Brawley Wash
Brawley Wash, joined by the Black Wash on the Southwest Side, connects to the Santa Cruz River north of Marana in Pinal County.
Big Wash, Cañada del Oro and Sutherland Wash
Big Wash, Cañada del Oro Wash and Sutherland Wash, flowing from the western foothills of the Santa Catalinas, join near North Oracle Road, south of Tangerine Road, and flow as the Cañada del Oro into the Santa Cruz River west of Interstate 10 between Ina and Orange Grove roads.
The Rillito River
The Rillito is the big river flowing from the southern slope of the Catalinas and the western slope of the Rincons westward to the Santa Cruz River just south of Orange Grove Road. Ventana Canyon Wash, Tanque Verde Creek and Sabino Creek are major tributaries.
People are also reading…
Smaller tributaries
There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of other washes in urban and suburban Tucson that connect the lowlands with the uplands and serve as wildlife corridors.
Water movement
● During storms, water that isn't absorbed into the ground runs from the mountains and into washes that cover the valley, eventually emptying into the Santa Cruz.
Wash critters
● Washes are vital habitat for animals and plants that make the Sonoran Desert distinctive.
Rabbits
Coyotes
Bobcats
Javelinas
Foliage
