In recent
history, the Tres
Rios area has felt
the impact of an
expanding human
population. The
population of the
Phoenix metropolitan
area is
approximately 3.1
million people and
is expected to grow
to 3.7 million by
2010. The project
area has lost
wetlands and a
portion has been
used for a landfill.
The City of
Phoenix and the U.S.
Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE)
are cost-sharing
partners on the
multi-purpose Tres
Rios Ecosystem
Restoration project,
which focuses on a
seven-mile stretch
of the Salt and Gila
Rivers west of the
Phoenix metropolitan
area. The goals of
the project include
restoration of
native riparian
habitat, water
quality improvement,
flood damage
reduction,
recreational
expansion, cultural
resource
preservation, and
environmental
education. Under the
Urban Rivers
Restoration Pilot,
which features
expanded
partnerships, Tres
Rios work also is
focusing on the
characterization and
possible pollution
mitigation and
remediation of the
123rd Avenue
Landfill (closed),
located within the
Gila Riverbed and
the Tres Rios
Project
boundaries.—Source:
EPA and USACE joint
Preconstruction
Communiqué
Archer Western
is the general
contractor for the
project and it has
hired NRI to perform
plant salvage and
wetland installation
and monitoring.
Patty Cascio, NRI’s
Environmental Team
Director, states,
“this is the largest
wetland installation
project we have ever
been awarded”.
June 2009, a
daunting task has
started at the Tres
Rios Habitat
Restoration Project
where NRI has begun
planting the first
of 600,000 wetland
plants. The first
phase of planting
should be finished
in July. The next
phase of planting is
expected to begin in
the Spring of 2010.
It is expected that
the project will
have the same result
as the
Rio Salado project
that NRI worked on
which resulted in a
wide variety of
animal life
migrating to the Rio
Salado restored
wetland habitat
area. This project
is the largest
wetland project
currently underway
in Arizona.
Tres Rios
Ecosystem
Restoration
Picture Gallery
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Tres
Rios Ecosystem
Restoration Project
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