degraded urban rivers wood, willow and mesquite. First conceived by reclaiming a channel, restoring vegeta- include the Santa Cruz in Tucson, the Salt by James Elmore in the 1960s, the project tion along the river and creating a wetlands in Phoenix, and the Lower Colorado where evolved over two decades to include 23 area. Willow, ironwood and mesquite trees it flows through Yuma. All three rivers now miles of lakes, with a price tag of $2.5 bil- would line streambeds and two lakes would have major restoration efforts underway. lion. When brought to voters in 1987, it was be located adjacent to the Estrella Mountain Sponsors at these sites, for the most part, overwhelming defeated. Today’s project, en- Regional Park. The purpose of the project are not tackling the Herculean task of compassing five miles of river, and costing is to create a natural and scenic area that will bringing back the river’s historical condi- $100 million, is much scaled down. attract compatible development. tions. Instead, they are focusing on what the Project sponsors had to obtain water city’s residents can gain from an improved to irrigate the new vegetation they planted Bingham Cienega Natural riparian ecosystem. Consider, for example, along the riverbanks. (See more on obtain- Preserve, a Remote Location work being done along the Salt River. ing project water on page 10.) Four years, A Sept. 26, 2007 Arizona Republic edito- 76,000 trees and nearly 100 government Compared to planners of urban projects, rial described the sad state of affairs that permits later, the area made a Cinderella sponsors of restoration projects located in has afflicted many urban waterways: “For transformation from garbage dump to remote areas are usually under less pressure most of the Valley’s modern history, we’ve nature park. The dedication ceremony on to incorporate public use and economic turned our backs on rivers. We’ve seen them Nov. 5, 2006, was attended by 800 people. goals into restoration projects and can as hazards that overflow their banks or Hiking trails are open daily and frequented give exclusive attention to environmental hindrances that restrict development with by varied users, from horseback riders to bi- rehabilitation. Such projects might provide sprawling floodplains. ... We’ve seen them cyclists to people in wheelchairs. Shaded by habitat for threatened and endangered spe- as unsightly blemishes on the landscape, mesquite trees and willows, blackbirds build cies, improve the quality or increase the a place fit only for the coarse business of new nests among the cattails, while blue quantity of water for fish and wildlife, or sand and gravel or the dumping of old tires herons settle in pools of water. With the prevent development from encroaching into and radiators.” community’s approval, the river restoration a unique and beautiful area. The benefit The Salt River was once perennial, will continue in two subsequent projects, people derive from such projects depend swelling during the springtime as snow Rio Salado Oeste and Tres Rios. on their personal values and beliefs. Even if Arroyo Winter 2008 they do not have direct access to the ing heavy rain. area, some people derive satisfaction Until the turn of this century, the from knowing that biodiversity and Childs and Irving power plants’ use habitat are being restored, protected of the creek reduced the previously and preserved. quick-running water to a trickle. The Nature Conservancy, for When the Arizona Public Service example, undertakes restoration assessed damage at the site in 1981, work with a clear mission in mind: they noted that without reliable To preserve threatened lands and flows the creek’s unique travertine waters for the sake of the life that system was in danger of being lost. depends on these resources. For In 1999, Arizona Public Service TNC the functioning ecosystem decided to voluntarily shut down along the San Pedro River provides the power plants, which generated a rare opportunity to undo previous only 7 megawatts of power at full damage and protect this endangered capacity and were generating 4.2 place from additional losses. megawatts at the time. Restoration The remnants of five of the work took many years. A partner- rarest habitat types in Arizona can ship, headed up by the U.S. Forest be found on the Bingham Cienega Service and a Northern Arizona Natural Preserve on the west side University research team planned of the San Pedro River. This 285- and implemented a series of restora- acre parcel of land was purchased tion activities needed before flow by Pima County Flood Control would be restored to the creek. District in 1989 and given over to Others agencies involved in the TNC’s management. Historically restoration effort included the U.S. used for ranching and farming, the The Childs power plant along side Fossil Creek. Restoration of Fossil Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish fields lay fallow for over ten years, Creek began in 1999 when Arizona Public Service decided to decom- and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game while the Bingham Cienega’s wet- mission its two power plants operating along the river. and Fish and the U.S. Forest