WRRC Weekly Wave
February 27, 2015 
Volume 3, Issue 7
  
In This Issue:
  • WSP Distinguished Speaker Brian Richter Mar. 5
  • John Echohawk to Provide Keynote Address at 2015 WRRC Annual Conference 
  • Desert LCC Environmental Flow Needs Database

... And much more!

Upcoming Events
Mar. 5
Mar. 9
Mar. 11
Mar. 26
Mar. 31
Apr. 9-10
New Date


John Echohawk to Provide Keynote Address at WRRC Annual Conference

John Echohawk, a Native American attorney and founder of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), has agreed to provide a keynote address at the WRRC 2015 Annual Conference, "Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainable Water Practices." Mr. Echohawk will speak on Arizona Water Law from a Tribal Perspective.

In 1970, Mr. Echohawk was the first Native American to graduate from the University of New Mexico School of Law. He went on to found NARF, which focuses on preserving tribes and protecting tribal resources. He also served on President Obama's first transition team on Indian affairs. 

The WRRC Annual Conference, hosted in partnership with the Gila River Indian Community, will be held on June 9-10, 2015, at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, Arizona. 
For more information, click here.

Monday, Mar. 9
Tucson Water
Presentation: Tucson Water Recycled Water Program
Speakers: Jeff Biggs, Interim Deputy Director; Fernando Molina, Public Information Officer; Wally Wilson, Chief Hydrologist
Time/Location: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell)

Wednesday, Mar. 11 - 
New Date 
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)


Mar. 5 WSP Distinguished Speaker Series: Brian Richter

The Water Sustainability Program (WSP) will host a lecture and book signing by international water expert Brian Richter, author of "Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability," on Thursday, March 5, 2015, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the University of Arizona Student Union Tucson and Catalina Rooms (1303 East University Blvd., Tucson).
In "Chasing Water," Richter tells the story of water scarcity: where it is happening, what is causing it, and how it can be addressed. 
Brian Richter has been a global leader in river science and conservation for more than 25 years. He acts as Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy Global Water Program, where he promotes sustainable water use and management with governments, corporations and local communities.

Casa Grande Partnership Delivers STEM Water Festival at Mesquite Elementary

 

On Feb. 19, Casa Grande's 700 fourth graders gathered at the soccer fields outside Mesquite Elementary School to learn about Arizona's water resources during the Casa Grande Water Festival. Volunteers from local businesses and organizations, such as Abbott Laboratories, Arizona Public Service Company, Central Arizona Project, Kohl's, Pima County Cooperative Extension, and Americorps taught lessons about groundwater flow, the water cycle, watershed management, and water conservation. Created by Arizona Project WET and implemented in Casa Grande through the Pinal County Cooperative Extension Program, Arizona Water Festivals have reached over 77,000 students statewide since the year 2000. The program is grant-funded and relies on the support of local sponsors that support effective K-12 water science education. Learn more about AZ Water Festivals here.

 

WRRC and NAU: Desert LCC Environmental Flows Database 

Projected water deficits mean land and water managers must be proactive in their management of rivers and shallow aquifers if they want to maintain the ecosystems dependent upon them. To manage these resources, managers and decision makers need easy access to the best techniques available for determining how much water ecosystems need.
The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), in partnership with Northern Arizona University (NAU), have embarked on a Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) wide database of environmental flow needs and responses to help water and land managers make decisions about water for riparian and aquatic species and ecosystems. The database will collect information from the Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Sonoran deserts of the U.S. and Mexico. Learn more here.


The Daily Wildcat Features WRRC Director and ISGP Conference  

Last week, the Arizona Daily Wildcat featured the "Living with Less Water" conference convened by the Tucson-based Institute on Science for Global Policy (ISGP).
At the conference, scientists, policy makers and citizens discussed climate issues in Tucson and Southern Arizona. 
Among the presenters, Director of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center Sharon B. Megdal talked about "Water Resource Management Challenges in a Time of Changing Climate." 
Read Daily Wildcat article here. 
  

New Poll Shows Water Should Be One of Arizona's Top Priorities

 
A recent poll by Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication revealed that Arizonans rank education and water as the top two priorities of the state. The poll surveyed 754 randomly selected Arizona adults, between Jan. 20-28, 2015, to assess attitudes and opinions about a variety of issues, from health care to law enforcement to arts and culture. From 11 issues facing the state, responders rated education, maintaining adequate water and water quality, and public safety as high priorities. More here. 
  

Catch up on Past WRRC Brown Bag Seminars via GoToWebinar 

 
Miss out on a WRRC Brown Bag seminar? PDF presentations and GoToWebinar webcasts of select past Brown Bags are available on the WRRC website. International, U.S., regional, and local speakers addressed WRRC audiences on a range of timely water topics, from funding water infrastructure and addressing water quality to desalination and water supply resiliency. 
To catch up on past WRRC Brown Bags, click here and choose the Brown Bag seminar that interests you. 
For weekly updates on ongoing Brown Bag Seminars, subscribe to the Weekly Wave here.  
 
But Dispersion Has No Clothes! Dr. Jes�s Carrera Ram�rez

 

On March 4, Dr. Jes�s Carrera Ram�rez  will be presenting "But dispersion has no clothes!" at 4:00 p.m. at the Kiva Auditorium in the Student Union. Solute transport is an essential ingredient of hydrology, both surface and subsurface, as well as many other natural sciences. Understanding solute transport is essential for assessing the fate of pollutants, how they spread in the environment and how they react. Transport has been traditionally represented by the Advection-Dispersion-Equation. Dr. Ramirez will review its origins and limitations, especially in ground water.  More 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.