This page features photos of the San Pedro River in southeast Arizona, a hotspot for biological diversity.
The San Pedro River originates about 10 miles below the international border, just outside of Cananea Municipality in Sonora, Mexico. The river flows north into Arizona, where it runs for 140 miles until its confluence with the Gila River. As one of the last large, undammed rivers in the American Southwest, it provides habitat for millions of migratory birds each year.
The San Pedro River runs by the city of Sierra Vista, which relies on water from the same aquifer that feeds the river. As the area has grown, pumping has drawn down the water table, effectively draining the river’s water source.
The U.S. Army’s Fort Huachuca, located on the western edge of Sierra Vista, is also a major water user in the area. In the face of severe drought and dwindling river levels, Fort Huachuca says it has reduced its water usage. However, several environmental groups want the federal government and fort to do more to protect the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, which is home to endangered avian and plant species.
Learn more:
- Lindsey Botts, “In Arizona’s riparian areas, cattle compete with imperiled species for fragile resources,” Arizona Republic, November 22, 2021.
- Henry Brean, “Environmental groups sue BLM over cattle calls on San Pedro River,” Arizona Daily Star, October 8, 2021.
- Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services, “Fort Huachuca’s water savings are exaggerated, environmentalists claim,” Arizona Daily Star, September 21, 2021.
- Ian James, “On the San Pedro River, water use is drying up stretches of a biodiverse ‘ribbon of green’,” Arizona Republic, September 7, 2021.
| Date | 2009 and 2021 |
| Location | San Pedro River and Sierra Vista, Arizona (map) |
| Credit | Ted Wood/The Water Desk |
| Rights | Free to reuse under Creative Commons license. |
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