Arizona Water Conservation Factsheet: Riparian & Stream Water Conservation Strategies

June 28, 2026
Arizona Water Conservation Factsheets
,
4 pp.
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Water Resources Research Center
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Tucson, AZ
Attachments
Riparian & Stream Water Conservation Strategies (pdf)
Riparian & Stream Water Conservation Strategies cover page

This fact sheet provides strategies and best practices for landowners and residents to sustain and restore riparian and stream health on their land and in their communities.

In the arid Southwest, riparian* areas serve as lifelines. Although they may occupy a small fraction of the landscape, these “ribbons of life” support most of the region’s biodiversity.1 However, they are increasingly stressed by drought, changes in climate, and growing water demands. Managing watersheds and aquifers as integrated systems takes advantage of natural processes to ensure that water sources remain resilient for the future. Approximately 94% of the streams in Arizona are intermittent or ephemeral but only a few perennial streams remain.2 However, intermittent and ephemeral streams perform many of the same hydrologic functions as perennial streams: moving water, sediment, nutrients, and debris through the stream network and providing connectivity within the watershed.3

When water from rain or snow soaks into the ground, it becomes groundwater. If the water table is high enough, groundwater can flow into surface-level rivers and streams, either on a permanent or seasonal basis. One of the common metrics for measuring the health of a stream is baseflow, which is the contribution of groundwater to a stream. The groundwater contribution to streamflow is particularly important during the dry and summer months because there is less rain and snowmelt. In periods of low rainfall or excessive ground water pumping, the water table can fall and cease to contribute to streamflow. This can happen even if the pumping occurs far away from the stream. This can result in streams that no longer have running surface water, but conservation strategies that slow runoff and encourage infiltration can raise water tables and increase streamflow.4 Figure 1 shows how stream water seepage contributes to groundwater below the water table. Continue reading.

Resources

Aquifers: underground layers of rock and sediments saturated with water. Cracks and pores in the aquifer allow water to move, usually by gravity, but also by other forces.

Base-flow: the portion of streamflow that is sustained primarily by groundwater discharge, rather than by direct runoff from precipitation or snowmelt

Riparian refers to an ecosystem that depends on a water source and occurs between aquatic and upland environments. Riparian areas have distinct soil and vegetation characteristics.

Upland refers to drier, higher elevation lands that lie beyond flood zones and receive moisture only from rain or snow.  

Perennial describes surface waters that flow naturally year-round. They are usually supported by snowmelt, smaller tributary streams, and groundwater. Perennial stream reaches may be separated by ephemeral or intermittent segments.  Rivers with intermittent and/or ephemeral reaches may be called interrupted or spatially intermittent.

Intermittent streams appear dry during parts of the year. During dry periods, they may still receive groundwater inputs.

Ephemeral streams are streams that flow only in response to rainfall events. 

Arizona Tri-University Recharge and Water Reliability Project (ATUR) summarizes natural water balances in Arizona's groundwater basins and implications of climate change for future in-state water supplies, also provides suitability analyses and digital maps of possible locations for enhanced recharge. Includes management options, processes and tools, partnership options, scientific evidence and data gaps needing further research. https://ccass.arizona.edu/ATUR/final-report

The Arizona Water Protection Fund provides annual funding initiatives for “maintaining, enhancing and restoring river and Riparian resources in Arizona.” As of 2026, AWFP has funded 251 projects across the state and dispersed $50 million in funding for restoration projects ranging from stream channel restoration, Riparian revegetation, non-native vegetation removal, erosion control, and applied research. Projects must be done outside of Active Management Areas. More information can be found at: https://www.azwpf.gov/

Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage Fund Grant sets aside $20 million each year to fund projects for parks, trails, natural areas, historic preservation, and a full range of wildlife conservation activities. Eligible applicants include the federal government or any federal department or agency, Tribes, all departments, agencies, boards and commissions of this state, counties, school districts, cities, towns, all municipal corporations, and any other political subdivisions of Arizona.

