601:
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427:. Before the development of agriculture in the Santa Cruz Flats, the river's course went right through the flats. As development started, the Greene Canal was formed to divert the Santa Cruz River to the Greene Wash to maximize agriculture in the area. Because of this diversion, the original Santa Cruz River riverbed was destroyed. From the Greene Canal, the Greene Wash empties into the Santa Rosa Wash which empties into the original Santa Cruz River riverbed. This riverbed is followed all the way until it terminates at the Gila River. Between Nogales and Tucson the river valley is flanked by the San Cayetano and
348:
644:
447:, unless the area receives significant rainfall. This was not always the case, but a combination of human errors and natural catastrophes in the late nineteenth century led to the decline of the Santa Cruz. Prior to this, water flowed perennially in a number of places, including along nine stretches in the Tucson area, and the river's banks were lined with
617:
458:. Although there is some disagreement among historians and hydrologists as to what the biggest causes of the river's decline were, contributing human factors included overgrazing, excessive pumping of groundwater for agricultural irrigation and industry, and the construction of dams and ditches. In the mid-20th century, the river's stretch through
64:
488:
daily into the Santa Cruz River bed near West
Silverlake Road as part of the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project. This has resulted in renewed perennial flow in an approximately 1-mile (1.6 km) stretch near downtown Tucson. Further upstream, perennial flows returned to a half-mile stretch of the
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The Juan
Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail parallels much of the Santa Cruz. In Marana, there are approximately ten paved miles of multi-use recreational path along the Santa Cruz, located on Tangerine Road and through the Gladden Farms community park.
621:
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469:, has been releasing treated sewage into the Santa Cruz River since 1951. This has resulted in the revival of approximately 9 miles (14 km) of riverbank within and north of the city of Nogales, Arizona.
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The normally dry Santa Cruz river wash running high and fast after much heavier than normal rains in
September 2014.
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near Miguel
Hidalgo (San Lázaro), thence north-northwest to reenter the United States just to the east of
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flows have returned to a few parts of the Santa Cruz River in greater Tucson. In June 2019, the city of
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A wrecked bridge along the Santa Cruz during the flood of 1915. "A" Mountain is in the background.
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in 2019 as a result of reduced ground water pumping due to greater availability of water from the
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509:. Further downstream at the Roger Road Waste Water Treatment Plant has been releasing treated
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The Santa Cruz River east of
Nogales just after re-entering the United States from Mexico.
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to the west, just north of the international border. It flows southward into Mexico past
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816:"A 'dead' portion of Tucson's Santa Cruz River will flow again — for 5,000 feet"
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719:"Biotic Resources of the Lower Santa Cruz River Flats, Pinal County, Arizona"
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The Santa Cruz has its headwaters in the high intermontane grasslands of the
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Little waterfalls along the Santa Cruz River in downtown Tucson in 1889.
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934:"The Santa Cruz River starts thriving again, water supply is restored"
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387:. It then continues northward from the international border past the
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zones along the river, including areas of cottonwood shoots and
717:
Brown, David E.; Makings, Elizabeth; et al. (April 2017).
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83:
979:
Sign posted along the bank of the Santa Cruz River in Tucson
606:
A view of the Santa Cruz south of Tucson, facing south. The
517:
flow of the river for approximately 46 miles (74 km).
716:
969:
Santa Cruz River Civic
Science Conservation Initiative
639:
339:. It is approximately 184 miles (296 km) long.
1013:
1829:
845:
843:
375:and turns westward around the south end of the
431:on the east and the Atascosa, Tumacacori, and
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419:to the Santa Cruz Flats just to the south of
974:San Rafael Ranch Natural Area and state park
911:Tucson Citizen: Who will save the Santa Cruz
840:
809:
807:
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501:. This has led to the revival of vegetated
1006:
992:
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697:United States Department of the Interior
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892:from the original on November 29, 2020
1848:International rivers of North America
987:
931:
862:from the original on October 12, 2020
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813:
785:"The Decline of the Santa Cruz River"
1853:Rivers of Santa Cruz County, Arizona
946:from the original on October 2, 2020
828:from the original on October 9, 2020
765:from the original on August 23, 2017
739:from the original on October 9, 2020
688:Geographic Names Information System
675:
389:Tumacacori National Historical Park
13:
932:Davis, Tony (September 30, 2019).
