WRRC Weekly Wave
November 21, 2014 
Volume 2, Issue 39
  
In This Issue:
  • Dec. 4 Brown Bag: Surface Water/Groundwater Interactions in Arizona
  • WRRC Director Named Distinguished Fellow
  • A Tale of Two Rivers Available for Download

... And much more!
Upcoming Events
Dec. 4
Jan. 14
Jan. 28
Feb. 1-3
Feb. 19-20
Mar. 27-29
WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal Named Morrison Institute Distinguished Fellow 

On Nov. 14, Director of the UA Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), Sharon B. Megdal was named Morrison Institute Distinguished Fellow at the Institute's annual State of Our State Conference. The title of Distinguished Fellow was created in 2012 to not only recognize Arizona's best and brightest in public policy, but also tap into their knowledge and expertise for their insights on certain policy-relevant issues.

Dr. Megdal has also joined the advisory board executive committee for the new Kyl Center for Water Policy at the Morrison Institute. The center, officially launched at this year's SOS Conference, seeks to ensure sound water stewardship in Arizona through research, collaboration, analysis and open dialogue. Thom Reilly, Director of the Morrison Institute for Public Policy said "With her wealth of knowledge and experience on water and economic issues, Sharon brings so much to the table."
James Leenhouts
Presentation: Surface Water/Groundwater Interactions in Arizona: Physical Realities and Experiences in the Real World
Speaker: James Leenhouts, Director, USGS Arizona Water Science Center
Time/Location: 12 - 1:30 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell) 

Don Gross
Presentation: Colorado River Simulation System (CRSS) - Overview and Use in Planning and Operation of the Colorado River
Speaker: Don Gross, Water Resources Engineer, Colorado River Management Section, AZ Dept. of Water Resources
Time/Location: 12 - 1:30 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell) 


A Tale of Two Rivers Available for Download Through Jan. 1, 2015

Sharon B. Megdal, Director of the UA Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), recently co-authored an article on the Colorado River and the Jordan River with Assaf Chen (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel), Adam Abramson (Ben-Gurion University) and Nir Becker (Tel-Hai College, Israel), which was published Nov. 12 in the Journal of Arid Environments. 
"A Tale of Two Rivers: Pathways for Improving Water Management in the Jordan and Colorado River Basins" explores common factors with respect to available policy and management options in the Jordan River in the Middle East and the Colorado River in the western United States.This article is available, free of charge, through Jan. 1, 2015. Click here to read/download full article.
  

National Water-Use at Lowest Levels Since Before 1970 - USGS Report 

 

A new report by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows water use across the country reached its lowest recorded level in nearly 45 years. Water withdrawals in the US in 2010 were estimated to be about 355 billion gallons per day, which was 13 percent less than in 2005. Water withdrawn for thermoelectric power was the largest use nationally, with the other leading uses being irrigation, public supply, and self-supplied industrial water, respectively. Withdrawals declined in each of these categories. The USGS has been tracking water-use statistics and releasing water use estimates every five years since 1950. It is the world's largest provider of water data and the premier water research agency in the federal government. 

Access full report here.
 
Water RAPIDS Completes Scenario Planning for the Upper Gila Watershed

Working with its partners in the Upper Gila Watershed and through funding by the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative, the Water RAPIDS program has completed a set of four scenarios to help guide watershed planning. These scenarios are the culmination of a two year effort in the watershed to understand baseline watershed conditions and use this baseline to think about the future of the watershed through a scenario planning process. Over the next two years, through additional funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Water RAPIDS team will work with the communities in the watershed to plan for the future using the scenarios and a water supply and demand study. The scenarios for the Upper Gila River Watershed are available here. 


Have a Question About Water and Water-related Research? 


The UA Water Resources Research Center and the Water Sustainability Program have compiled a searchable expertise directory of the 300-plus UA faculty and staff who specialize in all things water. These recognized experts cover the entire spectrum of water - from hydrology and technology, to sustainability and governance - spanning more than 50 subject areas and 70 UA departments. 

The UA Water Expertise Directory is searchable by name, category or dept. Explore the Directory here.
  

Call for Abstracts: 2015 UCOWR / NIWR / CUAHSI Conference 


The Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR), the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) and the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) are holding a joint conference, "Water is Not for Gambling: Utilizing Science to Reduce Uncertainty," June 16-18, 2015 at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas, NV. Abstracts for paper, panel, and poster presentations for the 2015 conference are due by 
Jan. 16, 2015. More here.

No Weekly Wave the Friday of Thanksgiving Week (Nov. 28)

 

Due to the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday break, the WRRC Weekly Wave will not go out Friday, Nov. 28. The Wave will continue the following Friday, Dec. 5. 


If you've missed out on a past issue of the Weekly Wave, check out the Wave Archive here. 

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The WRRC wishes you and your family a safe and happy holiday break!
 

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The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) - a unit within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) - promotes understanding of critical state and regional water management and policy issues through research, education and outreach. The WRRC works closely with Arizona Cooperative Extension, a CALS outreach organization that  provides a statewide network of knowledgeable faculty and staff that provides lifelong educational programs for all Arizonans. For more information, visit us at wrrc.arizona.edu.