On Tuesday, September 8, the WRRC held a small meet-and-greet event to welcome our new and returning students.

WRRC director Sharon B. Megdal discusses the Department of the Interior's August 21st issuance of the 2027-2028 Operating Guidelines and the Record of Decision for the Post-2026 Colorado River Operations with Morning Voice host Ted Maxwell.

WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal and Rosario Sánchez co-authored an editorial introducing the completed Water Special Issue in August 2026, “Working Across Borders to Address Water Scarcity: Science, Governance, and Cooperation in a Fragmented World.”

Arizona summers create a “perfect storm” of meteorological conditions for generating the monsoon season, a period of frequent thunderstorms that lasts from mid-June through the end of September. Monsoon thunderstorms are “convective,” meaning they’re caused by warm air rising. During this season, temperatures increase, the ground heats up, and southerly winds carry moisture into the state from the Pacific Ocean. Hot, moist air condenses miles above the ground, then rains down in intense bursts.

On August 27, WRRC Associate in Extension Elia Tapia participated in the Permanent Forum of Binational Waters (PFBW) Science Talk, Tributaries of the Rio Grande and the Colorado River Basins: The Role of Groundwater. The Forum works to improve water and environmental resilience in border communities through scientific research, communication, and education. Its Science Talks initiative provides a platform for sharing current water research and encouraging collaboration.

Noah Rios, former WRRC Graduate Research Assistant and Peace Corps Coverdell Fellow, is continuing his commitment to public service on the global stage.

Water-insecure Southern Arizona residents are well aware of the region’s water scarcity and are already taking steps to conserve. What they’re asking for, according to a June 2026 report from the U of A’s Center for Regional Food Studies, is safe, affordable drinking water and greater transparency about how water is managed.