751:
476:efforts and restoration projects,
14:
1884:
962:
582:, which has since become extinct.
882:"The Vanishing Santa Cruz River"
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615:
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587:
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443:Most of the Santa Cruz River is
62:
46:
1863:Rivers of Pinal County, Arizona
850:Regan, Margaret (May 3, 2001).
791:from the original on 2012-03-11
693:United States Geological Survey
555:The Santa Cruz during a flood,
16:River in Arizona, United States
1858:Rivers of Pima County, Arizona
904:
874:
777:
710:
438:
201: • coordinates
136: • coordinates
33:Santa Cruz River (Philippines)
1:
1868:Tributaries of the Gila River
814:Davis, Tony (June 22, 2019).
668:
556:
520:
491:San Xavier Indian Reservation
104:Physical characteristics
571:View of the Santa Cruz from
240: • elevation
25:Santa Cruz River (Argentina)
7:
635:
191: • location
124: • location
10:
1889:
1838:Santa Cruz River (Arizona)
761:. U.S. Geological Survey.
663:Santa Cruz Catholic Church
529:
244:1,014 ft (309 m)
129:Santa Cruz County, Arizona
52:The Santa Cruz River near
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1025:
658:List of rivers of Arizona
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252:184 mi (296 km)
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122:
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1587:Little Lithodendron Wash
852:"A River Ran Through It"
472:In recent years, due to
283: • right
499:Central Arizona Project
417:Picacho Peak State Park
271: • left
27:. For the river in the
610:are in the background.
445:usually a dry riverbed
352:
312:
223:33.25611°N 112.18833°W
158:31.45444°N 110.58806°W
1582:Little Colorado River
1206:Little Colorado River
1075:Little Colorado River
886:National Park Service
495:Tohono Oʼodham Nation
462:dried up completely.
350:
1138:San Bernardino River
608:Santa Rita Mountains
575:in 1904. Notice the
513:, which extends the
429:Santa Rita Mountains
367:to the east and the
359:to the southeast of
228:33.25611; -112.18833
163:31.45444; -110.58806
1504:Bill Williams River
1400:San Francisco River
1085:San Francisco River
369:Patagonia Mountains
257:Basin features
219: /
154: /
1807:San Cristobal Wash
1655:San Cristobal Wash
1196:Hockey Puck Spring
1015:Rivers and streams
939:Arizona Daily Star
821:Arizona Daily Star
759:"The National Map"
683:"Santa Cruz River"
489:river through the
486:treated wastewater
474:water conservation
433:Sierrita Mountains
405:San Xavier del Bac
377:Sierra San Antonio
373:Santa Cruz, Sonora
361:Patagonia, Arizona
353:
319:River") is a left
1843:Rivers of Arizona
1825:
1824:
1713:Santa Cruz County
1534:Santa Maria River
1428:Santa Maria River
1269:Christopher Creek
625:
383:and southwest of
357:San Rafael Valley
301:
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117:San Rafael Valley
19:For the river in
1880:
1873:Rivers of Sonora
1774:Hassayampa River
1736:Santa Cruz River
1721:Babocomari River
1698:Santa Cruz River
1665:Santa Cruz River
1466:Hassayampa River
1274:East Verde River
1158:Tres Alamos Wash
1113:Babocomari River
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1529:Sacramento Wash
1509:Centennial Wash
1499:Big Sandy River
1494:Beaver Dam Wash
1480:
1456:Centennial Wash
1451:Agua Fria River
1443:Maricopa County
1437:
1404:
1377:Greenlee County
1371:
1367:San Simon River
1362:San Pedro River
1328:
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1173:Coconino County
