Ecological Response to Restored Flows in the Urban Santa Cruz River

The Heritage Reach is a portion of the Santa Cruz River that runs through a highly urbanized portion of Tuscon, Arizona. This area used to support a variety of wildlife but has severely degraded from urban development. In 2019, Tuscon Water began releasing treated effluent into the Reach to restore river flows. Researchers at the University of Arizona studied the ecological response to the restored flows to help inform an adaptive management strategy. This project improved habitat for native species that can mitigate drought impacts for the region. Restoring flow to this urban river restores important cultural and social values to Tuscon residents and visitors.