Vital adjustments have occurred within the ecosystems of the Decrease Gila River (the river stretch from the Metropolis of Phoenix’s Tres Rios Wetlands to Gillespie Dam south of Arlington), resulting from historic land and water administration practices (similar to dams and diversion upstream) mixed with a warmer and drier local weather.
These adjustments have contributed to the proliferation of invasive vegetation—like salt cedar (also referred to as tamarisk)—crowding out native vegetation, reducing the water high quality and amount, lowering leisure entry to the river, and creating choke factors that may trigger damaging floods with high river flows. The growth of salt cedar additionally poses a heightened hearth danger as a result of the species burns hotter and faster than native desert vegetation, fueling fires that burn extra intensely.
This 36-mile stretch of the Decrease Gila River has seen its share of wildfires over time, with the current Hazen Fire (Might 2026) burning nearly1,200 acres within the Gila River backside close to Buckeye.
Audubon Southwest and companions are constructing upon a long time of labor within the space and coming collectively because the Lower Gila River Collaborative (LGRC) to revitalize the river by advancing strategic habitat restoration, lowering flood and hearth danger, bettering leisure entry, and boosting financial alternatives within the hall.
To advance the dialog, Audubon hosted the Decrease Gila River Discussion board on the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Middle. Individuals mentioned land and water points within the Decrease Gila River, together with funding wants, obstacles to implementing extra initiatives, and on-the-ground restoration work.
U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani, (R-Ariz.) offered digital opening remarks. The occasion introduced collectively state leaders, metropolis council members, Tribal representatives, water companies, and congressional workers from the places of work of U.S. Reps. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) and Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), and U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.).
Sine Kerr, Farm Providers Company State Govt Director for Arizona, shared a legacy perspective from her time as an Arizona State Senator the place her legislative accomplishments included the 2022 historic investments in Arizona’s water future by increasing the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona, in addition to securing $5 million for the Gila River Nonnative Vegetation Species Eradication Fund. This funding allowed the Arizona Division of Forestry and Fireplace Administration to take away salt cedar and set up native vegetation at undertaking websites, making a extra resilient panorama.
Dr. David DeJong spoke on the Gila River Indian Neighborhood’s long-term imaginative and prescient for its water future and the modern habitat restoration and groundwater recharge amenities the neighborhood has constructed to revitalize the Gila River.
Panelists from the Metropolis of Goodyear, Buckeye Water Conservation and Drainage District, and CalPortland supplied views from a municipal, agricultural, and mining level of view.
One other panel—that includes the Metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona State College’s Rio Reimagined initiative, the Arizona Sport and Fish Division, and the Arizona Division of Forestry and Fireplace Administration—explored conservation, recreation, and funding alternatives and showcased the work of the Decrease Gila River Collaborative.
And again in March of 2026, the Arizona Division of Forestry and Fireplace Administration hosted State Sen. Tim Dunn (R-Ariz.) and different stakeholders on a tour of their Decrease Gila River Initiative undertaking websites to see what investing in such a restoration work to take away salt cedar and reestablish native vegetation appears to be like like on the bottom. One of many websites visited, close to Freeway 85, proved to function a hearth break within the Hazen Fireplace, defending the bridge infrastructure whereas bettering the resilience of the panorama. This restored website stands out within the aftermath of the hearth, as flames skirted across the space.
In 2025, the Lower Gila River Collaborative partners eliminated 784 acres of invasive vegetation, planted 645 native species, and enhanced greater than 740 acres of riverside habitat, along with outreach efforts with landowners and the area people.
The work shouldn’t be over as soon as the salt cedar is eliminated and native species are planted. Restoration websites should be monitored and maintained to stop salt cedar from returning and to measure progress on the well being of the native plantings.
To measure progress, in 2025, Audubon and the Decrease Gila River Collaborative companions started a drone vegetation monitoring initiative within the river hall. Audubon Southwest’s licensed drone pilots (Elija Flores and Tucker Davidson) deliberate and executed flights over undertaking websites with our multispectral drone. “Multispectral” means the drone is provided with single-wavelength cameras that seize particular wavelengths of sunshine, like Close to Infrared, which is invisible to the human eye.
After the drone flights, the info is processed utilizing specialised Geographic Data System (GIS) instruments to provide maps and fashions that may be analyzed to decide quite a lot of components from plant sort and well being, soil circumstances, and way more. By performing these drone flights and analyses on a biannual schedule, we’re making a library of snapshots in time and gathering takeaways to tell and prioritize future restoration work.
And down on the state Capitol, legislators are crafting the state budget for the subsequent fiscal yr, which begins July 1, 2026. This legislative session, Senator Dunn launched Senate Bill 1677, which might allocate $3 million to the Arizona Division of Forestry and Fireplace Administration to proceed their work to scale back flood and hearth danger by strategically eradicating salt cedar and reestablishing native vegetation, restoring habitat alongside the Decrease Gila River west of Phoenix and alongside the confluence of the Gila and Colorado Rivers, close to Yuma. This invoice unanimously handed the Home Pure Sources, Vitality, and Water Committee on March 24. Now, it should be integrated into the state finances to change into a actuality.
There’s a lot work to be completed on this river hall, work that would not be completed with out the continuing partnership of numerous stakeholders, to enhance the outlook of the Decrease Gila River. Audubon is particularly grateful to have acquired a WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to strengthen the Decrease Gila River Collaborative and perform its strategic motion plan.
Be certain to join our Western Water Action Network to obtain alerts about alternatives to weigh in on water administration choices—like investing in Arizona’s lands and waters within the state finances—that can form the way forward for Western rivers, lakes, and the birds, wildlife and folks that rely on them.
The Decrease Gila River Collaborative (LGRC) is a voluntary partnership of greater than 30 state companies, non-governmental organizations, Tribes, and recreation and agricultural water customers, together with Gila River Indian Neighborhood; cities of Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, and Phoenix; Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Division; Flood Management District of Maricopa County; Arizona Division of Sport and Fish; Arizona Division of Forestry and Fireplace Administration; and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
