The River Run Network is a group of people working together to restore Tucson's heritage of flowing creeks and rivers - which means restoring the Santa Cruz River and its tributaries! Explore this online platform to learn more about restoration targets, priority actions, and progress towards our goal.
The River Run Network includes all of the Tucson basin, with a focus on target restoration areas, called streamsheds. Streamsheds are specific stream sections and the adjacent land area that most influences the stream hydrology. The streamsheds are delineated by areas that have common hydrologic characteristics and flow restoration goal.
Find and explore your streamshed on the map below.
Priority Restoration Actions
Not only do we have a vision, but we have a plan! Check out our priority restoration actions, and learn how we'll restore our rivers.
All Streamshed Priority Restoration Actions
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Address erosional features including gullies and head-cuts along suburban and rural roads and throughout the landscape to help slow and infiltrate storm runoff and reduce downstream sediment loads.
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Enhance infiltration of stormwater runoff from homes, businesses, and roadways through on-site water harvesting, green stormwater infrastructure features, and arroyo and floodplain restoration.
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Support Pima County Regional Flood Control District’s acquisition and enhancement of flood-prone and critical riparian habitat lands for river restoration purposes.
- Support U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Pima County, Catalina State Park, Arizona State Land, Bureau of Land Management, and other entities in upper watershed spring and fire restoration planning and activities to ensure downstream water supplies through mountain front and channel recharge.
- Provide extended water conservation incentives to all groundwater users or at least groundwater users in shallow groundwater areas supporting riparian ecosystems. Options to provide funding for incentives include either through A) Tucson Water conservation programming to exempt groundwater users within Tucson Water’s service area, B) Tucson Active Management Area groundwater fees or C) Arizona state tax credit or other programming to reduce groundwater demand and increase long-term groundwater sustainability.
Sabino, Tanque Verde, and Rillito Streamshed Priority Restoration Actions
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Utilize Metro Water HUB and Tucson Water emergency interconnection to reduce Metro HUB’s groundwater pumping during periods of drought to reduce stress on groundwater-dependent riparian habitat along lower Sabino and Tanque Verde Creeks.
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Recharge reclaimed water in critical shallow groundwater areas along the reclaimed distribution system.
- Stabilize a failing grade control structure protecting a Pima County Wastewater sewer crossing along lower Sabino Creek near Prince Road.
Santa Cruz River Streamsheds Priority Restoration Actions
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Extend the City of Tucson's Santa Cruz River Heritage Project upstream from Valencia Road to downtown Tucson to recharge treated effluent to benefit riparian forest restoration and groundwater level restoration.
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Continue to engage the City of Tucson, Pima County, Tohono O'odham Nation, Sahuarita, FICO, and others to collaborate on coordinating groundwater recharge of Central Arizona Project waters to renew Santa Cruz River surface flows and begin restoring the Great Mesquite Forest.