Service. lands, sacaton, mesquite bosques, Their efforts included salvaging na- ecological values. and riparian forests retook the land. Efforts tive fish, eradicating the exotic ones, and In its heyday, Fossil Creek was the have succeeded in creating habitat for many constructing a fish barrier to prevent exotics fourth largest travertine system in the world. of the federally listed endangered species from re-colonizing the area. The dam was Fed by underground streams, it ran year- that populate the river corridor, including lowered and diversions ceased in June 2005, round into the Verde River, its waters rich the leopard frog and willow flycatcher. restoring full flows to the creek. with calcium carbonate from the limestone Preserves like this one typically have This is the first watercourse in Arizona aquifer below. Mineral deposits, building limited public access. TNC offers field to have a major water retention structure up year by year, polished the walls of the trips to the Bingham Cienega Preserve for retired. Since diversions ceased, the creek’s canyon into a stepladder of waterfalls and students, local residents and members of native fish population has increased tenfold. pools. One observer noted the creek’s wa- TNC and other groups by prior arrange- The Fossil Creek project is at the frontier ters were “so impregnated with mineral that ment; unlike urban restoration projects, this of a growing movement to remove obsolete they are constantly building great round ba- San Pedro site is not normally open to the dams; lessons learned here are likely to be sins for themselves, and for a long distance public. (See map on page 5 for location of useful for projects around the United States flow down over bowl and bowl.” Bingham Cienega preserve.) and the world. But the creek’s consistent flow, so nec- The Fossil Creek story, like the stories essary to its native fish populations, also of other successful restoration projects, Fossil Creek Restored made it perfect for dams. By 1900, Lew seems to have had a happy ending: a river Turner, a rancher in the Verde Valley, had Most projects are designed to achieve a brought back to life. Yet the natural and filed for the rights to the headwaters of the balance of direct human benefits and ben- scenic conditions of the restored creek creek. Six years later, construction began efits that accrue to the environment. Fossil are attracting visitors, some of whom do on a power plant and a dam to divert the Creek, near Strawberry in Central Arizona, not share the environmental values of the water. Construction of the diversion struc- is valuable both as a unique water system restorers. These users are careless and neg- tures, accomplished in very rugged country, and as a recreational site for hikers and bird- ligent of the natural setting; makeshift trails was an engineering feat of its day. When a watchers. Restoration work on Fossil Creek scar the landscape, and abandoned trash and second power plant was added downstream was initiated with the goal of restoring the human waste litter the area. in 1916, so much of the water was diverted ecosystem in this rare and beautiful place, This has become an acute problem a goal that resonates with both human and that the creek no longer flowed except dur- Winter 2008 Arroyo along Fossil Creek, in part because the U.S. riverbed clean, the backwater channels filled has become an inspiration for others; the Forest Service is having difficulty managing with sediment. Shallow wetlands dried up, ‘Ahakhav nursery now sells over 50,000 isolated back-country areas. A management invaded by tamarisk. Today, only 6,000 acres trees each year for restoration work along plan is needed to guide use. Forest Service of cottonwood and willow remain. the Colorado. officials plan to conduct a wide-ranging The Quechan Indian Tribe depended Wa:k Hikdañ Site public input process to devise rules to bal- on the Lower Colorado River for their liveli- Dramatic changes to Arizona’s land- ance protection of the natural area with hu- hood long before settlers began building scapes have occurred within living memory man access and enjoyment. a town called Yuma there. When the river of Native American elders. Elders are Meanwhile Fossil Creek illustrates the changed, the Quechan way of life changed anchors for tribal history, giving purpose need for continued care and vigilance to as well. As a major sponsor of the Yuma and vision to restoration work. On the San ensure the natural conditions of a restored East project, the Quechan Indian Nation Xavier reservation outside Tucson, the river are not misused. As is being shown at hopes to bring back their heritage along Tohono O’odham community restored a Fossil Creek, the next step after renewing with the willows. section of the Santa Cruz by recreating a water flow and natural habitat is to organize ‘Ahakhav Tribal Preserve Project wetland near the river channel and planting efforts to monitor or protect what has been A similar project is taking place 130 mesquite, hackberry and desert willow on restored. miles north of Yuma on the ‘Ahakhav Trib- the higher flood terrace. During the design al Preserve, a thousand-acre stretch of land of the project, tribal