There’s Something Incredible About These 10 Rivers In Arizona
By Monica Spencer|Published October 25, 2015
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
Arizona isn’t particularly well-known for the amount of water flowing through it. Large spans of the state are arid, desert land and plenty of experts agree that—due to some not-so-smart policies regarding how our precious sources of groundwater are used and contamination of those sources—we are on the brink of a looming water crisis.
Water is an incredible life source and commodity in the desert; it allows us and the wildlife we share this land with to live and thrive in an otherwise hostile environment. That’s why we should both recognize and respect our sources of water. Here’s a look at some of the beautiful Arizona rivers flowing through our state. Admire them for their beauty and remember that you’re not the only one who needs that water.
1. The Agua Fria River is a total of 120 miles and runs from the Prescott area right into Lake Pleasant.
It's the source of much tourism, irrigation, water use, and power generation. Because of heavy water consumption, the river has rarely reached the Gulf of California since the 1960s.
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4. The Gila River doesn’t see too much waterflow these days but, prior to the building of dams and diversions in the twentieth century, it was known to have a heavy seasonal flow.
5. Miles away, the Hassayampa River occasionally flows above the surface parallel to the Agua Fria and is known for its influence on the similarly named wilderness area and preserve.
6. Depending on the amount of recent rainfall and where along the river you are, chances are you probably haven’t seen much water in the Little Colorado River. It mainly acts as a wash and drains seasonal precipitation into the Colorado River from the northeastern side of the state.
8. The Salt River runs 200 miles long and is another river that's often seen dry due to the dams and canals built in the last century. However, after major storms, you can see the river flow.
Fun fact: beavers have historically thrived along the Salt River!
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9. For numerous reasons, the Santa Cruz River usually runs dry throughout the year and there has been effort over the last few years to restore the watershed.
