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Water Resources Research Center
Feb. 19, 2016 / Volume 4, Issue 6
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Early Bird Conference Registration Ends Today!
Today is your last chance to register for the WRRC's 2016 Annual Conference, "#AZwaterfuture: Tech, Talk, and Tradeoffs," at the early bird rate of $100!
An exciting agenda includes notable keynote speakers including Lisa Beutler, the winner of the prestigious Sandor C. Csallany award from the American Water Resources Association. Lisa Beutler, MWH Global Public Affairs Specialist, will be providing a presentation on solutions to California's water crisis. For the past 5 years at MWH, she has worked on the three California Water Plan updates and on federal-stat-regional-local planning to integrate land use and water quality goals.
Another keynote will be offered by Former Assistant Secretary for Water Science, U.S. Department of the Interior, Anne Castle. She will present a talk "Our Worn-out Water Security Blankets". Anne is now a Senior Fellow at the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at the University of Colorado where she focuses on western water issues.
Do you know who else will be at the WRRC Annual Conference?
Check out the agenda here
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Brown Bag Seminar - International Transboundary Water Assessment
Feb. 25, 2016
Speaker: Randy Hanson, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, San Diego, CA. Time/Location: 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell).
Randy Hanson, Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center, will speak on the work of the technical committee for the ISARM (Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management) Americas Program, a program of UNESCO IHP (International Hydrological Programme). ISARM-Americas has brought together network of partners from 24 countries to translate existing aquifer knowledge into a meaningful strategy for the American hemisphere. The ISARM-Americas regional strategy for the assessment and management of transboundary aquifer systems in the Americas seeks to collectively understand, develop, manage, and protect the transboundary aquifers in the Americas. Examples from North and South America show how the process has begun to develop for selected transboundary aquifers. Hanson will present examples of ongoing work from the Lower Rio Grande and potential conflicts from the Lower Colorado.
Note: This presentation will also be webcast live via GotoWebinar.
For a complete list of upcoming Brown Bag seminars click here
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Speaker: George Frisvold, Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Agriculture & Resource Economics
Time/Location: 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell).
Prof. Frisvold will address the economic aspects of water use and efficiency of Yuma agriculture as reported in A Case Study in Efficiency-Agriculture and Water Use in the Yuma, Arizona Area published by the Yuma County Agriculture Coalition in February 2015.
Note: This presentation will also be webcast live via GotoWebinar.
For a complete list of upcoming Brown Bag seminars click here
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Brown Bag Seminar -
Water Banking and Arizona's Framework for Groundwater Recharge and Recovery
March 10, 2016
Speakers: Sharon B. Megdal, PhD, Director, Water Resources Research Center, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona and Ken Seasholes, Manager, Resource Planning and Analysis, Central Arizona ProjectTime/Location: 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell).
WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal and Kenneth Seasholes, Central Arizona Project Resource Planning and Analysis Manager, will join forces to discuss Arizona's groundwater recharge and recovery rules and the state's unique form of water banking. This presentation is part of the nationwide observance of National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 6-12, 2016.
Note: This presentation will also be webcast live via GotoWebinar.
For a complete list of upcoming Brown Bag seminars click here
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Launch of Beyond the Mirage Web Experience
The official launch of BEYOND THE MIRAGE will take place in Phoenix on March 15 and in Tucson on March 19. BEYOND THE MIRAGE is a collaborative project from the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Arizona Public Media. Winner of The New Arizona Prize Water Consciousness Challenge, BEYOND THE MIRAGE aims to educate and engage everyone in the reality of water in the Southwest. With the official launch of the interactive web experience, expert insights captured in professional documentary-like clips are made available to anyone with an internet connection. The web application employs hundreds of video clips (running from ten seconds to two minutes) as the basis not only for exploring the complex water supply problems and solutions in the Southwest, but also for constructing a personalized mini-documentary easily shared on social media.
The launches will provide opportunities to learn about BEYOND THE MIRAGE, use its interactive website, and share your experience with friends and family over social media.
