Some people say (and want you to believe!) that taking water out of the Gila River and storing it for future use will destroy the river and its ecology.
On the contrary, those who want to save a tiny percentage of the floodwaters, are trying to save the Gila River, its wildlife, including fish and birds, and its riparian areas, as well as its human uses.
Water that is stored, whether underground in the alluvial aquifer or in small storage ponds or reservoirs, can be used in the future to put water into a river that most summers runs dry in many reaches.
The residents of the Gila Valley, through too many recent years of drought, say they have watched the huge cottonwoods that are part of the ecology of the river, die from lack of water to their roots. Then, when the floods do arrive, and they always do, the dead trees are uprooted, tossed and turned, and do more damage to the ecology than the storage and release of water for the benefit of the river and its inhabitants, avian, piscine, reptilian or mammalian, might do.
Trees that receive regular water to their roots may die of old age, but healthy roots can remain, holding the large tree upright, if they have a reliable supply of water. The trees not only enhance the beauty of the area, but provide their benefits to every resident, human or not, such as nests for the birds. Shade in our hot summers, anyone?
Don't forget the human equation in use of this water. Generations of present-day inhabitants derive their livelihoods from the river. These hardy souls and their predecessors are not the type to take government handouts. They work hard and long to sustain themselves and their families. Many years, it's a stretch to say they are making a living. Just ask them. But what would the rancher's cattle eat without them? What would we eat without the farmers and their crops?
And don't forget the animals, birds and fish that depend on the river. Yes, birds can fly to where there is water, and mammals and reptiles, small and large, can walk, run or slither to other water sources.
What about the fish? They can only swim in water to perhaps a deeper pool. But, if a particular fish happens to be in a spot where the river dries up, unless there is a tiny pond, it dies.
Yes, there are endangered species in and near the river. But you won't find them in the dry reaches. They have fled, if they could, to areas where they will find life-giving water.
Some want you to believe that if the river does not flood, the ecology will be ruined.
The percentage of water that can be taken from a 20,000 acre-foot flood is 0.0175 percent. If you compare that to the 30 gallons that fill an average bathtub, the amount of water taken out would be just a bit over a half gallon—67.2 ounces. The bathtub ring will still be there, and the floods will still reach the extents of the floodplains.
A Gila River that runs year-round will benefit all. Visitors to the area will more likely visit the river and enjoy its benefits, such as birdwatching, hiking or fishing, if water is in the river.
No one wants to see a dry river, least of all those who are trying to save the Gila River.