EPA Watershed Academy is a set of webinars, educational modules and publications that provides an introduction to watershed management. More information can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/watershedacademy

Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides low cost financing for projects that protect source water for the purpose of serving communities and other water users. CWSRF is available to public, private and NGO entities working with green, grey, surface or groundwater. More information is available at: https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf

ADWR and Arizona General Stream Adjudications this resource page covers the history of the adjudication process and links for water user claimant information, reports, maps, and Tribal water settlements. https://www.azwater.gov/adjudications

Collaborative Watershed Partnerships these resources help with funding and technical assistance for watershed partnerships. More information can be found at:

Beaver Restoration Resources these resources help with decisions about using beavers as a restoration method for riparian and stream areas. 

  1. Megdal, Sharon, et al. “The Forgotten Sector: Arizona Water Law and the Environment.” Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, vol. 1, no. No. 2, 2011, pp. 245–93.
  2. Levick, L., J. Fonseca, D. Goodrich, M. Hernandez, D. Semmens, J. Stromberg, R. Leidy, M. Scianni, D. P. Guertin, M. Tluczek, and W. Kepner.  2008. The Ecological and Hydrological Significance of Ephemeral and Intermittent Streams in the Arid and Semi-arid American Southwest. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and USDA/ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center, EPA/600/R-08/134, ARS/233046, 116 pp.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Swanston, Christopher W., et al. Forest Adaptation Resources: Climate Change Tools and Approaches for Land Managers. 2nd Ed. NRS-GTR-87-2, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 2016, p. NRS-GTR-87-2. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-87-2.
  5. ASU Helps Rural Communities Tackle Local Water Problems | ASU News. 10 June 2025, https://news.asu.edu/20250610-environment-and-sustainability-asu-helps-rural-communities-tackle-local-water-problems
  6. Megdal, Sharon, et al. “The Forgotten Sector: Arizona Water Law and the Environment.” Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, vol. 1, no. No. 2, 2011, pp. 245–93.
  7. Shaw, Douglas W., and Deborah M. Finch. Desired Future Conditions for Southwestern Riparian Ecosystems: Bringing Interests and Concerns Together. RM-GTR-272, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 1996, p. RM-GTR-272. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.2737/RM-GTR-272.
  8. US Fish and Wildlife Service. (2024). Riparian Habitat Classification and Mapping. https://www.fws.gov/program/national-wetlands-inventory/riparian-data 
  9. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. (2026). ADEQ eMaps—Surface Water Protection Program. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3c9e82aad5b4402e9be1ae0b549993…. Accessed via records GIS data request to ADEQ 4/22/2026. Note: includes Surface Water Protection Streams and those that are covered by the Outstanding Waters of Arizona.
  10. ADWR. (2026). Active Management Areas and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas [Map]. Arizona Department of Water Resources. https://www.azwater.gov/ama/active-management-area-overview
  11. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (2013). Streams and Waterbodies in Arizona: The National Hydrography Dataset [Map]. USGS, EPA and USFS. https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/sites/static/files/2014-09/documents/arizona.pdf
  12. US Fish and Wildlife Service. (2026). ECOS: USFWS Threatened & Endangered Species Active Critical Habitat Report [Map]. https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/table/critical-habitat.html. Note: Includes twelve riparian and aquatic habitat obligate species critical habitat: Coccyzus americanus, Empidonax traillii extimus, Gila elegans, Gila intermedia, Lepidomeda vittata, Lilaeopsis schaffneriana var recurva, Meda fulgida, Plagopterus argentissimus, Rana chiricahuensis, Thamnophis rufipunctatus, Xyrauchen texanus, Zapus hudsonius luteus.
