The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has formed a working group to consider opportunities and challenges related to our understanding and stewardship of America’s groundwater.

The third installment of the international conference, Toward Sustainable Groundwater in Agriculture, was held in Burlingame, California, on June 17–20, 2024. The conference delivered on its promise to link science and policy, with a lineup of workshops and diverse speakers that delved into issues of groundwater management, water quality, and agricultural irrigation and productivity.

The UArizona Eller College of Management hosted an insightful “Breakfast with the Economists” event, which provided rich data and context for business leaders, decision-makers, and anyone curious about the latest trends in Arizona’s economy and the future of Arizona water resources.

Arizona's economy has been booming since the COVID-19 pandemic began to slow. Low unemployment, growing wages and increasing population have persisted for years, but so have less positive indicators like inflation and skyrocketing housing prices.

For the first time in decades, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added new chemicals to the list of substances regulated by drinking water standards and updated the Superfund law, targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

I had the privilege of attending the Water Resources Research Center's annual conference for the first time this year, and I had a fantastic experience.

The WRRC 2024 Annual Conference, Water Solutions Through Partnerships, which took place last week, highlighted examples of collaborations that are successfully addressing Arizona’s water issues. The event was well-attended, with 246 in-person attendees, and 406 others joining virtually on Zoom.

During the second half of February, WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal participated in multiple meetings and conferences. On February 20, she had the pleasure of speaking about the WRRC with Australian visitors sponsored by the Aurora Education Foundation and hosted by the Native Nations Institute of the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy.

The University of Arizona’s Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) is extending the deadline for proposals for the USGS-funded 104(b) small research grants to March 27, 2024.