On Thursday, October 20, the WRRC will host a discussion panel for the documentary Thirst for Justice. The film follows Sanders, Arizona, and Flint, Michigan residents in their efforts to ensure clean, safe drinking water for their communities. The WRRC is holding this special event to coincide with Imagine a Day Without Water, a national day of action to support communities lacking access to clean water.
November 04, 2022
APW AmeriCorps Spotlight: Juliana Perez
My name is Juliana, and I am one of four AmeriCorps Water Educators in Tucson working with Arizona Project WET (APW). So much happened in our first few weeks on the job. We all jumped right into the action. As water educators, we are tasked with teaching students from 4th grade all the way through high school through APW’s different programs. During the first month, in addition to learning about water and how to lead the lessons through training and seminars, we also had firsthand teaching experiences.
As I have recently learned, the state of Arizona requires that 4th graders learn about groundwater, the water cycle, water conservation, and watersheds. What’s cool about our curriculum is that the setting and lesson can vary from class to class. We mainly teach our groundwater lesson by visiting the students in classrooms. All other lessons are usually done during a field trip to the Sweetwater Wetlands, where we rotate through each of the remaining lessons—watershed, water cycle, and water conservation.
We were able to accomplish something really neat recently by taking part in the Marana Water Festival. We gave the same four-lesson curriculum in a group-by-group rotation, but on a much larger scale. The festival took place in a park located in Marana, where more than 40 volunteers came to help. With this large of a space and so many volunteers, we were able to work with approximately 40 classes all in one day. Taking part in this festival was truly fun and an amazing experience. I look forward to all the water festivals, class visits, and other events to come.
We still have AmeriCorps positions available in all four of our counties—Maricopa, Pinal, Coconino, and Pima. If you or someone you know is interested in serving as a Water Educator in Arizona, visit linktr.ee/azprojectwet to learn more and apply!
Apply to be an AmeriCorps Water Educator
Recent News
October 07, 2022
Upcoming WRRC Special Event: Thirst for Justice Film Screening & Discussion Panel
September 30, 2022
CAP Water Users Roundtable on Proposed Conservation Incentive Program
On Wednesday, September 28, Central Arizona Project (CAP) representatives hosted a roundtable for state water users to discuss the proposed CAP conservation incentive program. Earlier this year, the CAP board said they would “work with stakeholders to develop a conservation incentive program that is consistent with [CAP] legal authority.” This roundtable provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share ideas and provide information so CAP can develop an effective program.
September 23, 2022
WRRC Grad Research Assistant Presented at AHS Symposium
The Arizona Hydrological Society held their 34th Annual Symposium from September 14–16. In their keynote addresses
September 23, 2022
Dr. Valerisa Gaddy Named 2022 MIT Solve Fellow
WRRC post-doctoral researcher Valerisa Gaddy has been selected as an MIT Solve Fellow for 2022-2023. Her tech-based solution, "IRRIGaTE: Irrigation Resources Reaching Indigenous Growers and Tribal Entities” addresses the difficulties of science and policy communication between Tribal farmers and non-tribal policymakers through a multimedia platform.
September 16, 2022
Thousands in Phoenix Living without Running Water
The Arizona Republic newspaper last Sunday drew on a recent report about plumbing poverty for a feature article on the subject. The report, co-authored by Kings College London professor and UArizona alum Katie Meehan, looked in depth at urban plumbing poverty in the United States. Meehan received her PhD from the UArizona Department of Geography and Development in 2010 and began her study of plumbing poverty while in Arizona.
September 16, 2022
Photo Journal: A Visit to the Upper Colorado River Basin
Last week, WRRC staff member Jessie Hampton visited family in rural southwestern Colorado. She stayed along Cebolla Creek, which flows down to meet the Gunnison River in Blue Mesa Reservoir, one of three reservoirs that make up the Curecanti Unit of the Colorado River Storage Project. Local ranchers use their water rights on Cebolla Creek to irrigate hay meadows. Jessie took photos of places she visited on her trip to showcase different types of water usage and management in the area.
