Mar 5 Interpretive Trail

This multiple award-winning design-build project utilized the Olberg Dam underground storage area known as Managed Aquifer Recharge Site Five (MAR 5). It included site clearing, up to 12,000 cubic yards of imported borrow from the Hashen Kehk storage site, finish grading, riprap, a parking lot with lighting and ADA spaces, and an entry road. Also included was a mile-long nature trail with five pipe crossings, one major pedestrian bridge, four wooden pedestrian bridges, three wooden ramadas, a restroom building, native landscape with up to 6,000 trees and plants, permanent and temporary irrigation, nine mesquite benches, trash receptacles, raised bird nests that were constructed from recycled utility poles, signage with historical information about the site, and an entry monument.

By creating a living-learning facility, Gila River Indian Community members have a place to learn about and feel connected with the water, the land, and their heritage. Community members can exercise, socialize, gather materials for artisan crafts, and learn traditional skills. The next generations will learn about their heritage and be inspired to pursue professions such as hydrology, civil engineering, and conservation. Water stored in the aquifer can be recovered when surface water shortages occur. The aquifer will be a water source for farming irrigation to provide agricultural products throughout the world, bringing revenue back into the state’s economy.