Arroyos by Rex Funk Background and Problems Albuquerque is a unique place in many ways. One contributing element is the natural drainage system of arroyos. These arroyos carry runoff from the Sandias and West Mesa to the Rio Grande and are dry most of the year. They flow most heavily in the summer when the warm, moist, tropical air masses from southern California and the Gulf of Mexico collide over the Sandias. Originally these arroyos meandered freely across the land responding to the volume and velocity of storm water runoff, thereby creating large flood plains and alluvial fans.
Natural arroyos are rich in plant life due to the soil moisture that remains after runoff events.
Dense growths of chamisa, Apache plume, skunkbush, and even a few cattails line arroyo channels. Herbs and grasses often are quite healthy along these channels also. The abundant vegetation attracts a concentration of native wildlife in search of food and shelter. Herbivores like the jackrabbit, cottontail, rock squirrel, white-tailed antelope, ground squirrel, pocket gopher, flocks of sparrows, towhees, and other birds flock to natural arroyos. Predators like the coyote, badger, hawk, owl, roadrunner, and a variety of snakes and lizards also frequent natural arroyos.