Arroyo (creek)

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An arroyo (sometimes called a wash) is a usually dry creek bed or gulch that temporarily fills with water after a heavy rain, or seasonally. As such, the term is similar to the word wadi. Arroyos can be natural or man-made.

A good example of man-made arroyos can be found in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There are several miles of open-air concrete drainage channels that eventually drain into the main tributary along I-40 and into a cistern, where the runoff becomes part of the city's water supply. Because of the danger of flash flooding signs are posted, warning people to keep out, but deaths and injuries are a yearly occurrence. In Arizona, motorists who enter flooded arroyos are subject to the state's Stupid Motorist Law. Graffiti artists regularly deface the arroyos and there has been a big push to curtail their activities.

Man-made arroyos pose a problem for farmers. In areas marginally suited for agriculture, farmers often rely on channels and ditches for the distribution of water. Flash flooding can cause the cutting of deep arroyos. This lowers the groundwater level of the surrounding area, making it unsuitable for agriculture.

Although not technically an arroyo, the Los Angeles River is a more famous example of this open drainage system.

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