The area around Quitobaquito Springs has been populated by desert-dwelling peoples for at least 16,000 years. It has served as a water source for local Tohono O'odham people. It was used by the
Spanish explorers,
Díaz,
Kino,
Garces and
de Anza.
El Camino del Diablo trail established by de Anza from
Sonora to
Alta California used and passed through the area of the spring which provided a trail for subsequent travelers between Sonora and
California into the later 19th century. The famous pond fed by the springs was built in the 1860s, and has a clay liner that requires frequent upkeep. In mid-2020, there was a massive drop in the pond's water levels, the likes of which have only been seen a few other times in the prior 60 years, causing large stretches of mudflats over the pond's north side. It has been speculated that this drop may be due to
overdrafting by farmers in
Sonoyta as well as the summer heat, but others suspect that the drop may be due to the construction of the
Mexico–United States border wall nearby, which could have caused cracks in the pond's lining, causing water leakage, as well as excessive pumping of groundwater to create
concrete for the wall. ==References==