So much of the Santa Cruz River Watershed has changed, however we rarely hear stories of what it looked like as it was changing, or how the communities experienced these changes. There are gaps in the written record about the community's connection to the Santa Cruz River and its tributaries, particularly with their response to the decline of groundwater in the early to mid-1900s.
With this in mind, the Watershed Management Group's River Run Network set out to collect the stories of those who have enjoyed the watershed for decades. These stories work to expand our collective memory and current relationships with the Santa Cruz River and its tributaries. We hope that by sharing these stories, we will create new traditions of passing down stories from generation to generation.
How will my story be shared with our community?
We currently envision holding space for the stories shared with us through WMG's website, print materials, and a public exhibit. The idea of an exhibit is a long-term goal o f WMG and would be a physical collection of stories and art about the watershed that would be on rotation in different venues around Tucson. With this being the first project toward this long-term goal, we are coordinating a space for the community to be narrators of their own stories and therefore welcome any ideas about how you would like your story to be shared.
How do I share my story?
While we would love to hear your stories about when the rivers flowed out loud and in-person, we are instead encouraging you to submit your online stories here. Please share your story about the Santa Cruz River, Rillito River, or any of their tributaries including Cienéga Creek, Sabino Creek, Tanque Verde Creek, Cañada del Oro, and Pantano Creek.
In this form, we invite you to tell us about yourself, your memories of our creeks and rivers, and share photos or art related to you and your story. You are welcome to share drawings, paintings, poetry, and other art forms through the photo upload section in the survey. You can choose to share your name with your story, but you also have the option of remaining anonymous. There will be future opportunities to share through other WMG community efforts.
History of Our Memories of Flowing Rivers
“Our Memories of Flowing Rivers” began with our intern and University of Arizona graduate Adrianna Nicolay under the direction of Lisa Shipek and the River Run Network Planning Team. Their intent is to coordinate a space for the community to be storytellers and story recorders and connect to the Santa Cruz River and its tributaries. If you are interested in partnering with us on this work, or have any questions about this project, please reach out to rrn@watershedmg.org.
