A river runs through Flagstaff, though many might not know it’s there. The Rio de Flag travels from headwaters on the San Francisco Peaks north of town, all the way into a tributary of the Little Colorado River on the far east side.
Mostly it’s an ephemeral stream, flowing only when there’s snowmelt, monsoon rains, or reclaimed water from treatment plants.
The nonprofit group Friends of the Rio de Flag has worked to raise awareness of the river. One of their latest efforts is a self-guiding app that goes deeply into the natural and human history of this unique stream.
The app can be accessed by QR code or website, and viewed on phone, computer, or tablet. Users can click on a specific point and find information, and in many cases an accompanying photo taken by Flagstaff photographer Tom Bean.
The app was the brainchild of biologist Paul Beier. New points of interest are still being added, and he says the aim is to reach about 200 in total.
The tour begins at Leroux Springs, where the Rio first emerges on the side of the Peaks. The water was piped to farms for most of the last century, but a decade ago the piping was removed and the headwater springs now flow freely. It’s the first of many places where the Rio has been altered over the past century.
The app shows the stream course through downtown, the eastward turn through Picture Canyon, and the confluence with San Francisco Wash. Along the way, explorers can learn fascinating Flagstaff history, find wild grapes, see an ancient petroglyph panel, and much more.
More information on the Friends of the Rio De Flag website.
This Earth Note was written by Rose Houk and produced by KNAU and the Sustainable Communities Program at Northern Arizona University.