elders were consulted Tribal Projects: Preserving established by the Colorado River Indian to gain insight into what the area looked like Cultural and Historical Sites Tribes in 1995. In 1997, the Tribes began during their youth. revitalizing the area, dredging out sediment- The work at the Wa:k Hikdañ site, Another human benefit of restoration filled backwater channels and replanting completed in 2003, created a place for work is the preservation of culturally or his- trees. Their intent was to develop a template tribal members to walk, contemplate, and torically significant sites. Projects sponsored for environmental restoration work all along observe wildlife that once populated the by Native American tribes are often initiated the Lower Colorado. river’s banks in abundance. In a San Xavier for this reason, including restoration work The ‘Ahakhav Tribal Preserve incorpo- District publication, Mark Briggs of Briggs along the Lower Colorado River. rated monitoring and adaptive management Restoration said the Citizen’s Steering Com- Quechan Tribal Interest in Yuma into project design. For the first year of mittee considered the restoration effort to East Project growth, staff took careful measurements of be of paramount importance to elders and The Lower Colorado River, which the young trees from the base to the tallest other community members who wanted forms most of the border of Arizona and up-stretched leaf, and conducted monthly to see a semblance of what the Santa Cruz California, once supported 450,000 acres bird surveys as conspicuous indicators of River used to be. Bringing back the land- of riparian woodlands. The riparian cor- environmental health. These consistent scape also brought back a vital piece of ridor was characterized by mesquite bosques check-ups allowed flexibility as the project their history. teaming with wildlife and cottonwood evolved and, equally important, gave the stands filled with birds. Dams, water chan- restoration team the satisfaction of seeing Project Restores Riverbed, nelization projects and invasive non-native its efforts blossom and flourish before their Secures Border plants dramatically altered the river’s flow. eyes. Without the floods that once swept the Reaching out to the community was an In what might seem an unlikely partner- important aspect of the ship, environmentalists and security officials Restored Rivers Offer Varied Benefits project. During the first are concerned about the blighted environ- year of restoration work, mental conditions along the 23-mile stretch The benefits derived from environmental restoration are project organizers took of Colorado River dividing Mexico from many and varied. Some projects provide services that ben- over 300 youths canoe- the United States south of Yuma. efit people directly, including flood management, erosion ing on a river once slug- Environmentalists view the dense, control, recreational opportunities, improved water quality, gish with sediment, past invasive, non-native, overgrown vegetation and scenic beauty. Other benefits are environmental, such fields that would soon within the riverbed at Hunters Hole as pre- as preserving fish and wildlife species by protecting and hold stand after stand of venting the growth of native mesquites and enhancing habitat. Revitalizing a river corridor can some- young cottonwood trees. willows needed to provide crucial habitat times revitalize the local economy as well, bringing visitors Today, the Preserve has for wildlife and endangered birds including and increasing the value of nearby properties. Places of expanded to 1,300 acres, the Yuma clapper rail, California black rail cultural or historical significance can be preserved for fu- and restoration focus- and bald eagle. ture generations to visit. Additionally, river restoration pro- ing on the removal of Security officials are concerned because vides opportunities for education and research. Different invasive tamarisk and re- the riverbed, thick with vegetative growth, values may predominate in different projects. surgence of native trees offers good hiding spots for those seek- continues. The project ing to avoid law enforcement authorities. 10 Arroyo Winter 2008
Degraded environmental conditions have typically requires created a high-crime area where smuggling, at least three banditry and sexual assault occur within years of irriga- concealing vegetation. tion. Where environmentalists desire a re- Water turn to natural conditions, rich with native from rivers and vegetation and birds and wildlife, Border streams is al- Patrol officials want a safety zone with located by prior increased visibility to discourage illegal ac- appropriation, tivities. In this instance of complementary meaning the first objectives, environmentalists and security user to divert wa- officials are working together to garner in- ter and put it to terest and support for the project. a beneficial use In an unusual description of a river obtains a priority restoration project, Yuma Crossing National right, and that Heritage Area officials describe the project right is to be sat- as a “security channel” and “an innovation isfied before any Completed in 2003, the Wa:k Hikdañ site on the