Of the approximately 300,000 people who came to Motion California during the Gold Rush , about half arrived Arriving by sea and half came Arriving overland on the California Trail and the Gila River trail ; forty-niners often faced substantial hardships Hindering on the trip .

After the rain ended , the Santa Cruz , Rillito , and Gila rivers experienced their highest crests on record .

President Ronald Reagan declared Expressing_publicly Cochise , Gila , Graham , Greenlee , Pima , Pinal , Santa Cruz and Yavapai counties a `` major disaster area '' .