Getting Through Our Long Dry Spell

It's been a weird year. The absence of winter rains combined with record heat has been very rough on our poor plants. How am I supposed to conserve water if I can't harvest rainwater?! In past years I boasted about not using any city water on my landscaping. This year was very humbling. 

Since most of our cisterns have been empty for a while, I was forced to use more city water than I would like to keep my plants alive. I confess that I have even watered our prickly pear when the pads were too emaciated to hold up the flowers.

I've given water to the native chiltepin to perk up the leaves and to the usually resilient rosemary plant that was beginning to yellow. When I saw the signs of leaves finally returning to the hackberry, I gave it some water to help it along. (I try to water them before it gets too hot - or at night - so it doesn't just evaporate.) 

The little bit of rainwater left in one barrel was reserved for my young pollinators and a few garden veggies sheltered by the Palo Verde.

Some native plants faired better in these conditions. I didn't have to water the desert broom, palo verde or mesquite at all. 

Our durable curry was doing so well, I figured that was one place I could cut back on watering. Wrong.  The leaves wilted and yellowed. Lesson learned. I'm back to regular deep watering them with city water.

At least I have greywater, right? Nope. To make matters worse, our washing machine finally died - defying Dan's best efforts to repair it. So, for over a week, we didn't even have greywater for our pomegranate whose leaves were already stunted from the heat. We rushed to the appliance store and bought a new Energy Star washer. We were delighted to get a rebate from the city because it conserves water.... But that meant that it only supplied a gallon or two of greywater for our pomegranate and palm trees. And that water pooled by the entrance of the basin so it didn't even reach the tree.

Then it happened. I used up the last drops of rainwater from our rain barrel.

Now everything was on city water. I just have to keep them alive until monsoon season - in a month?!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse - a miracle occurred! It rained! 1/2 inch! In June?!

Dan was out in the rain clearing leaves from the gutter so every last drop of water could fill up the cisterns. Then he reshaped the greywater basin so the water reached the tree. My hero!

Our thirsty basin soaked in the rain. The spiderwort grew and bloomed. 

The moringa produced more nutritional leaves. 

The mesquite boasts green pods. Didn't I notice them before? Or were they just waiting for the rain? 

So I'm back to spoiling the pollinators and veggies with rainwater while conserving all the city water I can.

I'm usually more of an advocate for rain basins. But this experience has taught me the importance of having more cisterns to harvest rainwater for the plants in those basins. After hearing my story, a friend shared how she still had rain in her biggest cistern. She urged us to install the cistern sitting in the backyard before the monsoon storms arrive to get us through future dry periods. And so I can plant more pollinators! 

OK. Enough belly-aching. Here's some bunnies taking advantage of the moisture by the spiderwort I watered...

It's all worth it to keep my cooling plants alive until the monsoon rain arrives.  

Looking Back at our Weird AZ Staycation

Looks like a lovely forest scene, right? And it is. But what you can't see in this pic is that the large ravine flows unconcerned to the foundation of the house next-door - our accommodations for the Flagstaff portion of our family vacation. They could use some serious rock dams to stop the flow! And it appears that all of these McMansions were being built as AirBNBs when there is a housing shortage here. Sometimes a little knowledge can be kind of a bummer - especially during a long awaited family vacation.

While in Flagstaff, we visited the historic Riordan Mansion. Unlike the McMansions mentioned above, this mansion was built to last. In addition to having all the modern conveniences of the time (the first to have electricity), they created a comfy living space in American Arts and Crafts style. A large hall filled with every kind of amusement imaginable, connected the two residences (like a duplex) providing a welcoming space for the two sides of the Riordan clan to enjoy time together. Yes, it's good to be rich. But what really impressed me were the stories of how the family took that responsibility even farther by  helping to build the new town.  

Before this story gets weird, I want to say that we so appreciated the time we got to spend with our beloved family that traveled to our state from Wisconsin and Missouri. I will cherish those moments forever. Thanks to my dear sister for including us.

While we were touring the Riordan Mansion with my mom, other family members took off to explore the Grand Canyon or Sedona. Then we headed to Chandler. (The Wisconsin clan wanted to get away from the cold...) The record heat discouraged a kayak trip down the Salt River. Instead the kids spent the day swimming in a pool right beside the man-made lake.

Here's where it gets weird... apparently this is a thing in Chandler. Even my son commented on it. As we drove down the main drive, we passed development after development - each with its own private lake. Have they heard about our water shortage in Arizona? It turns out that Chandler has grandfathered water rights from the time when the area was farm land. So they are using that allotment to water lawns and private golf courses and fill swimming pools and lakes. 

There have been several bills proposed at the Arizona Legislature (including the current SB1611) that allow farmers to sell their land along with grandfathered water rights for development. Sponsors claim that housing requires less water than agriculture. At least farmers can choose to plant low-water crops... If our reps are going to pass this bill, they really need to make sure they include conservation measures to prevent water waste like we saw in Chandler.