  13. US Fish and Wildlife Service. (2017). Critical Habitat Fact Sheet. https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/critical-habitat-fact-sheet.pdf
  14. Shaw, Douglas W., and Deborah M. Finch. Desired Future Conditions for Southwestern Riparian Ecosystems: Bringing Interests and Concerns Together. RM-GTR-272, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 1996, p. RM-GTR-272. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.2737/RM-GTR-272.
  15. Brucker, Carli P., et al. “Wildfires Drive Multi-Year Water Quality Degradation over the Western United States.” Communications Earth & Environment, vol. 6, no. 1, June 2025, p. 489. www.nature.com, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02427-6.
  16. Cooper, Scott D., et al. “Physicochemical and Biological Responses of Streams to Wildfire Severity in Riparian Zones.” Freshwater Biology, vol. 60, no. 12, Dec. 2015, pp. 2600–19. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1111/fwb.12523.
  17. Role of Forests in Watershed Management: Enhancing Water Sustainability – Forestry.Com. https://forestry.com/forestry-management/sustainable-practices/role-of-forests-in-watershed-management-enhancing-water-sustainability/. Accessed 10 May 2026
  18. Center for Agroforestry. “Chapter 5: Upland & Riparian Forest Buffers.” Buffers training manual. University of Missouri, 2024.
  19. Ibid. 
  20. Swanston, Christopher W., et al. Forest Adaptation Resources: Climate Change Tools and Approaches for Land Managers. 2nd Ed. NRS-GTR-87-2, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 2016, p. NRS-GTR-87-2. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-87-2.
  21. Levick, L., J. Fonseca, D. Goodrich, M. Hernandez, D. Semmens, J. Stromberg, R. Leidy, M. Scianni, D. P. Guertin, M. Tluczek, and W. Kepner.  2008. The Ecological and Hydrological Significance of Ephemeral and Intermittent Streams in the Arid and Semi-arid American Southwest. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and USDA/ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center, EPA/600/R-08/134, ARS/233046, 116 pp.
  22. Richter, Brian D., et al. “Buy Me a River: Purchasing Water Rights to Restore River Flows in the Western USA.” JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, vol. 56, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1–15. Wiley Online Library, https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12808.
  23. Ibid. 
  24. “Instream Flow Rights: A Strategy to Protect Arizona's Streams, 1991 Update.” Arizona Memory Project, https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/269565. Accessed 10 May 2026 
  25. Conservation & Irrigation Notices | Arizona Department of Water Resources. https://www.azwater.gov/surface-water/conservation-irrigation-notices. Accessed 10 May 2026.
  26. Arizona Department of Water Resources. (2026). Watershed Partnership Groups in Arizona. https://www.azwater.gov/rural-programs/rural-water-groups
  27. Zeedyk, B. (2009). An Introduction to Induced Meandering: A Method for Restorating Stability to Incised Stream Channels. Earth Works Institute, The Quivira Coalition, Zeedyk Ecological Consulting. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://quiviracoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/An-Introduction-to-Induced-Meandering.pdf. Accessed 5 June 2026.
  28. Simple hand-built structures can help streams survive wildfires and drought, Brianna Randall (March 6, 2021).
  29. George Zaimes, editor. Understanding Arizona’s Riparian Areas. AZ 1432, Arizona Cooperative Extension, Aug. 2007.
  30. Invasive Species In Arizona | Arizona State Parks. http://azstateparks.com/invasive-species. Accessed 5 June 2026.
  31. Quagga Mussels. (2026). Arizona Game & Fish Department. Retrieved June 18, 2026, from https://www.azgfd.com/fishing-2/aquatic-invasive-species/quagga-mussels/
  32. Restoring Rivers by Removing Arundo | Watershed Management Group. https://watershedmg.org/restoring-rivers-removing-arundo. Accessed 10 May 2026.
  33. Randall, B. (2021, March 26). Simple structures can help streams survive wildfires and drought. Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/stream-survival-beaver-dam-simple-structures-wildfires-drought
  34. Ibid.

Table 1: Selected state and federal policies that are relevant to riparian and stream conservation. See Figure 1 for the geographic context  of these regulations.

