An Analysis of Human Settlement Impacts on Riparian Areas in the Beaver Creek Watershed in North Central Arizona

The presence of water in a semi -arid landscape is central to the survival of plant and animal species. Likewise, human activities are centered around such riparian areas and are subject to the reality of the physical landscape and other environmental factors that exist there. The Beaver Creek watershed provides an important opportunity to study the diverse relationships between a riparian environment and the various anthropogenic forces that have influenced landscape characteristics over time. Beaver Creek is formed by Dry Beaver Creek and Wet Beaver Creek, which originate from the ponderosa pine forest area along the edge of the Mogollon Rim and flow in a southwesterly direction; they meet 13 km (8 miles) before joining the Verde River. The canyons carved over time by these streams, and the presence of water in them, support important riparian communities in this semi -arid landscape. The Beaver Creek watershed also includes a well -established history of human settlement spanning 10,000 years. This study consisted of surveying plant and animal biodiversity, assessing channel morphology and water quality, and evaluating the socioeconomic conditions of the area.