*See UPDATE on SB1611 below.

We passed this one farm in Chandler 

Our legislators claim to care about the housing crisis in Arizona. But aren't they really just giving us more McMansions and seasonal water wasters? Not to mention... the housing shortage in the U.S. is about equal to the number of air BNBs. Yep, a little knowledge can dampen a vacation. 

Well, it's good to be back home in Tucson - where, at least, we know how to conserve water. 

If you would like to push back against bad bills that weaken our already lax water regulations, check out Desktop Activist Tucson. 

*UPDATE (June 21, 2025)

SB1611 physical availability exemption credit; groundwater (Shope: Petersen), also known as the ag to urban bill because it promotes development on agricultural lands, was significantly improved and could result in some groundwater savings. For example, the revised bill sets limits on how much water a development can withdraw based on a groundwater threshold and it limits the use of water-thirsty landscaping and decorative features like lakes and waterfalls. We remain concerned about the bill promoting more urban sprawl rather than encouraging more sustainable development and that it significantly increases the replenishment obligation of the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD). The CAGRD was designed to utilize excess Central Arizona Project (CAP) water, but there is no excess CAP water any longer, so what will be used for replenishment? It also reduces the replenishment reserve requirement for the CAGRD. Additionally, there appear to be some potential loopholes in the 36 page long bill. 

Adventures in Spring Planting

Neighbors exchanging plants and knowledge at Garden District Plant Swap

I love Spring in Tucson. It's that time of year for plant sales and neighborhood plant exchanges. Fun!

Iskashitaa Plant Sale

Every year, I look forward to learning from fellow gardeners and discovering new drought tolerant plants - especially pretty pollinator plants for my rain garden. (Which, admittedly, has been looking pretty stark from the long stretch with so little rain.) Hand watering the new plants gives me an excuse to get out in my yard every morning to mingle with the birds and bunnies. 

While watering my new plants, I spotted this hummingbird!

It can be a challenge to find plants that will survive the harsh drought conditions (especially bad this year) and that won't be devoured by the critters. While I try to get growing conditions from the sellers, it is somewhat trial and error. Not so sustainable, I know. At least I am still able to use rainwater from one of our cisterns. 

This year I got some spiderwort and Arizona Foldwing at the Tucson Organic Gardeners Spring Plant Fair. From what I gleaned from growers, they should be drought tolerant. A quick google search confirmed that. But I also discovered that spiderwort would have preferred sandy soil. At least our basin drains well. 

While I was excited about my new plants; it wasn't particularly good timing. We were heading off on a short family vacation the day after I planted them. I took photos of the new arrivals so my friend Catherine could locate them to water them while we were away. She even brought rainwater from her own cistern! Thanks, Catherine! 

After a couple weeks, the Arizona Foldwing is doing great. Despite the unseasonably hot weather, it has grown several purple flowers! The google search confirmed, The Arizona Foldwing (Dicliptera Resupinata) thrives in full to partial sun conditions, with better performance and blooming in full sun, but it can also tolerate part shade.

I also purchased some dwarf tomato plants (to fit under the bird cage) in my backyard garden. Since we were locking the gate while we were away, we planted them around a tubular olla to keep them watered. 

Here they are with the bird cage to protect them from our resident squirrels. 

Note: they are currently thriving in that spot with daily watering. 

We heard from the growers that Spring is a good time to plant herbs. So we got some mint, basil, and thyme. While everyone says that mint will take over, that hasn't been our experience. For some reason, we can't keep it alive in our backyard. So here it goes in our toilet planter. 

In the past we have had good success planting basil under the birdcage in the shade of the palo verde tree. And the marjoram starter we got at a previous plant sale is thriving in this blue pot - even in this record heat. The high was 91 degrees yesterday! It burned my feet! 

 

Meanwhile, at the high end of our shallow basin...The agaves and aloe that I got from a plant swap, aren't loving our extreme weather - low of 40 degrees and recent highs of 95. The aloe should have never been planted in direct sun. Lesson learned: google before planting. 

 And, yes, it is past time to get some new mulch in the basin. "Chop & Drop" and "Leave the Leaves" (that the ants gathered up) isn't cutting it in this hot weather. 

And before y'all tell me to water those poor agaves, keep in mind that they have been suffering since the cold snap and Master Gardeners recommend that you don't water them during that time because cells will freeze.  (I am watering it now.)  

I don't want to give the impression that nothing survives in our basin. Here are some plants that I got at previous plant sales that have thrived despite record heat with very little water.

The Texas Ranger has hardly been watered at all and it is currently in bloom. 

But pull back to check out the prickly pear cactus. It was looking so wrinkled and droopy a week ago, that I finally gave it 3 watering cans of water. That gave it the strength to hold up those pads that are currently budding! 

The rosemary was looking a little crispy from the extended summer. So far I have given it a total of 3 watering cans of water.  

