The riparian hero of downtown Tucson, AZ – Tucson Waters Santa Cruz River Heritage Project. 6-years of habitat restoration.
Joseph C. Cain*
City of Tucson | Tucson Water, Tucson AZ
The Santa Cruz River Heritage Project began operating in 2019 by the City of Tucson | Tucson Water utility to discharge tertiary treated wastewater into the formerly perennial desert river. The groundwater fed portions of the Santa Cruz River provided water for the birthplace of Tucson (S-cuk Ṣon) where prehistoric cultures developed some of the earliest agricultural irrigation systems in the Southwest. Beginning in the late 1800’s, river use changed with westward expansion, and in the mid-1900’s the aquifer was depleted to the point the river only ran during ephemeral events and dried up the former riparian ecosystem. The goal of the Heritage Project was multi-faceted and aimed to restore the depleted aquifer, bring back heritage riparian ecosystems, and provide a public amenity and link to the past heritage by returning flowing water through the desert city. Six years later, the project supports a teeming riparian habitat with native endangered fish, endemic turtles, amphibian breeding, a rich diversity of invertebrate species, and thriving native plant communities all thanks to partnerships with local researchers and local/state/federal agencies. The project, however, is also currently limited in its restoration capacity due to historic waste sites, remediation efforts and administrative constraints. How will the hero of our story (the riparian habitat) thread the complex web of regulations and demands that curtail its ability to grow and thrive?