A small portion of the Water Ranch is occupied by well-tended, "showcase" features, such as this artificial stream, at right. There is a rather lavish cactus garden, complete with Saguaro cactus and prickly pear cactus, clean and modern restroom facilities, as well as well-tended lawns and even a "dinosaur digging" area for youngsters who are interested in learning more about dinosaurs!

If you visit the Gilbert Water Ranch for photographing birds, be sure to check the cactus garden regularly during the months of April and May. Many local birds such as Gila Woodpeckers, European Starlings, and Curved-bill Thrashers nest in cavities carved into the Saguaro cacti. Opportunities are readily available to watch nesting birds from courting to egg laying to fledging the young.

However, the bulk of the Water Ranch is occupied with holding ponds, such as the one, a tleft. These ponds hold wastewater that has been treated by the Town of Gilbert. The cleaned wastewater is allowed to percolate back into the ground water reserves or it may be pumped out of the ponds to keep local golf course ponds filled during the summer months. Gilbert has resolved to recycle 100% of the wastewater the city produces!

Not all of the ponds hold water at the same time. Ponds are filled at different times, drained, and vegetation (mostly grasses and weeds) is allowed to grow in the pond basins. Sometimes the ponds are partially refilled to allow waterfowl to graze on the newly sprouted weeds; other times the grasses and weeds are plowed under to provide a nutrient base when the pond is next filled.

My lovely wife, "Multipurpose Marsh(a)", highlighting one of the many interpretive signs found along the trails.

The berms between the seven ponds act as the walkways through the Water Ranch. The berms are heavily planted with different types of riparian plants representing the major types of riparian habitats found in Arizona. The walkways have interpretive signs along the paths that explain the roles of the various elements of the riparian habitat. The plants are planted in such a manner as to afford each pond a great degree of privacy against the intrusions of city life. With such a high degree of diverse plant species there results a high degree of animal diversity. The area is literally teaming with birdlife year round. The ponds really come into their own, however, with the fall and spring migrations of waterfowl and shorebirds.

A few words of caution: If you plan on visiting the Gilbert Water Ranch during the hot months of the year, carry plenty of water with you. The desert heat can rapidly dehydrate a person. There is a ranger shack situated nearly in the center of the ranch that has both flush toilets and drinking fountains. Do not rely on the ranger shack as your only source of drinking water. Although situated centrally to the ponds, a person can become rapidly dehydrated in the desert heat and may suffer serious dehydration symptoms before reaching the ranger shack. Take lots of water, drink often, and use the ranger shack to supplement and replenish the water you carry with you.

The Town of Gilbert is to be applauded for having the foresight to create and develop such a wonderful public resource. It is rare, even in our desert environment, to find a municipality so aware of the need to conserve, and utilize to the fullest, such a precious commodity as water. My hat's off to the Town of Gilbert!