Restore Tanque Verde Creek: Join the Effort!
Help us remove the invasive Arundo donax plant to restore natural water flows and native habitats in the Tanque Verde Creek. Arundo grows quickly and uses up to four times the water of native plants, threatening our desert ecosystem. By volunteering with WMG's River Run Network, you can make a difference in bringing back a healthier, greener riparian forest.
Why It Matters
Arundo is harmful to our waterways because it crowds out native...
WMG’s River Run Network is excited for another year of removing the invasive species Arundo donax (giant reed) from along Tanque Verde Creek and across Tucson to restore flow and riparian habitat in our creeks and rivers. We invite you to join us at our upcoming events to support this effort, read more about the effort below and see the full list of events here.
What is Arundo?
Arundo plants are long, green, sturdy reeds that can grow over 20 feet tall sometimes as quickly as 4 inches...
6th Annual Beavers & Brews
Tuesday, Sept 24th, 2024 | 5:30pm to 8:30pm
At the Living Lab | 1137 North Dodge Blvd.
Calling all beaver believers new and old! Join us at this year’s Beavers and Brews immersive experience. Gather at the Living Lab to eat, drink, dive into river restoration, and learn about the latest beaver projects.
Our Learning Center will be transformed into a riparian habitat, with the sights and sounds of Cienega Creek, showcasing photos of the habitat where...
River Run Network Clean Up & Arundo Removal: Rillito and Country Club RdWednesday, August 21 - 6:00pm to 7:30pmRegister Here
Our Arundo Removal Efforts are expanding! We are so excited to start this new initiative, taking Arundo Removal to the next level across Tucson into many of our other creeks and rivers, not just the Tanque Verde Creek.
We begin this effort by tackling areas across the Rillito this fall (2024) where there have been documented sightings of Arundo, and we need...
Rio Vista Natural Resource Park
The Heart of a Neighborhood in Midtown Tucson
by Max Wingert, Communications & Outreach Manager of WMG
WMG’s River Run Network helps people connect to and steward their local rivers, especially in urban areas of Tucson where our rivers and floodplains have been neglected. That’s why we’re thrilled to help guide a restoration initiative along the floodplain of the Rillito River, in the Rio Vista Natural Resource Park, working alongside passionate...
Family Saturday: What are native edible plants?
Gracie Kayko, Environmental Journalism Intern - June 24, 2024
On the third Saturday of the month, Family Saturday is held at Watershed Management Group’s Living Lab.
Family Saturday is a free, educational event that invites families to come learn about a variety of sustainability-focused topics around living respectfully with the resources in the Sonoran Desert. On May 18th, families came to learn about native edible plants.
Starting...
RRN's last trash pickup of the spring
Gracie Kayko, Environmental Journalism Intern - June 17, 2024
The May 22nd Santa Cruz River clean up crew.
Watershed Management Group’s River Run Network hosted its last trash pickup of the spring on May 22nd at Santa Cruz River at Irvington Road. A group of 10 volunteers, newcomers and returners, helped fill eight, construction grade, trash bags for Pima County to come pickup and dispose of.
The trash picked up in the river varied from plastic...
Volunteers hike through flowing rivers and dry riverbeds alike during the 2024 Beaver Survey.
Reviving a Keystone Species: Results from the 2024 Bi-National Beaver Survey
Read the full 2024 Bi-National Beaver Survey report here
Introduction
Beavers, once a keystone species in the rivers of southeastern Arizona, play a crucial role in maintaining watershed health. However, due to over-trapping in the 1800s, they were extirpated from the region. In an effort to revive the species and...
A magical evening along a flowing creek in Tucson
Tanque Verde Flow & Feast 2024
Tanque Verde Flow & Feast 2024 (photo credit: Nicci Radhe)
May 4th was a special night at Tanque Verde Creek.
The River Run Network, a program of Watershed Management Group, held its 7th Annual Flow & Feast event on a beautiful spring evening. 138 people came and were able to walk along the creek, make crafts, participate in a storytime, and eat the deliciously catered food from Tumerico in...
Pedaling For Progress: The PFAS Problem
By: Max Wingert, Communication & Outreach Manager
“Before we begin, I need some volunteers. Three volunteers. Ok, you… you, and you. Now. I have a little test for you. We’ll start with you. Can you pronounce this?”
This question came from Joaquin Murrieta, the Cultural Ecologist Director of Watershed Management Group. He stood, smiling, surrounded by a semicircle of a dozen or so bicyclists, in a small parking lot adjacent to the Santa Cruz...
