According to various news stories, the catastrophic fires currently raging through the greater Los Angeles region have led to 20% of fire hydrants running dry, resulting in firefighters discontinuing their use. The extraordinarily high water demands needed to fight the fires plaguing the LA area have drained storage facilities and lowered water pressure in the regional patchwork of hydrant systems.

As part of a three-year study on groundwater from coast to coast, University of Arizona Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences Associate Professor Laura Condon and researchers from Princeton University created a simulation of groundwater paths.

This month, the WRRC welcomes two new members to its team: Anna Msigwa and Luna Falk. Dr. Anna Msigwa, who is an accomplished visiting scholar, joins us from Tanzania through the PEER2PEER fellowship program and will be spending the next month working on a transboundary water security project.

A decade ago, I moved to Tucson after living in the lush “Nature Coast” of Central Florida. I was apprehensive about moving into the dustbowl of a desert that I had imagined. One of the first hiking areas I explored after arriving was Lower Tanque Verde Falls—and I will never forget my first visit.

The dissertation research of Simone Williams continues to enrich the scientific landscape. The journal Land has recently published a research article by Williams and others, including WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal.

On December 19, 2024, after a year-long effort of conducting informational meetings and forums, public comments, and evidence, the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) initiated proceedings to designate the Willcox Groundwater Basin as a subsequent active management area (AMA).

In Arizona, many rural communities rely heavily on well water as their primary water source. While urban areas benefit from large-scale water infrastructure, countless families in more remote regions depend on private wells to meet their daily needs.

The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), a group of unpaid advisors, was appointed by the federal government to recommend potential actions that would address groundwater depletion in the US. Because each aquifer is unique, with different sizes, weather conditions, water uses, and populations drawing from it, effective groundwater management calls for thoughtful engagement from local stakeholders.

WRRC’s Instagram profile is up and running again after our previous account was deleted for an unknown reason. Follow us (@uofawrrc) to get updates on WRRC events, webinars, photo contest submissions, and more.