Private Property, No Trespassing

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Private Property, No Trespassing

• Water Rights on the Santa Cruz

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Julia Fonseca

• BA from Rice University
• Masters degree in geology at the University of
  Arizona.
• 14 years with Pima County Flood Control District
• Hydrologist, geomorphologist and land manager
• Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan
• Membership
• The Arizona Native Plant Society
• Arizona Riparian Council
• Arizona Hydrological Society

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The West Branch

• Location
• Silverlake Road and Ajo way
• Mission Road and Cottonwood Lane
• History
• 1915 West Branch - East Branch
• Prevent destroyed the farmland
• Habitat intact

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Preservation

• 6 species of fishes originally including
• Desert pupfish
• Gila topminnow
• Gila chub.
• None of these native fish remain.
• Potential for re-introduction

Desert Pupfish
Gila Topminnow
Gila Chub
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History

• Mostly Farmland Until the 1960s
• Enchanted Hills wash
• major drainage of the floodplain
• Bus barn" property owned by the county
• Regeneration of mesquite and Blue Palo Verde
  Bosques

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Plants

• Relatively untouched species remain
• Mesquites almost three feet across at the base
• Rare AZ plant species
• amaranth
• Desert seepweed
• Little barley
• Tumamoc globeberry
• Ruellia
• Crucifixion thorn

Ruellia
Crucifixition Thorn
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Flora
Plant species in the West Branch
Most plant growth is native.
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Water Table
Mesquite Trees - Good Indicator
Water tables 1920 30 feet 1990 130 feet
Constantly Dropping
Water Table
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Flowing Water

• Water flows here about 30 days of the year
• Rainy season in June and July Monsoon Season
• Most surface water diverted to main riverbed

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Restoration

• Riparian Restoration
• Floodplain Saved
• Park Development
• Hydro-riparian restoration
• Water doesnt flow in the West Branch often

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Works Cited

• http//www.co.pima.az.us/cmo/sdcp/sdcp2/reports/WB
  /pflora.htmanchor1283111 (Biological Values of
  the West Branch of the Santa Cruz River,With an
  Outline for a Potential Park or Reserve)
• Philip C. Rosen
• Julia Fonseca
• Dr. Riley