The Cienega Watershed Partnership is a nonprofit that connects environmental groups, researchers, government entities, residents and business owners seeking to protect the vibrant ecosystem of the Cienega Watershed, an ecosystem and wildlife corridor in southeastern Arizona. Comprised mostly of federal- and state-owned land, the watershed is home to wetlands, forests, grasslands and one of the only creeks in the state that flows year-round and hasn’t been invaded by non-native fish. However, the region is under threat, experiencing climate-induced droughts, increased groundwater pumping due to surrounding industry, and an influx of invasive species, such as the American bullfrog. To combat this, the Cienega Watershed Partnership releases an annual State of the Watershed report collating data gathered by partners on more than a dozen key indicators, such as precipitation, temperature, groundwater level, water quality, wildlife population (fish, frogs, pronghorn) and vegetation volume.
The Cienega Watershed Partnership encourages the reintroduction of native species, such as the pronghorn (American antelope), to the region. Photo: Cienega Watershed Partnership
Established in 2005, the organization has no employees or physical office, relying on a network of volunteers and specialists from its partner institutions. Education and historic preservation are important goals of the Cienega Watershed Partnership, which hosts twice-annual “Connecting to the Land” workshops for the public to learn more about the region’s biodiversity. The organization offers various resources on its website, such as an oral history archive, a curriculum for students and a self-guided driving tour itinerary with visual and audio components. The Cienega Watershed Partnership also advocates for recreational infrastructure, building trails for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians and connecting them to the 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail that stretches from the state’s border with Utah to its border with Mexico. It is currently working to build a new recreational trail that would connect the communities of Sonoita and Elgin to the Arizona Trail and other trails.
The Cienega Watershed Partnership meets with federal, state and local government agencies and nonprofits to discuss the annual State of the Watershed report ahead of the Bureau of Land Management’s biological planning process. Photo: Cienega Watershed Partnership