The WRRC’s FY 2023 call for 104(b) research grant proposals has been delayed by national level changes to the 104(b) program schedule. Interested researchers at any of Arizona’s three universities should look for the Request for Proposals (RFP) in December 2022. As usual
April 17, 2020
Digging Deep in to Dam Construction
In June, APW educators will deliver the Colorado River Watershed Teacher Academy online through a combination of direct live instruction, small group discussions, video, recorded PowerPoint presentations, reading assignments, and some self-directed activities. APW will focus on Glen Canyon Dam's construction in the context of the massive seven-state Colorado River management system. In the meantime, thanks to a recently published article in the Arizona Daily Star, we have a chance to dig a little deeper into the subject right now.
Dams are built to control water flow from rivers and provide a reservoir to store water for community use, such as drinking water and irrigation. Glen Canyon Dam is a 700 ft. high, concrete-arch gravity dam, and serves as a water supply reservoir.
How does a dam of this magnitude get its strength, especially when saturated? Natural pozzolans (natural forms of silicate mineral), added to concrete, have served as a building material in Arizona for many decades to strengthen dams and build bridges. The addition of pozzolan to concrete reduces permeability and enables dams and canal linings to be more watertight and less prone to deterioration over time. Pozzolan, mined north of Flagstaff, was used in the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. The use of natural pozzolans is also an environmentally friendly approach to dam building, reducing CO2 emissions and greenhouse gasses up to 50% in the production of cement.
More Information on Pozzolans
Recent News
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.
November 04, 2022
Reclamation Announces New Federal Action on the Colorado River
On Friday, October 28, the US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) announced the initiation of an expedited process for developing a “Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS)” on proposed revisions to the December 2007 Record of Decision relating to the Colorado River Interim Guidelines. The SEIS will lay out options to address the troubling operating conditions facing the river system now and in the future. Public comments submitted by December 20 will be reflected in the draft SEIS to be released next spring, with the final expected in late summer.
November 04, 2022
WRRC Offers Three Events in November
The WRRC has three great events lined up for this month. Next week, on Thursday, November 10, we will be hosting a Brown Bag webinar featuring two University of Arizona (UArizona) graduate students who will each present on their 104(b) research projects. The presentation from Chandler Noyes will address the paleoclimate and past recharge rates in the Tucson Basin across the Holocene.
October 28, 2022
Divine Kickingbird Receives First Rodney Blaine Lewis Scholars Award
The inaugural recipient of the Rodney Blaine Lewis Scholars Award is Divine Kickingbird, who is enrolled at the University of Arizona as a first-year law student and aims to join the graduate program in Tribal Governance.
October 07, 2022
Desalination – A Solution to Dwindling Water Supply?
Desalination is often considered as an important option for augmenting Arizona’s water supply. WRRC Director Sharon Megdal has recently been consulted for news stories from NPR and ABC regarding desalination projects.