Experts say that less than two percent of the landscape in the western U.S. is made up of rivers, and the region's booming population is stretching its scant waters even further. But with help from unlikely sources, scientists are hoping to protect these delicate areas.
In southern Arizona, members of the the Sonoran Institute and other organizations are analyzing the water and creatures of the Santa Cruz River, which still flows near Tumacacori and Tubac. The Sonoran Institute is a non-profit organization that deals with environmental issues and human communities by encouraging science, discussion and cooperation.
Emily Brott and Claire Zugmeyer are taking part in the river study near Tumacacori and Tubac, where the river's underground flow is supplemented by treated effluent from the Nogales International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
