When we measure the value of Sabino Creek as we would other community assets, such as a bridge or building, Sabino Creek has a net value of $146 million – $230 million over a 100-year lifespan! This staggering number comes from a recent economic analysis conducted by Seattle-based nonprofit Earth Economics in partnership with WMG.
Check out a map of the project area for WMG's Flow365 campaign to restore Tanque Verde and Sabino Creeks in Tucson.
You can help revive Southern Arizona's heritage of flowing desert rivers and create a better, wetter environment for plants, critters, and people. Yeah, we know—this is a bold idea. But that's never stopped us before!
As spring makes its slow transition into summer, we finally have a minute to look back on the flurry of fun and excitement of April.
Since the 1950s, Lower Sabino Creek has experienced declining groundwater levels and reduced stream flow. As much as we’d like to “wave a wand” and bring back perennial flow to Sabino Creek, a river does not flow by magic. There is hard science involved—so we worked with our partners to develop this flow budget and get a clear picture of the dynamics at work.
We may not be magicians, but with our data and on-the-ground strategies pointing the way, the fantastic sight of a free-flowing Sabino Creek seems more realistic than ever!
Watershed Management Group's Catlow Shipek celebrates over 6 months of flowing water in Tucson's Sabino Creek. Video shot in March 2016.
This report shows the results of an extensive study for the City of Tucson Ward 1 office in collaboration with the Pima County Regional Flood Control District to mitigate flooding with Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) or rain gardens. This report contains:
A summary of GSI opportunity identification
Flood mitigation modeling results
Green and grey infrastructure analysis
Cost benefit analysis
Priority project identification
Management and policy implications
The story of desert rivers has been a tragic one, with our springs, creeks, and rivers drying up – losing our ribbons of green, cool respites, and essential recreation and wildlife areas.
If we had a flowing river near Tucson, wouldn’t you want to make sure it stayed that way? We would! Tucson actually has a little-known gem like this. A 23-mile stretch of the Santa Cruz River as it runs north out of Tucson enjoys year-round flows supported by effluent, or treated wastewater. The water is cleaned and released into the river channel from two water treatment facilities near Roger and Ina Roads.
