Arizona Illustrated

An Unnatural River: Two wastewater treatment facilities in Tucson feed treated effluent to the Santa Cruz River fostering abundant native vegetation and wildlife along with new recreational and economic opportunities. One hundred percent of the water flow in the lower Santa Cruz comes from recycled water during non-rainy times. Researchers at the University of Arizona sought to discover how varied water use in the city impacted water flows and how those flows impacted the diversity of aquatic insects in the river. What they discovered revealed a great deal about the health of the river and the growing number of species who call it home. William Curly and Annie Neal: In the 1890s, the Neal family was one of the wealthiest self-made families in the Tucson area. No small feat considering the Neals were Black in a place where less than one-half of 1% of the people were Black or were of mixed-race with African and European, or Native American ancestry. William "Curly" and Annie Neal opened the Mountain View Hotel in Oracle in 1895. It was a luxury resort for people with tuberculosis and a respite for Tucsonans looking to escape the summer heat. Guests included celebrities, prominent business owners, and foreign dignitaries. Newspapers heralded the Neal’s business endeavors. This is their story.