WRRC DIRECTOR

Sharon B. Megdal is Director of The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), a research and Extension unit in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Her work focuses on water policy and management, on which she writes and frequently speaks.  She also holds the titles: Professor and Specialist, Department Soil, Water, and Environmental Science; C.W. & Modene Neely Endowed Professor; and Distinguished Outreach Professor. She serves as Director of the University of Arizona Water, Environmental and Energy Solutions Program, which is funded by the University of Arizona Technology Research Initiative Fund (TRIF).

The geographic scope of Dr. Megdal’s work ranges from local to international.  Current projects include: comparative evaluation of water management, policy, and governance in growing, water-scarce regions; groundwater management and governance; groundwater recharge; and transboundary aquifer assessment.  She is the lead editor of the book, Shared Borders, Shared Waters: Israeli-Palestinian and Colorado River Basin Water Challenges.  She also has served as lead guest editor for multiple special issues of the journal Water.  She writes a regular water policy column; current and all past columns can be found at https://wrrc.arizona.edu/columns.  Dr. Megdal teaches the multi-disciplinary graduate course Water Policy in Arizona and Semi-arid Regions.  

Current professional service activities include:  Immediate Past President, Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR); Board President, International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC); and Board Member, American Water Resources Association (AWtRA). Elected to a six-year term in 2008 and 2014, Sharon represents the residents of Pima County on the Board of Directors for the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, also known as the Central Arizona Project (CAP).  The board is responsible for the policies, rates and taxes associated with delivering Colorado River water to Central Arizona. Since February 2016, Sharon has served as Secretary of the CAP Board and Chair of the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District and Underground Storage Committee.  Dr. Megdal has served on numerous Arizona boards and commissions, including the Arizona Corporation Commission, the State Transportation Board and the Arizona Medical Board.  She holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from Princeton University and an A. B. degree in Economics from Douglass College of Rutgers University.

Email address:  smegdal@email.arizona.edu
Mailing address:  Water Resources Research Center, The University of Arizona, 350 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719 USA       Phone:  1-520-621-9591; Fax:  1-520-792-8518; WhatsApp:  1-520-245-9020
WRRC web site:  wrrc.arizona.edu; Director’s web page:  http://wrrc.arizona.edu/sharon-megdal

Publications by
Sharon B. Megdal