Priority river metrics for residents of an urbanized arid watershed

•The general public provided extensive and thoughtful input on river monitoring goals.•Native flora and fauna were usually preferred, despite not knowing specific species.•Visible defacement such as garbage rivaled the importance of ecological features.•Findings are reported as metrics accessible to natural and social scientists. In river and stream assessment and management, a persistent question is isolating appropriate indicators of resource condition. We employ qualitative research techniques to identify features of rivers and streams important to the general public in an urbanized arid watershed of the southwestern US, based on interview and focus group data. After detailed analysis of transcriptions, findings were member-checked with new study participants and further revised. Theme frequencies are reported to provide an indication of participants’ informational priorities. Recurrent ecological themes were Water, Vegetation, and Fish and Wildlife; recurrent human themes were Garbage and Graffiti, Odor, Infrastructure, Other People, and Noise. Themes are further described along with illustrative quotes from participants. We interpret participant input into actionable metrics which could serve to track resource condition. Results are compared to previous research and current monitoring practice. The findings are particularly relevant for scientists and managers interested in the perspectives on rivers and streams held by residents of urbanized watersheds in arid landscapes.