Congratulations to Pima County Cooperative Extension Director Claire Zucker on her upcoming retirement from the University of Arizona. While it is hard for us to say farewell to Claire, a longtime friend and collaborator, we wish her all the best in this new chapter, wherever it may lead.

The US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has just published its August 2025 24-Month Study, outlining expected hydrologic conditions and reservoir operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead through water year 2026 (from Oct 1, 2025, through Sep 30, 2026). The study highlights the ongoing effects of historic drought across the Colorado River Basin and underscores the importance of developing stronger, long-term management strategies.

The WRRC was saddened to learn of the recent passing of Peter “Andy” Groseta, who served on the WRRC’s External Advisory Committee for many years, sharing his valuable perspective and advice.

Former graduate research assistant (GRA) and research analyst at the WRRC, Aaron Lien, is now serving as the University Consortium Director for the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (SW CASC) and Assistant Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Adaptive Management at the U of A School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

We have received several recent inquiries about data centers and industrial water use and are providing links to some resources on this hot topic for those who wish to learn more.

The WRRC extends congratulations to Julia Denton, who, after a very short hiatus, began her new part-time role as Conference Coordinator and Communications Support Specialist.

As the U of A welcomes new and returning students to campus later this month, we are gearing up for a robust fall webinar lineup. Additionally, the fall semester brings WRRC’s much-anticipated Photo Contest, which is now open for submissions!

Longtime water harvester Martha Retallick is sharing her 20+ years of experience in the new Water Harvesting 101 Podcast. Designed for busy listeners, the short weekly episodes

Mark your calendars — the WRRC 2026 Annual Conference will be held April 14–15, 2026. We are also tentatively planning to offer a pre-conference workshop, which may be held on the afternoon of Monday, April 13.