In 1987 Pima County and City of Tucson adopted a detention/retention manual, which envisioned regional detention basins for multiple benefits. Today, there are seven regional detention basins in the metropolitan Tucson area (Figure 1). One of them, the Kino Ecosystem Restoration Project (KERP) at Ajo Detention Basin, has incorporated recreation, wetland and riparian enhancement, and water harvesting, making it a true multi-purpose basin. The Pima County Regional Flood Control District (PCRFCD) has examined the potential for large-scale urban water harvesting at regional and sub-regional detention basins. This paper examines the opportunities for water re-use, recharge, riparian restoration and recreation at existing regional detention basins.
Keywords: water harvesting, stormwater, flood mitigation and control, multipurpose, water harvesting potential, detention, retention, recharge, riparian restoration, recreation, property value