Arizona's Gila: once mighty river now a meandering stream

The Gila River at Winkelman, Arizona

You’d never guess it by looking at it today, but the Gila River was once one of Arizona’s greatest rivers. Today it’s a shadow of its former self.

Once upon a time, however, water flowed so plentiful through it, the Hohokams, a tribe in southcentral Arizona, diverted its waters to create the world’s most advanced irrigation system in the Third Century B.C. near what is now Coolidge, Arizona.

The Hohokams began abandoning their settlement sometime in the early 1500s. By 1550 no one was left. No one knows the real reason why they left, but there is some speculation the Gila began drying up and could no longer support their irrigation systems. Remains of the irrigation canals can be seen at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument at Coolidge.

Remains of the Hohokams' irrigation system

Today, it’s a meandering stream as it winds its way through the mountains along Highway 77 in Arizona.  It grows shallow underneath the hot Arizona sun, and sometimes completely dries up in this area. When it’s like this, it’s hard to imagine, that at 640miles long, it’s one of the longest rivers in the western United States. The river starts in New Mexico, winds its way down Arizona where, what’s left of it, empties into the Colorado River near Yuma.

Much of its route is through wilderness area that is rich in wildlife such as elk, bighorn sheep and black bears. It also is a good place to see birds such as wild turkeys and grouse.