Name of the ActRelevance to Riparian Conservation
Clean Water Act1 (CWA) - Federal 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972)
  • Passed in 1972 as the primary law governing water allocation and quality.
  • Regulates pollutant discharges, sets quality standards, and maintains biological integrity2
  • Waters of the United States (WOTUS) defines which waters fall under the purview of CWA
Waters of the United States3  (WOTUS)-Federal
  • Threshold term in the CWA to establish geographic scope of federal authority. This includes determining which streams or river meet the legal requirements for federal protection.
  • Definitions have varied over time and undergone through multiple legal challenges (1985, 2001, 2006, 2018 and 2023).
Endangered Species Act (ESA) - Federal 7 U.S.C. §136, 16 U.S.C. § 1531
  • Passed in 1973 as the primary law for protecting endangered wildlife and habitats.
  • Contains a provision for the designation of “critical habitat” that species need for recovery
Surface Water Protection Program (WPP) - Statewide
  • Established in 2021 and effective as of 2023.
  • Regulates surface water use that does not meet the requirements under CWA or WOTUS 
  • Issues designations of Outstanding Arizona Water4 (OAW) for “exceptional recreational or ecological significance or that support threatened or endangered species.” 
  • OAWs must maintain existing water quality
  • Arizona currently has 22 OAWs, 13 are perennial 
  • Federal equivalent under the Outstanding Natural Resource Waters (ONRWs) whereby all states are required to have ONRWs but the designation of specific waters is optional 
  • OAWs in Arizona are managed by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) 

References

  1. US EPA. Summary of the Clean Water Act. Overviews and Factsheets. 22 Feb. 2013, https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act.
  2. Ibid.
  3. US EPA. (2025). Current Implementation of Waters of the United States [Other Policies and Guidance].
  4. Tier 3 Protection: Outstanding Arizona Waters | ADEQ. https://azdeq.gov/OAW. Accessed 10 May 2026.

Low Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR): 

LTPBR is a type of conservation strategy designed to mimic natural processes that support watershed health. Unlike traditional "form-based" restoration, which often uses heavy machinery or concrete to force the shape of a stream, LTPBR focuses on adding roughness to a system so the water can infiltrate into the ground. A secondary benefit of LTPBR is that it requires minimal training and can be “installed” by a small group. As such, LTPBR provides options for landowners who are interested in supporting Riparian areas on their land without external overhead or necessary outside environment.1

  • Check dams can be used to minimize erosion on stream banks. They capture sediment that would otherwise move into stream beds. The sediment collects between the rocks of the dam and naturally conserves moisture, making it attractive for plants. The vegetation stabilizes the soil and attracts additional sediment, resulting in a positive feedback loop that reduces erosion on stream banks.2
  • “Zeedyk” structures function like small rock dams. These structures can halt erosion, capture sediment, and support infiltration into the flood plain.3
  • Rock dams are used to elevate stream beds and control the angle of the bank. There are several different kinds of rock dams that are utilized for varying purposes. One-rock dams are aptly named because they include one row of rock stretching from bank side to bank side. As water flows, the rocks generate turbulence and slow down flow rates.4
  • Gabions are essentially mesh-boxed rock structures that can be placed on stream banks to improve erosion control and bank support.5 

References

  1. Simple hand-built structures can help streams survive wildfires and drought, Brianna Randall (March 6, 2021).
  2. Polyakov, V. O., et al. “Effect of Check Dams on Runoff, Sediment Yield, and Retention on Small Semiarid Watersheds.” Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, vol. 69, no. 5, Sept. 2014, pp. 414–21. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.69.5.414.
  3. Wheaton, Joseph, et al., editors. Low Tech Process Based Restoration of Riverscapes Design Manual. Utah State University Restoration Consortium, Mar. 2019, http://lowtechpbr.restoration.usu.edu/manual.
  4. Zeedyk, B. (2009). An Introduction to Induced Meandering: A Method for Restorating Stability to Incised Stream Channels. Earth Works Institute, The Quivira Coalition, Zeedyk Ecological Consulting. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://quiviracoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/An-Introduction-to-Induced-Meandering.pdf. Accessed 5 June 2026. 
  5. Ibid.