1167:
1163:Whitewater Draw
1148:San Simon River
1143:San Pedro River
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1065:Kinlichee Creek
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1741:Sonoita Creek
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1731:Harshaw Creek
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1635:Mescal Arroyo
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1630:Ciénega Creek
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1567:Cibecue Creek
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1549:Navajo County
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1519:Diamond Creek
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1486:Mohave County
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1334:Graham County
1331:
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1324:Workman Creek
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1231:Thunder River
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1812:Tenmile Wash
1764:Fossil Creek
1735:
1703:Tom Mix Wash
1697:
1680:Pinal County
1670:Tenmile Wash
1664:
1650:Sabino Creek
1640:Molino Creek
1625:Brawley Wash
1597:Silver Creek
1592:Puerco River
1577:Laguña Creek
1539:Virgin River
1524:Kingman Wash
1304:Salome Creek
1294:Horton Creek
1279:Fossil Creek
1264:Cherry Creek
1259:Canyon Creek
1254:Canyon Creek
1191:Havasu Creek
1186:Fossil Creek
1153:Steins Creek
1128:Dragoon Wash
1123:Bonita Creek
1090:Walker Creek
1080:Puerco River
1070:Laguña Creek
1055:Chinle Creek
948:. Retrieved
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699:. 1980-02-08
686:
677:
573:"A" Mountain
524:
471:
465:The city of
464:
442:
397:Green Valley
385:Kino Springs
365:Canelo Hills
354:
304:
302:
276:Brawley Wash
1789:Yuma County
1779:Verde River
1612:Pima County
1602:White River
1572:Clear Creek
1557:Black River
1476:Verde River
1395:Eagle Creek
1385:Black River
1352:Black River
1319:White River
1314:Tonto Creek
1246:Gila County
1236:Verde River
1221:Rio de Flag
1216:Paria River
1201:Kanab Creek
1060:Chinle Wash
1045:Black River
1040:Black Creek
507:seep-willow
439:Hydrography
421:Casa Grande
262:Tributaries
226: /
214:112°11′18″W
161: /
149:110°35′17″W
29:Philippines
1832:Categories
1817:Tyson Wash
1802:Gila River
1688:Gila River
1471:Salt River
1461:Gila River
1433:Tyson Wash
1418:Bouse Wash
1390:Blue River
1357:Gila River
1309:Salt River
1299:Negro Wash
1284:Gila River
1118:Black Draw
1095:Zuni River
1050:Blue River
950:October 7,
896:October 7,
866:October 7,
832:October 7,
795:2011-11-21
743:October 5,
703:2020-10-05
669:References
521:Recreation
511:wastewater
449:cottonwood
425:Gila River
325:Gila River
317:Holy Cross
211:33°15′22″N
184:Gila River
146:31°27′16″N
1347:Ash Creek
1211:Oak Creek
515:perennial
478:perennial
401:Sahuarita
321:tributary
76:Countries
21:Argentina
944:Archived
914:Archived
890:Archived
860:Archived
826:Archived
789:Archived
769:March 8,
763:Archived
734:Archived
636:See also
577:riparian
503:riparian
453:mesquite
423:and the
71:Location
54:Red Rock
1019:Arizona
530:Gallery
493:of the
456:bosques
381:Nogales
323:of the
309:Spanish
94:Arizona
482:Tucson
460:Tucson
415:, and
413:Marana
409:Tucson
343:Course
337:Mexico
333:Sonora
265:
249:Length
113:Source
98:Sonora
90:States
84:Mexico
31:, see
23:, see
737:(PDF)
732:(2).
722:(PDF)
559:1903.
393:Tubac
179:Mouth
952:2020
898:2020
868:2020
834:2020
771:2011
745:2020
451:and
303:The
1017:of
327:in
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