In the early 1990s, a study of the Tanque Verde Creek by Dr. Julie Stromberg and others described the relationship between the depth to groundwater and the health of the mesquite woodland habitat in the area. This report revisits the Stromberg study to describe variations in groundwater levels since the report was completed early last decade. They identified around 3,000 acres of riparian vegetation in the Tanque Verde-Agua Caliente shallow groundwater zone.

Elements of the comprehensive plan now include planning for water resources that must address the currently available surface water, groundwater, and effluent supplies and provide an analysis of how the future growth projected in the county plan will be adequately served by the legally and physically available water supply. This is the first study to be issued as part of the Water Resources Element and identifies a number of measures that can be taken to conserve water, including measures that can be taken by Pima County in the form of ordinance adoption.