WRRC Weekly Wave
February 06, 2015 
Volume 3, Issue 4
  
In This Issue:
  • Megdal and McLain to Attend NIWR 2015 Annual Meeting 
  • Feb. 19 WRRC Brown Bag: Alba Ballester Ciuró
  • Mar. 3 WRRC Brown Bag: The Surprising Slide in Domestic Demand

... And much more!
Upcoming Events
Feb. 13
Feb. 19
Feb. 20-21
Mar. 3
Mar. 5
Mar. 26

June 9-10, 2015
WRRC Annual Conference: 
Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainable Water Practices

The Water Resources Research Center two-day conference,"Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainable Water Practices,"  will be held June 9-10 in Chandler, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. It will explore water sustainability efforts on tribal lands and provide new perspectives in the discussion of water management options to meet growing supply gaps in Arizona. 

The 2015 WRRC Conference will also include special recognition of the 10th Anniversary of the Arizona Water Rights Settlement. The Arizona Water Rights Settlement Act was signed in 2004 by former President George W. Bush. It finalized an agreement between the U.S. and Arizona for Central Arizona Project repayment obligations; settled water disputes between the Gila River Indian Community and all parties (including New Mexico parties); and settled pending litigation by the Tohono O'odham Nation. 

More information on the program, sponsorship, and registration will be coming soon. 
Thursday, Feb. 19
Alba Ballester Ciuró 
Presentation: Public Participation in the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Spain
Speaker: Alba Ballester Ciuró, Researcher at University of Seville and University Autónoma of Barcelona
Time/Location: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell)
Gary C. Woodard
Presentation: The Surprising Slide in Domestic Demand: Be careful what you wish for
Speaker: Gary C. Woodard, JD, MPP, Senior Water Policy and Economics Consultant, Montgomery & Associates
Time/Location: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell)

Lon W. House  
Presentation:  A New Paradigm: Electric Utilities Investing in Water Conservation
Speaker: Lon W. House, Ph.D., Water and Energy Consulting 
Time/Location: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell)


Sharon Megdal and Jean McLain to Attend NIWR 2015 Annual Meeting 

On February 9-11, 2015, WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal and Associate Director Jean McLain will be traveling to Washington, DC for the 2015 meeting of the National Institutes for Water Research (NIWR). A Water Resources Research Institute is located in each State, the District of Colombia, and the U.S. Territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam, for a total of 54 institutes. NIWR's institutes provide a national platform for research, training, and collaboration needed to manage our water resources. This year's three day event will give special focus to emerging water research: What are the emerging needs? What role do the 54 Water Institutes play? The 2015 meeting will also provide a venue for critical legislative and administrative updates, as well as a special session on effective online outreach strategies. More here.

WRRC Hosts Engineering Students from South Korea for Water Harvesting Tour  

 

On Jan. 30, the UA Water Resources Research Center hosted four mechanical engineering students from GyungSang National University in South Korea. The rain that fell steadily all day permitted the students to see water harvesting in action. The tour was led by Grant McCormick, Campus Planner in Planning, Design, and Construction for the UA and manager for the UA Enterprise Geographic Information System, who co-teaches a water harvesting class in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science. Sites visited included UA Visitors' Center, Warren Underpass Cistern, and Lester Street Landscape; and ended at the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture, Underwood Sonoran Landscape Laboratory, where Professor Ron Stoltz, former School Director and current Associate Dean, provided a tour of that facility.

 

Arizona Project WET Seeks Volunteers for Feb. 19 Casa Grande Water Festival    

Arizona Project WET (APW) needs volunteers to help fourth graders learn about water science and conservation using science models on Thursday, February 19 at the Casa Grande Water Festival. Volunteers will be grouped in teams with their friends, family, and colleagues, and be trained to use interactive models that help students learn using fun activities and games. Everything is provided, including activities, materials, games - even lunch!
If you'd like to take part, please RSVP and attend one of the short volunteer training sessions offered on February 17 and 18. If you have a group of volunteers, you can schedule your own training.
Click here to register online or contact Chuck Dugan (cld1@email.arizona.edu / (520) 836-5221 Ext. 210) to volunteer.
For more information, click here.
To learn more about Arizona Water Festivals, click here.


Show Some Love for Our Local Rivers and Washes This Valentine's Day 

Join Tucson Conserve2Enhance (C2E) Saturday, Feb. 14 from 4:00 - 10:00 p.m. at the Borderlands Brewing Company for some live music and food/brew specials to raise funds for future Tucson C2E enhancement projects. C2E is a community-led program dedicated to helping homeowners and businesses conserve water. Donations to C2E provide funding to improve our local washes, reduce flooding, and increase wildlife habitat.
  

February 18: Workshop for Watershed Planning in the Upper Gila  

 
Join the Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), Arizona Cooperative Extension, and the Gila Watershed Partnership this February to establish objectives for watershed management and planning in the Upper Gila Watershed. 
The workshop for Watershed Planning in the Upper Gila will be held Wednesday, February 18, from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm at Discovery Park, 1651 W. Discovery Park Blvd., Safford, AZ. 
If you are interested in participating, please contact Kelly Mott Lacroix.  
  

State of America's Water: Present and Future - Webinar Series

 
The Columbia Water Center's State of America's Water: Present and Future Webinar Series starts Feb. 10 at 12pm EST. The webinar series will assess how the variations in climate, energy development, and national/global economics over the last century influenced changes in water use and its valuation; trends affecting water availability, withdrawal and use of surface water and groundwater by various sectors; and the evolution of water use and supply. 
 
Drought Forum Webinar Examines Rising Demand for Re-used Water

 

Registration is now open for the Western Governors' Drought Forum Webinar Series featuring western experts on water and drought management. The webinar will explore the technological and regulatory obstacles to utilizing re-used, produced, and brackish water. The series offers five in-depth discussions on drought in the West, each including a 40-minute panel discussion, followed by 20 minutes for questions and discussion. For webinar series schedule and registration, click here. 

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, community outreach and engagement, and public education. 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.