Gila River

“Stretching over 600 miles across two states, the Gila River is an iconic natural feature of the American Southwest. From its origin in the pine forests of the Black Range of western New Mexico to its confluence with the Colorado River in southwestern Arizona, the river is fed by six major tributaries. Winding through iconic ecosystems including the arid Sonoran Desert, its waters support forests of willows and massive cottonwoods, vital habitat for more than 300 species of migratory and breeding birds, including many found nowhere else in the United States, such as the common black-hawk and northern beardless-tyrannulet. And high-elevation portions of the watershed host the last remaining strongholds of many native fish, such as the endangered Gila trout. However, what was once the lifeblood of the Sonoran Desert has been drained and diverted to support the ever-growing metropolises of Phoenix and Tucson. West of Phoenix, the river is usually a dry bed and where water still flows, the fragile ecosystem is assaulted by invasive species, drought, grazing and mining, which are only exacerbated by the growing effects of climate change. As a result, 21 of Arizona’s original 36 native fish species are either extinct or federally listed as threatened or endangered.”