Somehow, we are already at the threshold of Spring Break at UArizona. As we enter the second half of the semester, the WRRC looks forward to an exciting lineup of Brown Bag webinars and special events.
March 19, 2021
Panel Discussion on Regional Water Sustainability
On Wednesday, March 17, the Arizona Institutes for Resilience, in partnership with the WRRC and the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, hosted the first episode of the Water Solutions for Our Warmer World webinar series. This first session, “Perspectives on Regional Water Sustainability,” brought together an engaging panel from diverse backgrounds to discuss questions such as “How should we define water sustainability,” “What does sustainability look like in the Colorado River Basin,” and “What are the paths forward for more inclusive solutions?” The session moderator, Kathy Jacobs, Director of the UArizona Center for Climate Adaptation Science & Solutions, began the session by highlighting the importance of context in water management, not only in terms of geographic, economic, and policy conditions but also the diversity of lenses through which we all view water sustainability. Then, each panelist provided their personal definition of “sustainability” to frame the discussion.
After an informative, moderated dialogue that incorporated questions from the audience, each panelist made brief closing statements. WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal emphasized that everyone is a stakeholder in water management and can influence decision-makers, calling on attendees to be active in water dialogues, education, and process. Kathryn Sorensen, Director of Research at the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Morrison Institute, noted the need to invest in Arizona’s aging infrastructure. Haley Paul, Policy Director at the National Audubon Society in Arizona, commented on the need to fight the temptation to look for the next bucket of water while not yet having done everything possible to protect the water supply we have. Former Mexican Commissioner for the IBWC Roberto Salmón Castelo asked all present to think outside the box, be creative, be innovative, and invest in research. Tim Thomure, Director of Tucson Water and City of Tucson's Interim Assistant City Manager, added to Commissioner Salmón Castelo’s comments that flexibility contributes to the solutions and that geography matters; solutions are not one size fits all. Chairman Timothy Williams of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe provided the last statement, leaving the audience with a striking image of what inclusion in water management could look like. Chairman Williams described a visual from the signing of the Drought Contingency Plan in 2019 wherein representatives of the US, Mexico, and the basin states stood atop the hoover dam with their flags in celebration. “Imagine,” Chairman Williams said, “if we could have all the flags of the states and the federal government, and all of the tribes of the upper and lower basins represented there… That’s when we are talking about inclusion.”
Episode 2 of the Webinar Series, “Water and COVID-19 in Indian Country,” will be held Wednesday, April 21, from 4:00-5:30 pm MST.
Photo: "Perfect Reflection" by Adriana Greisman, Death Valley, 2017; WRRC Photo Contest 2020
Recent News
February 25, 2022
Study Finds Current Drought Conditions to be Worst in 1200 Years
February 18, 2022
Recently Published White Paper Addresses US-Mexico Cooperation on Water
The white paper, “Water Management on the U.S.-Mexico Border: Achieving Water Sustainability and Resilience Through Cross-Border Cooperation” is posted on our updated Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program website.
February 11, 2022
WRRC Invites Research Proposals
Faculty and research personnel at any of Arizona's three public universities are invited to submit research proposals to the WRRC for grants of up to $10,000. Proposals should feature student work and explore new ideas to address water problems in AZ and the Southwest and expand understanding of water and related phenomena. Proposals are due by 5:00 pm MST on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
More Information
February 11, 2022
SRP Watershed Video Series
The Salt River Project (SRP) has informative educational materials about watersheds available online. A six-part video series focuses on the Salt and Verde Rivers and describes the components of a watershed. These components, from mountain forests to the creeks, work in concert to store and filter water that ultimately is used by households. The videos explain where the water comes from, how and why water is stored, what makes up a watershed, how our water infrastructure works, the role and history of water in Arizona, and the challenges we may face in the future.
