A Water Resources Research Center report provides complementary information to environmental enhancement studies and restoration project reports by describing 30 projects throughout Arizona. Release of the report, Projects to Enhance Arizona?s Environment: An Examination of Their Functions, Water Requirements and Public Benefits, provided the impetus for devoting this Arroyo to river restoration.

The study focuses on certain fundamental characteristics of the enhancement projects? their drivers, sponsorship, benefits, water requirements and lessons learned. Drivers are the reasons projects were undertaken; most projects have multiple drivers. Drivers include providing habitat, economic development, flood protection, environmental education and water quality improvement.
Sponsorship was determined to be an important factor in project design and implementation. Entities that sponsor projects, wholly or in part, include city, county, state and federal agencies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, private landowners and universities.

Varied benefits resulted from the projects ? 16 different benefits are identified ? with all projects listing more than one. All 30 projects included a habitat value benefit, with the next three most often cited benefits being public use, environmental education and flood protection.

Water use is an important part of the study. The authors asked: What is the source of the projects? water? Are unprotected instream flows a source? Are water rights purchased? If so, at what cost? What projects get by without importing water?

Finally there is a summary of lessons learned. These are not just research results; lessons learned are information, observations and comments that can qualify as advice. The authors identify the lessons as the six P?s in the pond: preparation, persistence, partnership, progress, pests and post-construction.

Funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, the publication was written by WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal and graduate students Kelly Mott Lacroix and Andrew Schwarz. It is available on the WRRC?s web site: http://cals.arizona.edu/azwater/ Click ?Recent Publications.? CD version available upon request.

Above is a before-and-after depiction of Sweetwater Wetlands. A valuable component of a recharge facility, the Sweetwater Wetlands, located along the Santa Cruz River in Tucson, serves multiple uses including research, public education, recreation and wildlife habitat.