Even the native chiltepin needed some help to leaf out during this extreme weather. It got about five watering cans full.  Hoping to get some yummy chiltepin chilies this year. 

I was worried about the young ocotillo I got from Borderlands Nursery last year. But it has finally started to grow some leaves! 

Here's the real hero! The jujube that hasn't gotten any extra water besides what it gets from the basin, is budding nicely. 

 

So... I'm glad to say that the new plants in my yard are hanging in there during this extreme heat - with a little help from the rainwater that is still left in our biggest cistern. I won't lie; it's been a tough year. And the most important lesson I learned was to make sure I look up the best location for each plant to give them the best chance at survival. 

More information about our rain basins during happier times:

"Love my rain basin!" 

#lovemyrainbasin

Art and Science Flow Together on Tanque Verde Creek

I spent a lovely spring morning immersed in nature, creating land art at the Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative Spring Forum in the dry Tanque Verde Creek. 

After morning introductions and a special water blessing by Chairman Nunez of the San Xavier District of the Tohono O'odham nation, forum participants (from various city and county departments and environmental organizations) broke into two groups: those participating in the riparian health assessment and those of us who wanted to play! That is, participate in a land art workshop. 

So the citizen scientists set off...

The first thing our teacher, Kimi Eisele, did was reassure us that whether our not we identified as artists, we WERE all artists.

"There is a long history of land art in which artists (usually male) make giant, permanent works that alter the landscape or our perception of it. Many of these works are successful at helping us see aspects of the environment different," Kimi shared. "I think another land art can be any kind of play or 'making' in a landscape—with words, movement, sculpture, drawing. Such practices are, to me, a conversation with the landscape and a collaboration with Mama Earth, the greatest artist of all! Any 'works' made in the landscape can be large or small and are usually temporary, as are the processes of nature."

Photo credit: Joaquin Murrieta Saldivar

"At Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative’s spring forum, my goal was to invite participants into an improvisational conversation with the Tanque Verde creek bed, to notice patterns, lines, shapes, textures, and colors and respond in an active, creative way."

Our exploration in land art began with observing nature by gathering three objects that caught our eye in the dry river bed. We learned to see them in a new way by arranging them and other objects on black paper. 

We set off to explore, play and create "works" in the landscape large or small. I was blown away by the variety, creativity and thought that went into those works. 

Mead Mier, co-lead of the SCWC collaborative, captured the moment, "I loved Kimi Eisele’s Land Art activity because it was a full sensory way to connect with Tanque Verde Creek and deepen my observations. I asked to team up with my friend and colleague Kimberly Baeza from Pima County when I saw her grabbing branches from a flood debris pile and she said they were just asking to be held back up again."

When the citizen scientists returned, they were invited on a tour of the "exhibit" where each of the artists shared the inspiration and meaning of their pieces. 

"We were thinking... we wouldn't plan it all out strictly but adapt to where each piece was needed as we went. Some pieces were structural, others were back-up support, and others were the beauty that can be added on top of every step. I was compelled to add a medical herb that was one of the only lush understory around. Other plant fibers became functional by being warning flags on the branches that stuck out, beautiful colorful and textural chandelier-like components, and simultaneously symbolic of the love, time, and care we put into projects," explained Mead. 

A flowerlike sculpture that was about how personal growth ripples out to affect others. 

Some pieces were interpretations of the river.

Lisa Townsend was inspired by the structures called "bowers" that male bowerbirds construct to attract females.

This piece provided a cozy place for participants to lay down and gaze at nature's art above them - becoming part of the art. 

Another piece invited participants to become part of the art by laying down to look through the Y-shaped branches that directed the view toward the trees. 

After the tour, we all gathered together to witness plein air painting and enjoy storytelling by Pascua Yaqui artist and Tribal Liaison with Pima County Public Health Department, Marcelino Clemente Flores.

While Marcelino continued to paint, Tucson Water Director John Kmiec, discussed their Recycled Water Project.

I was really impressed how the organizers blended art and science for a memorable experience with place - inspiring us to work together to find innovative solutions for Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative projects. Thanks to all the artists and citizen scientists for their contribution. 

----

Kimi Eisele is a writer, multidisciplinary artist, and folklorist in Tucson, Arizona. Her work seeks to illuminate connections among humans, plants, non-human animals, and landscapes. She is the author of The Lightest Object in the Universe (Algonquin Books, 2019), and her writing has appeared in Guernica, Longreads, Orion, High Country News, Terrain, and others. She is of BorderLore, the online publication of the Southwest Folklife Alliance, where she works as a folklorist, documenting expressive culture and curating public programs honoring diverse cosmologies, occupations, and cultural practices. Her upcoming project, Landing Place, in collaboration with Maxie Adler, amplifies plant and animal species in the heritage stretch of the Santa Cruz River and will be installed May 10, Santa Cruz River Day.

kimieisele.com

Information on the Advanced Water Purification System: 

https://arizona.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=cac6f09e-6808-46b0-9be2-b2bc01588600&start=0