WRRC Weekly Wave
April 03, 2015 
Volume 3, Issue 12
  
In This Issue:
  • WRRC-CALS-AZPM Team Wins Water Consciousness Challenge
  • April 10: Senator Flake to Convene Water Forum
  • April 14: Restoration of the CO River Delta: One Year After

... And much more!

Upcoming Events
Apr. 8
Apr. 10
Apr. 14
Apr. 17
Apr. 21
May 5

Early Bird Registration and Special Student Rate Through May 12

Early bird registration for the Water Resources Research Center June 9-10 Annual Conference, "Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainable Water Practices," is open through May 12, 2015. Early bird registration rates are $175 with a special student rate of $75 until May 12. After this date, the rates will increase to $195 and $95, respectively. To register online, click below: 

For more information on the program, speakers, sponsorship, and registration, click here. The WRRC Annual Conference, in partnership with the Gila River Indian Community, will be held on June 9-10, 2015 at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino, Chandler, AZ.
Tice Supplee
Presentation: Shift Happens
Speaker: Tice Supplee, Audubon Arizona Director of Bird Conservation
Time/Location: 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell)

Climate change is the No. 1 threat to North American birds according to a recent analysis by National Audubon Society scientists.  With a focus on the arid west and Arizona, Tice Supplee, the Audubon Arizona Director of Bird Conservation, will present the science behind the analysis. Join us to learn where potential "climate strongholds" for birds are located in our state.  
Tice Supplee has 29 years of experience with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, including experiences in research, habitat management, game management, and urban wildlife. 


Senator Flake to Convene Forum on AZ Solutions to CO River Supply Challenges

On April 10th, Senator Jeff Flake is convening a water policy forum at the University of Arizona (UA) to discuss current Colorado River supply challenges and future strategies. The forum will be hosted by the Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) and will be held 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. at the UA Center for Creative Photography Auditorium. UA President Ann Weaver Hart will provide opening remarks and introduce the senator. Senator Flake will set the stage for a panel of distinguished experts who will speak about Colorado River challenges and Arizona's use of underground storage to provide for future water supplies. Panelists are Tom Buschatzke, Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources, Marie Pearthree, Deputy General Manager, Central Arizona Project, Alan Forrest, Director, Tucson Water, and Sharon B. Megdal, Director, WRRC. Learn more here.

WRRC-CALS-AZPM Team Wins Water Consciousness Challenge

Beyond The Mirage, an innovative web-based experience, was selected as the winner of The New Arizona Prize: Water Consciousness Challenge and walked away with the $100,000 grand prize. Developed collaboratively by a creative team from the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), which includes the Communications and Cyber Technologies Unit (CCT) and Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), along with Arizona Public Media (AZPM) and marketing professionals, Beyond The Mirage aims to raise awareness and understanding about Arizona's water supplies, demands, and challenges. Beyond The Mirage will use this award to help launch innovative web and social media strategies to engage Arizonans in creating and sharing their own mini-documentaries on the Beyond The Mirage website, expected to launch January 2016. Learn more here. 

 

Panel of Experts to Discuss "Restoration of the CO River Delta: One Year After"


On May 15, 2014, the Colorado River met the Sea of Cortez for the first time since the 1990's as part of a landmark agreement between the US and Mexico known as "Minute 319." Water from Lake Mead - 105,000 AF - was released as a "pulse flow" in a grand experiment to revitalize the delta.
Join the Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) and the Water Sustainability Program on April 14, 2015, from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m., when a panel of experts talks about the cross border politics and science behind this unique restoration effort and what the impacts have been on vegetation, wildlife, and groundwater recharge a year after the release. It will be an opportunity to view breathtaking video of the pulse flow and the subsequent greening of the delta on the big screen. The panel will be moderated by WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal. Learn more about panelists here.


WRRC Director Sharon Megdal to Speak at Arizona NOW Reception 

University of Arizona (UA) President ANN WEAVER HART is hosting a reception for UA Colorado alumni on April 16 in Denver, Colorado. DR. SHARON B. MEGDAL is a featured speaker at the event in celebration of Arizona NOW, the Campaign for the University of Arizona. Dr. Megdal will talk about "Keeping our Water Glass Full" and address how UA faculty and staff engage with stakeholders to identify and explore solutions to our pressing water challenges. The event will take place 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Learn more here. 
  

Video - Brian Richter "Chasing Water in a Rapidly Changing World "

 

Video coverage of Water Sustainability Program (WSP) Distinguished Speaker Brian Richter's March 5 presentation, "Chasing Water in a Rapidly Changing World," is now available on YouTube. Richter is the author of "Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability" and Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy Global Water Program. 

Chasing Water in a Rapidly Changing World
  

WRRC Director to Speak at Western Governors' Drought Forum Webinar


On April 8, Water Resources Research Center Director Sharon B. Megdal will join a panel of experts to discuss ways that local drought solutions tailored to the unique needs of specific communities can be applied across the Western region. Part of the Western Governors' Drought Forum Webinar Series, the webinar "One Size Doesn't Fit All: Why Variation in Hydrology and Legal Structures means that Drought Looks Different across the West" will begin at 11:00 am MT (10:00 am in Tucson). For more information and to access event flier, click here.
 
University of Arizona 
Advanced Smartscape Irrigation Course

Registration is now open for the University of Arizona (UA), Maricopa County Cooperative Extension 2015 Advanced Smartscape Irrigation course. The course offers in-depth technical training on the design, installation, maintenance, and management of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems in the Sonoran Desert. 
Classes will take place on Thursdays, May 7th, 14th, and 21st from 1:00 - 6:00 pm at The UA, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension office, 4341 East Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register 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.