San Xavier Reservation was in homeland security.” They were highly other user has ac- the first to use Central Arizona Project water in the Tucson basin for riparian successful in gaining support from a wide cess to the water. restoration. In following years as much as 50,000 acre-feet of CAP water was put range of agencies and organizations, from The definition of to restoration use on the reservation. the Environmental Defense Fund and the what constitutes tion. The San Xavier Reservation has an Sonoran Institute to the Border Patrol and a “beneficial use” has evolved. Although allocation of CAP water as a result of the the Department of Homeland Security. the Arizona Legislature added habitat for Southern Arizona Water Rights Settlement Expected to cost between $7 and $9 wildlife and fish as one of the beneficial Act. They were the first in the Tucson basin million, the project would restore an ap- uses in 1941, it wasn’t until 1976 that the to use water diverted from the CAP canal proximately 2.2-mile segment of river in- court ruled this included a right for instream for environmental restoration. The water cluding 435 acres of wetlands. Fund raising flow, and the first instream flow permit was now flows through a created stream and is expected to take about a year, with resto- not issued until 1990. Obtaining a permit wetland. The Tohono O’odham community ration work slated to begin within two years. for instream flow allows users to leave their hopes this water will percolate through the allocation of water in the river rather than soil and mound on an impervious geologic diverting or consuming it. Water Sources layer near the surface, creating a “perched” The Bureau of Reclamation purchased for Restoration Projects groundwater source for the wetland and Three Links Farms easements as part of riparian vegetation. The reservation has he essential ingredient of all river res- a plan, in partnership with The Nature T continued to use CAP water for subsequent toration projects is of course water. While Conservancy and the Salt River Project, to restoration efforts. some projects are designed to maintain secure instream flow rights on the river. The themselves on existing sources of water, partners hope to secure water no longer Groundwater Unlike surface water, groundwater in most require additional irrigation, with used on Three Links Farm with permits for Arizona is managed under the Reasonable some tapping groundwater supplies. Some instream flow in the San Pedro. The strategy Use doctrine. In effect groundwater users projects focus on protecting or augmenting will break new legal ground if it succeeds. can pump as much water as they can use, as available water supplies, while others de- While securing flow in the river is one long as the use is not malicious. pend on ephemeral flows and rain. of the most effective ways to revitalize an Because the Reasonable Use doctrine Surface Water and Central Arizona ecosystem, project sponsors sometimes was established before the hydraulic con- Project Water need to divert surface water for their res- nection between groundwater and surface The concept of leaving water in a river toration work. The Yuma East project, for water was fully understood, legal groundwa- to support riparian habitat came late to example, drew Colorado River water from ter pumping has at times dewatered rivers Arizona’s water policies, after most water Yuma’s surface water allocation to irrigate and created conditions restoration projects rights had been claimed for other uses. Be- new plantings. The project design predicts have set out to remedy. At the same time cause Arizona’s system of water laws treats the eradication of invasive species in the groundwater has been a source of water for each separate source differently, sponsors area will eventually leave more water in the some restoration work. must sometimes work out complex arrange- river than was there before the project be- On the Bingham Cienega Natural Pre- ments to make use of groundwater, surface gan. serve, TNC worked out an agreement with water or effluent for restoration. Obtaining Colorado River water delivered through a neighboring landowner to pump ground- this water is critical for many restoration the CAP canal is allocated by contracts water from his wells for use as temporary projects because establishing new vegetation with the CAP and the Bureau of Reclama- irrigation water. The pumped groundwater Winter 2008 Arroyo 11
