Last updated: November 2024
For thousands of years the Rio Salado, also known as the Salt River, and its larger mainstem, the Gila River, served as an important perennial source of life and growth for indigenous people residing in central Arizona, including the Akimel and Piipaash (3). Today, the Salt River is an ephemeral river corridor connecting diverse urban communities across an expansive and growing Maricopa County (3). While the river is now typically defined by intermittent flow as a function of water conservation and distribution in an arid urban climate, it also has powerful flows during the Arizona monsoon season providing a diverse and unique ecosystem for the region (3). To foster the health of the River, a regional multi-decade project was initiated in 2018 called Rio Reimagined, which includes six cities and two tribal communities (1). Rio Reimagined is a planning initiative in a very early concept stage, centered around the mission to support and enhance this treasured river corridor (3). The goals of Rio Reimagined consist of connecting communities, Equitable & Sustainable Development, and Restoring and Revitalizing Healthy Rivers (3). As part of the Rio Reimagined, the City of Phoenix founded a collaborative project called Rio PHX that will help promote a 20-mile Rio Salado (Salt River) corridor as a local and regional destination that attracts positive investment for the benefit of existing/future businesses, residents, and tourists (1). The final aim with this project is to improve health outcomes for existing and future residents by address outstanding needs in the area and create opportunities for housing, employment, recreation, art, and ecological restoration (1). From May 2024 to May 2025 Rio PHX will engage in creating a community profile, an existing conditions assessment, community engagement & visioning, developing implementation strategies and drafting the master plan (1). Public hearings and final plan adoption are set to take place in fall 2025 (1).
Rio
https://www.phoenix.gov/pdd/riophx
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Improving physical health
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Environmental education
- Sense of community and community engagement
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Tourism support
- Employment/job creation
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Economic losses due to disasters and environmental degradation
- Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Inadequate access to recreational opportunities
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, River rehabilitation/ restoration, Restoration of riparian vegetation, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans, Community-based programs (e.g. "Green Your Laneway Program"), Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities
Project objectives
The goals of Rio PHX as part of the larger Rio Reimagined Project are to:
1. Address outstanding needs in the area and create opportunities for housing, employment, recreation, art, and ecological restoration (1).
2. Improve health outcomes for existing and future residents (1).
3. Champion the transformation of the Salt river, redefining the evolving relationship with water and reconnecting our communities to one another and the environment (3).
4. Cultivate public spaces that unite Phoenix, enrich people’s lives through access to open space and recreation, create opportunities for education, and promote diverse programming to inspire support for a healthy river ecosystem (3).
5. Inspire and unite businesses and non-profits in the engagement of thoughtful and sustainable economic, recreational, and equitable development along the river (3).
6. Unite and inspire the community in the protection, preservation, and revitalization of the Salt Rivers unique and precious habitat (3).
7. Reignite a long-term effort of thoughtful restoration and a reimagining focused on cultural and physical history, revived riparian ecology, and the support of vast biodiversity (3).
Implementation activities
As part of the larger regional Rio Reimagined project, Rio PHX has engaged in a variety of activities including:
In 2024, the collaborative Rio Reimagined initiative was established to revitalize the 20-mile Rio Salado corridor across Phoenix and realize a unified vision for the area (1). The project has been structured into four phases, with clear boundaries defined for the initial phase (1). A step-by-step timeline guides this first phase: Step 1, "Who We Are," Step 2, "What We Want," Step 3, "How We Get There," and Step 4, "Public Hearing and Final Adoption" (1).
The planning process actively includes various property and business owners, alongside community stakeholders, to ensure diverse representation and input (1). To support sustainable development, an approved native plant list was published for use in areas near the Rio Salado (5). Additionally, a comprehensive Rio Reimagined Visual Guide was released, which outlines standards for building and site design, as well as guidelines for fencing and landscaping, to be incorporated into all future development proposals (6).
The project officially launched with initial activities, including an Existing Conditions Assessment and extensive Public Outreach and Visioning efforts, setting the groundwork for this transformative urban renewal (2).
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Riverfront communities, Urban heat islands, Minority or marginalized ethnic groups
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore native species
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
-Local government: The city of Phoenix initiated and is leading the Rio PHX project (1-2).
-Regional government: The state of Arizona is a large stakeholder in the larger Rio Reimagined project and includes six cities and two tribal communities. (3-4).
-Citizens or community groups: In the first phase of Rio PHX the city placed significant emphasis on community engagement in the planning and design of the project (1).
-Private sector: Rio PHX is aimed at creating benefits for existing/future businesses and consulted local businesses during the design process (1).
-Non-governmental organisation (NGO): non-profit and community-based organizations will be incorporated as stakeholders in the project (4).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Rio PHX is a local strategy to transform the 20-mile Rio Salado Corridor (Phoenix segment) as a defining feature that enriches the history, culture, and natural beauty while fostering vibrant, walkable communities along and beyond its banks and builds upon other existing infrastructure investments in the area (2). )
Type of enablers
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Expected enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
- Expected stimulate development in deprived areas
- Attraction of business and investment
- Expected attraction of business and investment
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Expected improved social cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Expected improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Expected increased support for education and scientific research
- Safety
- Increased perception of safety
- Expected increased perception of safety
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
City of Phoenix (2024). RIO PHX. [Source link];
2.
City of Phoenix (n.d.). Project Overview. [Source link];
3.
Rio Reimagined (n.d.). ABOUT RIO REIMAGINED. [Source link];
4.
Rio Reimagined (n.d.). RIO REIMAGINED REGIONAL VISION PLANNING PROCESS UPDATES. [Source link];
5.
City of Phoenix (n.d.). APPROVED PLANTS AND TOP DRESSING APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT TO THE RIO SALADO. [Source link];
6.
City of Phoenix (n.d.). Rio Reimagined Visual Guide. [Source link];
7.
Maricopa Association of Governments (n.d.). Phoenix Demographics . [Source link];
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.