TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — With water levels in Lake Mead and the Colorado River at record lows, a group at Pueblo High School is looking at harnessing the power of rain water. Earlier this month, Pueblo High School's garden club created a rain garden.
According toCentral Arizona Project, the Colorado River Basin is experiencing a Tier One water shortage this year, which means a substantial cut to Arizona's share of the river's water supply.
The rain garden is a collection of basins located on a piece of land behind the school's stadium. The garden club leader and science teacher Nicolas Pitts said the students learned not only about equations and science, but how to create a better environment.
"We noticed a big depression here full of water," he said. "And we realized we could possibly turn this into a rain garden.”
With the help ofArizona Project WET and Watershed Management Group, the team dug basins in the ground and then planted desert plants inside the basins. Then, rain water will collect in the basins to help grow the plants and waste less water.
Holly Thomas-Hillburn with Arizona Project WET said this will also help deal with flooding, especially during monsoon season.
"We’re planting the water, we’re dealing with flooding by putting the water where we want it — into the ground to feed our plants,” she said. "It’s about building community resilience to climate change and here in Tucson the two biggest risks for climate change are drought and heat.”
She said there's also ways for people to create rain gardens at their own homes, just like the students at Pueblo High School. The resources and directions for creating a rain garden can be found here.
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Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