WRRC Report Identifies Key Features of Restoration Projects A Water Resources Research Center report provides comple- Finally there is mentary information to environmental enhancement studies and a summary of les- restoration project reports by describing 30 projects throughout sons learned. These Arizona. Release of the report, Projects to Enhance Arizona’s Envi- are not just research ronment: An Examination of Their Functions, Water Requirements and results; lessons Public Benefits, provided the impetus for devoting this Arroyo to learned are informa- river restoration. tion, observations The study focuses on certain fundamental characteristics of and comments that the enhancement projects— their drivers, sponsorship, benefits, can qualify as ad- water requirements and lessons learned. Drivers are the reasons vice. The authors projects were undertaken; most projects have multiple drivers. identify the lessons Drivers include providing habitat, economic development, flood as the six P’s in the protection, environmental education and water quality improve- pond: preparation, ment. persistence, partner- Sponsorship was determined to be an important factor in ship, progress, pests project design and implementation. Entities that sponsor proj- and post-construc- ects, wholly or in part, include city, county, state and federal agen- tion. cies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, private landowners Funded by the Above is a before-and-after depiction of Sweetwater and universities. U.S. Department of Wetlands. A valuable component of a recharge Varied benefits resulted from the projects — 16 different the Interior, Bureau facility, the Sweetwater Wetlands, located along the benefits are identified — with all projects listing more than one. of Reclamation, Santa Cruz River in Tucson, serves multiple uses All 30 projects included a habitat value benefit, with the next the publication was including research, public education, recreation and three most often cited benefits being public use, environmental written by WRRC wildlife habitat. education and flood protection. Director Sharon B. Water use is an important part of the study. The authors Megdal and graduate students Kelly Mott Lacroix and Andrew asked: What is the source of the projects’ water? Are unprotected Schwarz. It is available on the WRRC’s web site: http://cals. instream flows a source? Are water rights purchased? If so, at arizona.edu/azwater/ Click “Recent Publications.” CD version what cost? What projects get by without importing water? available upon request. helped to establish sacaton and new riparian groundwater laws in central Arizona, estab- acquires effluent “credits” that it can use to woodland vegetation including cottonwoods lishing AMAs where groundwater overdraft pump water from the “area of hydrologic and willows planted close to the wetland was a problem. The Reasonable Use doc- impact” where the District’s wells formerly where the depth to groundwater is only trine was replaced by a statutorily defined pumped. Legally, this water is not consid- three feet. permit system with rules on pumping, con- ered groundwater. The aquifer is contami- The Preserve is located along the San servation, new wells, and permitted uses. nated by agricultural and urban pollutants, Pedro River, a viable system with surface Located within the Phoenix AMA, the and the water is not being used as a potable water flow and a shallow groundwater Rio Salado Project is located along the Salt supply because the cost of treatment would table. Understanding depth to groundwater River in an area where the water table has be too high. Instead, it is treated to accept- helped guide plantings at the Preserve. Mes- fallen well below the root zone of riparian able standards for irrigation and used to es- quites were planted in areas where depth to plant species. To achieve its goal of restor- tablish cottonwoods, willows, and mesquite groundwater was more than nine feet below ing vegetation along a river despite the fact along the Salt River riparian corridor. land surface. Between the riparian vegeta- that it long ago lost its connection with the Effluent, Rainwater Harvesting at the tion and the mesquites, restorers sowed underlying aquifer, the project will have to North Simpson Restoration Project sacaton grass seeds to create a band of rare rely on irrigation to support new riparian Usually considered a waste product, efflu- grassland. These gradients of the restored vegetation. ent is often discharged from wastewater habitat reflect nature, with depth to ground- To obtain the needed water, the City treatment plants into convenient riverbeds. water determining the species of plants that of Phoenix worked out a creative strategy As described earlier (page 6), the result has survive. involving the Roosevelt Irrigation District. been to the advantage of resurgent ripar- Restoration projects located within the Phoenix provides effluent to the District, ian vegetation. At the North Simpson site, state’s Active Management Areas confront which allows the District to reduce the 20 and more miles downstream from the challenges unique to the AMAs. The 1980 amount of groundwater it pumps for ir- discharge points of two treatment plants, a Groundwater Management Act changed the rigation. Through this transaction, Phoenix meandering Santa Cruz River flows with ef- 12 Arroyo Winter 2008 fluent. Historically an ephemeral section of ity of riparian corridors in the the Santa Cruz, the area now has an almost desert, where destructive floods U.S. BuRec Supports Newsletter constant flow, supporting cottonwoods and and prolonged droughts are The WRRC thanks the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for willows where none existed historically. natural hazards. Audrey says, assistance in the preparation of this edition of Arroyo. The goal of the North Simpson Res- “Regardless of how changes ers paying for water they have