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Flow365 Monitoring TrainingTuesday, August 5th @ 5:30pm - 7:30pmRegister HereIn Tucson, our rivers move through many stages — sometimes quiet and underground, sometimes rushing with monsoon rains. Each phase tells us something about the health of our desert and the resilience of life in our riparian areas. Through the Flow365 Monitoring Program, everyday people like you are listening to our...
River Run Network Creek Walk: Santa Cruz Cortaro NarrowsSaturday, July 12th @ 8am - 10amRegister HereJoin us to explore the flowing Santa Cruz River at Twin Peaks Rd! Thanks to upstream effluent, this stretch flows year-round, supporting wildlife and native vegetation, and is about to receive an exciting update. Pima County Flood Control is enhancing the area with a wildlife ramp,...
Ready to level up your rainwater game?Join us for Design Planning – Water Budgeting Scenarios, an advanced workshop that will help you get the most out of every drop on your site.In this interactive virtual session, we’ll walk you through how to calculate, plan, and design a water harvesting system that’s both smart and site-specific. You’ll learn how to:Build a Monthly Water Budget using local...
The Fall 2024 Binational Beaver Results Are In!Beavers once thrived in the rivers of southeastern Arizona but were extirpated over 100 years ago due to extensive trapping. In an effort to restore this keystone species and the vital ecosystem services they provide, the Bureau of Land Management reintroduced beavers to the San Pedro River. Since 2021, Watershed Management Group and our partners...
WMG is excited to announce our next round of paid Apprenticeship positions! Donor funding for this program is intended to open up jobs in the environmental and community conservation field for underrepresented individuals, and we encourage Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities to apply. We are currently accepting applications for:Non-...
In this report you'll learn about how the WMG community is defining a new Care of the Commons approach, stewarding our watershed for the good of all people, plants, and animals. We share updates on our drought planning initiative with the Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative, how our Apprenticeship Program helps people from under-represented backgrounds get into environmental careers,...
The Fall 2024 Binational Beaver Survey Methods & ResultsRead the full report hereExciting News! We have completed our fourth and most extensive annual bi-national beaver survey on the San Pedro River! Previously, we had only surveyed sections of the upper San Pedro River within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA), managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)....
We did it! Thanks to the support of donors like you, WMG was able to exceed our fundraising goal and raise $228,460 during our spring campaign. Your support has stabilized our budget in these uncertain times, and given us the confidence to continue our programs for the rest of the year.Thank you for empowering us to continue our mission, and we can't wait for what's ahead!...
“You do it the WMG way, you do it the right way,” Martha Retallick said, standing near a flourishing pomegranate tree nurtured by greywater from her laundry system.Martha has been involved with WMG since 2007 when she volunteered for the first time at a water harvesting project at the Ward 3 Tucson City Council office. Through learning about rainwater harvesting with WMG, she has since...
I told many friends I was taking a water harvesting design certification course this spring. I got back many kind-but-honest texts: So cool! What is that? At first, I picture a big plastic rain tank. It’s sitting off to the side of a bare yard, baking in the sun. It’s technically doing something good—collecting water—but it feels a little disconnected, like a gadget added onto a home rather...
Summit Hut Volunteer DaySaturday, April 19th @ 4:30pm - 6:30pmRegister HereFor this special event, we're partnering with Summit Hut! As a thank you for your hard work, they will be giving away Cotopaxi waist packs to the first 30 volunteers. We'll focus on trash pick up in this area and there will be an opportunity to remove small Arundo stands if you would like to support that effort....
The Watershed Soundscape project is building Hydro-Local community through music, art, and watershed science. We're celebrating our desert waters through a year-long series of multidisciplinary concerts and workshops, and arts activities. A collaboration between the UA School of Music, WMG and other community organizations, this year-long initiative explores themes of stewardship,...
We're kicking off our Spring Campaign! Our goal this spring is to raise $200,000 to help us adjust to the uncertainty of federal grant cutbacks. We have $60,000 in matching funds for this campaign, so your dollar will go further! Your donation funds our community conservation programs that help cool our desert cities, job training initiatives, and river restoration work.Watch the video...
Cooling ConsultationsContact Nicole Parks at nparks@watershedmg.orgDo you have a space that retains or reflects too much heat? Hire us for a consultation and a WMG staff member will come out, identify hot zones in your area and provide you with a plan to address those hot spots using the natural evaporative cooling power of plants!Why use plants, instead of a shade structure?Due to the heat...
Exciting News: More Opportunities to Help Restore Tanque Verde Creek!We're adding a second weekly Arundo removal event on Thursdays! Due to changes in our federal funding, we're shifting more work time to our state-funded projects — great news for the Tanque Verde ecosystem as we expand our restoration efforts.See the list of workshops below, you can click on the links to register:Thursday, April...
WMG's programs are made possible by a strong community of volunteers. Learn about ways to dig in deeper at our Open House, and see how your talents and passions can make a difference on our board of directors, as a docent, through our River Run Network, or as an ambassador at our Living Lab.Join us at the Living Lab on Monday, March 24th from 5:30 - 7pm to learn more!RSVP Here
We've got 3 more months to tackle Arundo this season! Arundo grows aggressively, consuming precious water, crowding out native plants, and increasing flood and fire risks. By removing this invasive species, we’re making space for native vegetation, improving groundwater recharge, and working toward a future with restored creek flow.Join us for hands-on restoration...
Our popular one-day Desert Living Home Tour is now a monthly series! Tours will be offered in the spring and fall, so keep an eye out as new tours are offered.Christian & Joaquin's Desert OasisChristian and Joaquin will immerse you into their Sonoran Desert oasis of their home, their backyard is undulating with rain gardens that feed a variety of native plants that provide shelter for...
Join the River Run Network for restoration workshops in the Rillito this month, where we’ll remove invasive Arundo and clean up trash to help restore this vital habitat.Arundo (giant reed) threatens our local waterways by outcompeting native plants and reducing water flow—but together, we can make a difference! Come out to Brandi Fenton Park on March 1st and 15th to support.This event is a great...
Hear directly from our team about how the federal grant freeze is affecting our work, and why your support matters.Watch the video on YouTube
Explore the confluence of Tanque Verde and Sabino Creeks with Lisa Shipek, WMG's Executive Director on Saturday, February 22nd @ 3pm - 5pm (register here)You'll walk upstream along Sabino Creek, weaving through the sandy floodplain, shallow waters, and cottonwood forest. Learn more about what this area would have looked like historically and what you can do to help restore groundwater levels...
By Lisa ShipekMany of you may be wondering how the Executive Orders of the Trump administration are impacting WMG. We were initially concerned that new grant revenue would be impacted by the Trump administration, however, the Executive Orders are impacting our funding now. The current reality creates uncertainty for our staff and programs. My number one priority is developing a rapid...
We are starting out the month of February by heading into the Rillito near Curtis Park to keep trash out of our creeks and remove the invasive species Arundo donax. We will bring everything you need to participate in this effort to pick up trash and remove the invasive species, but you are welcome to bring your own supplies as well! We recommend bringing your favorite set of gloves, a water...