For an invitation to a launch contact hullinger@email.arizona.edu
Find more on Beyond the Mirage here
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Hamburgers, Jeans, and Water
When Sherry Farmer-Brown's 6th grade class participated in Arizona Project WET's Water Scene Investigation in December, they didn't expect to apply their new skills in the community so soon. Thanks to APW and the Town of Gilbert, they had that opportunity last week. Farmer-Brown's class performed a water audit of the Gilbert Municipal Court and Fire Administration buildings. They measured flow rates and changed aerators on 42 faucets. Quantifying savings for a year meant math! They estimated daily usage and duration of flow and calculated a saving of 44,204 gallons per year, enough water to provide cotton for 16 pairs of jeans and produce 70 hamburgers! And that was just two buildings.
Students had the opportunity to question Judge Hudson and met members of APW's advisory council. To end the day, Gilbert Town Council member, Eddie Cook acknowledged their work and thanked them for improving the Town of Gilbert. We echo his appreciation!
Learn more about Arizona Project WET's Water Investigations Program here
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SWAN International Conference "Open Knowledge, Bridging Perspectives to Address Water Challenges"
The SWAN International Cooperation project (Sustainable Water ActioN) held its second International Conference in Tucson on Tuesday, February 16 and Wednesday, February 17. European Union-funded, the SWAN International Cooperation project sought to build and reinforce trans-disciplinary link between researchers in Europe and the United States. Researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds, public agencies, students, and stakeholders gathered to exchange information about water governance, education, Tucson water management, the water-food-energy nexus, ecosystem services, climate change, and to address water challenges.
In addition to the Conference, the SWAN book "Water Bankruptcy in the Land of Plenty: Steps towards a transatlantic and transdisciplinary assessment of water scarcity in Southern Arizona" (Poupeau et al) will be released on April 5th. This book is the result of 4 years of work and features socio-historic perspectives on water in the American Southwest, narratives of urban growth, ecosystem services and biodiversity, water use and groundwater management, and stakeholders' perspectives.
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Water RAPIDS: Shared History Timeline for Globe-Miami Area
As people move in and out of the community and our cities grow, we lose connections to our past. Documenting the past events in Arizona's natural and cultural history leaves an important legacy for future generations. On February 5th, the Water RAPIDS program of the WRRC and Arizona Cooperative Extension led a shared history exercise with more than 50 community members to record the water stories of the Globe-Miami area as far back as residents in the room could remember.
Moderator Dr. Kelly Mott Lacroix welcomed many fourth and fifth generation Arizonans to the event and explained the purpose of the long, empty block of paper (about 20 feet in length) hanging on the wall. A timeline was drawn along the length of the paper. Participants collectively agreed that the area's history should start in 1867 with the establishment of Fort Reno in the Lower Tonto Basin. Time markers were then set for each decade along the timeline and everyone was invited to write their memories where they fit on the timeline. Then, individuals were asked to talk about the event that they shared on the timeline. The results were incredibly interesting, insightful, and sometimes touching. We heard what it was like to live in the Globe-Miami area during dry and wet times, during wartime, during floods, and even during racial segregation. It runs deep and there are many winding turns; we are excited that this particular history will be available to others with the time and effort donated by so many community memories. Over the coming months, the WRRC and Arizona Cooperative Extention will work to convert the paper timeline and video footage of the evening's events into a living "Shared History Timeline" for everyone to access on the web. Thanks go to the many people who took time to gather in the Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum in Miami, AZ to share their memories.
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State Organizations Initiate Meetings
On Friday, February 12, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality held the first of 3 listening sessions, held in Tucson, which attracted nearly 50 water professionals and interested community members. The next 2 listening sessions will be held in Phoenix and Northern Arizona. Input from these sessions will be used to revise and update Arizona's' rules governing the reuse of reclaimed water and gray water.
For information on the process and the remaining two listening sessions, here
The first meeting of the Governor's Water Augmentation Council (GWAC) will be held on Friday, February 19, from 10am to 12pm, at the Arizona Department of Water Resources. The GWAC is part of Governor Ducey's Water Initiative to ensure the certainty and vitality of Arizona's future water supplies. The Council includes water resources experts, watershed groups, local government and industry leaders in Arizona agriculture, mining, and homebuilding. Meetings of the GWAC are open to the public.
For more information on this meeting, click here
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WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH CENTER
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The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) - A unit of the University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Arizona Cooperative Extension - promotes understanding of critical state and regional water management and policy issues through research, community outreach and engagement, and public education.
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