Tonto National Monument

Adolph Bandelier

Angeline Mitchell

Charlie Steen

Frank "Boss" Pinkley

Louis Caywood

When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change.

Most women with disabilities hired by the National Park Service (NPS) in the 1970s and early 1980s had temporary jobs. Some built long-term careers with the bureau. Starting before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, these women experienced the opportunities and changes the law brought. It was their hard work and dedication to the NPS mission, however, that continued to change attitudes and educate coworkers and visitors alike.

Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.

Climate and water shape ecosystems and how they function. At Tonto National Monument, Sonoran Desert Network scientists monitor key resources, including climate. Understanding how climate may be changing over time is an important part of assessing the condition of other park resources This report summarizes Water Year 2024 climate data from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather station in the park.

Climate is one of many ecological indicators monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Climate data help scientists to understand ecosystem processes and help to explain many of the patterns and trends observed in other natural-resource monitoring. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor climate using the scientific protocol described here.

At Tonto National Monument, the built environment reflects the historical importance of reliable water sources. The Sonoran Desert Network monitors climate, groundwater, and springs at this park. Understanding changes in these closely linked factors helps managers make informed decisions affecting both natural and cultural resources. Learn about our recent findings.

Sonoran Desert Network scientists monitor key resources and weather at Tonto National Monument by taking measurements throughout the year, which helps us track changes over time. This report summarizes weather and springs data from Water Year 2022. The data describe a dramatic change to Cave Canyon Spring. WY2022 was the third consecutive year of drought, and the park received less than average precipitation in all but three months.

Dendrochronology, or tree-ring dating, has assisted archeologists in assigning calendar dates to archeological sites since the early twentieth century. This dating method has played a large and yet disappointing role in assisting archeologists in determining the dates of occupation at the Upper and Lower Cliff Dwellings at Tonto National Monument.