Data Collection Report - Flood Control District of Maricopa County

TransportationThe I-10 Papago Freeway and the I-17 Black Canyon Freeway are bothlimited access highways which form the boundaries of the study area.The I-17 Black Canyon Freeway, the east boundary is a depressedfreeway section with interchanges in the vicinity of Grant Street andAdams Street. The I-10 transitions from an elevated freeway section atthe east side of the study area at 27th Avenue to a depressed sectionfrom 35th Avenue to 91st Avenue and then west of 91st Avenue thefreeway transitions back to an elevated section. Exits to the study areaoccur at 35th, 43rd, 51st, 59th, 67th, 75th, 83rd, 91st, 99th, and 115thAvenues. In addition there is a Park’n’Ride Lot located at the 79thAvenue off ramp.of the Buckeye Road alignment to a bridge over the Agua Fria on thewest boundary of the study area. The existence of the railroad line andits spurs has been a major factor in the development and growth ofindustrial land use in this area.Topography / Land FormThe Durango Study Area is relatively flat with a general slope towardsthe south and west. There is no significant land form within the studyarea itself however subtle changes of grade are evident in somelocations. A low area exists in the southwest corner of the study area.The flat terrain of the Durango area itself provides a sharp contrast tothe dramatic topography of the adjacent Estrella Mountains.varieties are typically found only at the homestead locations. There arehowever a few instances such as the area around 91st Avenue and LowerBuckeye where formal continuous wind rows of Pecan Trees edge thecrop areas. These large mature canopy trees form a very distinctivelandcape treatment for this area.Pecan Trees - 91stAvenue and LowerBuckeyeOther major roadways within the study area tie into the regional andmetropolitan roadway system with their general layout being on a onemile grid. Major east-west routes are Southern, Broadway, LowerBuckeye, Buckeye (State Route 85 - regional connector to California)and Van Buren. Major north south routes are 27th, 35th, 43rd, 51st,59th, 67th, 75th, 83rd, 91st, 99th, 107th, 115th, and El Mirage Roads.There is also a proposed South Mountain Freeway alignment whichtraverses the Durango Study Area in the vicinity of 59th and 51stAvenues. This planned Freeway section incorporates parkwayenhancement, landscape enhancement, and multi-use recreational trailsinto the design. This freeway section is currently unfunded.The Southern Pacific Railroad forms an east west corridor. The railroadline is located between Buckeye Road and Van Buren Street from theeast boundary of the study area to approximately one half mile west of99th Avenue where the line turns to the south and follows the north sideSome specific features within the study area display a grade differentialfrom surrounding lands. The Southern Pacific Railroad and BuckeyeFeeder Canal are both elevated linear features and are typicallyapproximately three to four feet above adjacent areas.VegetationThe majority of the Durango Study Area represents a landscape whichhas been heavily modified by man. Very little of the natural vegetationis in evidence. In many areas such as along the Salt and Gila Rivers theSalt Cedar has become established and is dominant. Some pockets of thenative Cottonwood Willow plant association can be seen in the floodplain and low areas of the Salt and Gila Rivers and adjacent areas.Similarly, there are only a few remote upland areas with characteristicDesert Scrub landscapes - Mesquite, Palo Verde, Saltbush, and Bursage.The agricultural areas are sparsely vegetated if at all other than thevarious crops themselves. Concentrations of larger trees of mixedLandscapes in the developed areas are mixed and varied. There is nosingle dominant theme. Plant palettes include both a “Sonoran DesertTheme” which utilizes more indigenous and arid region, desert varietyplant materials such as Mesquite, Palo Verde, and Acacia and a“Mediterranean Theme” which features species such as Bougainvillea,Palms, Oleander, and Ash. Many of the older areas within the study areaappear to represent the “Mediterranean theme” while the newerdevelopments typically feature more of a “Sonoran Desert Theme”HistoryThe prehistory and history of the Durango Study area is rich and varied.With its proximity to the rivers and relatively flat topography, the areahas proven to be conducive to the development of early townships whicheventually has led to a number of significant historical innovations. Thearea has featured Hohokam civilizations, early agriculture, early canals,irrigation and water companies, homesteaders, early surveyors,DIBBLE & ASSOCIATES 21 DURANGO ADMPDATA COLLECTION REPORT