So the Sweetwater Wetlands were actually constructed in 1997.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
wanted Tucson Water to come up with
an environmentally friendly way to treat our process
backwash water at the reclaimed plant.
My experience with the wetlands occurred
when I began working for Tucson Water.
I was a hydrologist.
I loved the idea of it providing treatment for the utility
for a water that could be reused
and stored back in the aquifer, but at the same time
creating this incredible nature preserve.
It's just a very cool place to be.
Once it was built in 1997, we have had it open
through daylight hours for the public to enjoy.
I like that it's just something
quite different than any other place
that you visit in town, especially.
Yeah.
And any place you can find water. Yeah.
That's what I love about this place is
it still brings a bit of a respite from.
From the desert heat.
Do you feel that breeze?
That's beautiful.
Just looking at that, that grass swaying in
the wind is gorgeous.
I'd say we come here
about two times a week, mostly in the morning to walk around.
It's so beautiful and the birds are just amazing.
It's like a little sanctuary in the middle of the city.
Yeah, it feels like you're not in Tucson at all.
It feels like you're in a totally different place.
And the sound like you're like, even when you're walking in,
you can hear the traffic.
And once you get in there, all you hear is the birds.
[birds chirping]
So the sweet water wetland kind of mimics
how the Santa Cruz originally looked as it was flowing
through the city of Tucson over the millennia.
So a lot of the vegetation you see here is common
to those riparian habitats.
All the species that you do see here
at the Sweetwater Wetlands are native
to this part of the desert.
I've seen Bobcat here a couple times.
I've seen rattlesnakes.
And I think the best one was when she just
was walking down the trail, you saw her coming.
So she was within five feet and she just walked right on by.
I don't even think she looked at me.
She just did not care.
As soon as it was created
and as soon as we added water to this feature.
back in 1997, life took off in the form of plants,
but also in the form of migrating birds.
The birds that fly throughout North America and in regionally
here started to find this location.
When you have that migration periods,
especially in the spring and the fall
or after monsoons,
then you're getting a lot of different species
coming through here.
So the migratory birds,
they know where the good places are and they know
here is a really great place to stopover.
This has quickly become a unique spot with the Audubon Society
and it's not uncommon to see people here
from around the world who are interested in birding
because you can see hundreds of different species of birds
in this very small 22 acre park.
From Buffalo, New York.
I was looking for someplace to do some birding.
Found this place.
It's beautiful.
See some wildlife and hopefully some good shots
and good video.
The Wetlands was the base
for inspiring these other riparian creations
that Tucson Water has started in recent years.
By putting water back into the Santa Cruz,
we're bringing these riparian habitats
back to life throughout the region.
For many people, they don't know the Sweetwater wetlands exist.
And this is in the heart of Tucson.
I think they'll be amazed at what the city has here.