The Town of Superior is located in Pinal County, Arizona, whose watershed is defined by the Apache Leap escarpment towards the east and the volcanic Picketpost Mountain to the southwest. This biogeographically diverse town has a rich past with historically naturally flowing water through Queen Creek, the major drainage area of the surrounding region. The elevation ranges from 2,400 feet near Boyce Thompson Arboretum to 5,630 feet near King’s Crown peak, creating elevation-driven biotic communities.1 The landscape hosts Upper Sonoran desert scrub in the lower regions and oak-juniper woodlands at higher elevations. Additionally, Queen Creek supports riparian zones that increase the biodiversity of an arid/semi-arid ecological zone.
Superior receives an average of 18.70 inches of rain annually and can accumulate up to 4 inches of precipitation during extreme storms such as summer monsoons or Pacific originating hurricanes in the fall.2 These periods of heavy rain and the town's vertical topography put much of Superior along Queen Creek at a 10% annual risk from flash flooding that can cause property damage of ($350,000 annualized per year) to homes, businesses, and roads.3
Stone Dip Pocket Park serves as an interactive space that reflects water restoration, natural beauty, and an engaged community. Situated on the corner of Main Street and South Stone Avenue and set directly next to Queen Creek, the park addresses flooding, water infiltration, soil and vegetation restoration through Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). GSI features divert water runoff from Main Street, to enter Stone Dip Pocket Park during rain events. Rain Collection Gardens and Bioswales capture runoff, allowing water to naturally infiltrate the soil during storms and promote water recharge. Water is filtered by rainwater harvesting basins filled with mulch and native arid-adapted plants (Figure 1). Continue reading.