conserved, toration Project is to take advantage of the might alter habitat in the future, the site with the funds then used to purchase water cottonwood-willow habitat developing along right now is serving as a habitat for numer- for environmental purposes. Still in the the riverbed and to augment and improve ous birds and other wildlife.” For her, the development stage, this “Conserve to En- it by reestablishing meso and xeroriparian value of putting the effluent stream to good hance” strategy would require the voluntary vegetation in the very wide floodplain at use, despite its transitory nature, outweighs participation of water utilities. Program this location. This will widen the corridor whatever changes might occur later on. In developers hope to implement the program of vegetation and increase its diversity and addition, the floodplain plantings, a wide va- through a pilot project. usefulness as habitat. Work began on the site riety of meso and xero riparian vegetation, in 2000, when the Tucson Audubon Society will remain viable even without effluent. started planting new trees, fencing out cattle The Tucson Audubon Society supple- Conclusion and monitoring the bird species. Over the mented the effluent supply at the site with There is something tragic about a de- past six years, the restoration team has seed- rainwater harvesting. Staff and volunteers graded river bereft of its natural features, ed hundreds of acres along the riverbanks. nestled newly planted trees into shallow its riparian vegetation, fish and wildlife Bell’s vireo, Bullock’s oriole and yellow-billed basins and designed raised berms and greatly diminished or even lost. It is first cuckoos, along with the ubiquitous white- swales to direct both temporary irrigation of all an environmental tragedy when the crowned sparrows and many other species, and periodic rainfall to the vegetation’s best natural bounty of our rivers is damaged or have returned to the revitalized riparian area. advantage. These earthworks increase the destroyed. An agreement with the City of Tucson chances that the vegetation will survive after A human tragedy also unfolds because allows the Tucson Audubon Society to use the irrigation is turned off. a vitalizing connection between people and up to ten acre-feet of water per year to es- Another Santa Cruz River restoration nature is severed. This tragedy is especially tablish native vegetation, but actual use is project, Esperanza Ranch, also flows with poignant because humans are usually at consistently less. Eventually, the groundwa- released effluent and storm water. Accord- the root of the destruction; their drive to ter irrigation system will be turned off and ing to an agreement entered into by the pre- control rivers for economic gain taking the newly planted riparian vegetation will vious owners, both surface water diversions precedence over a desire to be stewards be left to adapt on its own, dependent on and groundwater pumping are prohibited on of ecological resources. In the best of all variable effluent flows from the treatment the site. As a result, the Tucson Audubon possible worlds, environmental and human plants, rain and periodic storm water flows. Society faces the challenge and opportunity values would not conflict; rather they would Sponsors of restoration efforts take ad- of establishing new vegetation without the be complementary. vantage of “free” water when they can, but advantage of irrigation water. Seedlings, Natural resource management must the producer of the wastewater may choose planted beginning in the fall of 2006, will contend with various interests, each with to discontinue releasing it at any time. As depend on rainwater harvesting as the sole something at stake in an issue; the more cities threaten to grow beyond the available water source. seemingly divergent the interests, the water supplies, perceptions of the value of greater the potential for conflict. Compro- effluent are changing. Eventually, as technol- Conserve-to-Enhance mises, however, can always be reached. If ogy improves and demand increases, it will the preceding discussion noted that rivers become a valuable commodity for many Recently, Andrew Schwarz, former Uni- often get short changed, it also illustrated non-potable uses. Some cities are even con- versity of Arizona student, and Sharon that many of Arizona’s rivers are now ben- sidering advanced treatment of wastewater Megdal, director of the UA Water Resourc- efitting from creative efforts to restore and for potable use in the future. es Research Center, developed an innovative enhance them. To use an aquatic metaphor If the effluent flows at North Simpson strategy to obtain water for environmental — albeit one more suited to seaside than are ever diverted for another use, it is likely or restoration projects. The voluntary semi-arid Arizona — the tide is turning. that many of the cottonwoods and willows program involves municipal water custom- Rivers and will lose their their eco- tenuous hold systems are on life. But receiving Ann Audrey, the former much need- project man- ed attention ager, points in the west- to the natural ern states. ephemeral- Ibis in flight at the Yuma East Restoration Project.