Arroyo Chico: The effects of design and management on the biological and social aspects of an urban wash

Abstract

Arroyo Chico Wash, an important drainage for central Tucson, Arizona, runs through numerous neighborhood and industrial areas before emptying into the Santa Cruz River. Within four suburban neighborhoods along the wash, direct observations, personal interviews, survey questions, and historical documents are used to describe design and management influences on the biological and human aspects of the wash. Plants along the wash are identified by 2-meter wide belt transects run at 100-meter intervals over the 4 kilometer length of the study area. Wild animal and bird lists are based on observation and information given by residents. Relationships between design, maintenance and neighborhood attitudes toward the wash are assessed using a survey questionnaire given to people living adjacent to the wash. Results show the wash in the Colonia Solana neighborhood has the greatest biological diversity, highest neighborhood satisfaction and highest recreational use. In neighborhoods where the wash is a "backyard easement", satisfaction and use are the lowest.