Programs

Water RAPIDS (Water Research and Planning Innovations for Dryland Systems) helps communities balance a secure water future for residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural sectors with the water demands of the natural environment. Planning for people and natural resources together will lead to a more sustainable future.

The Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) is a joint effort between Mexico and the United States to evaluate shared aquifers. Under this program, scientists from each country collaborate on producing binational studies on shared waters. The Mexican and U.S. Principal Engineers of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) signed the “Joint Report of the Principal Engineers Regarding the Joint Cooperative Process United States-Mexico” for the TAAP.

Groundwater is increasingly important for meeting water demand across the United States. Forward thinking governance and effective management are necessary for its sustainable use. The U.S. has state governments that are primarily reponsible for groundwater governance (i.e., making laws, policies, and regulations) and management (i.e., implementation of laws, policies, and regulations).

Enabled through a 5-year USDA-NIFA Grant starting in September 2021, interdisciplinary researchers, extension specialists, and graduate students at four universities, along with the USDA, will collaborate to examine ways to sustain irrigated agriculture in the Southwestern United States (SW US). The Agricultural Water Center has been established at UC Davis.

Arizona, Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories are arid/semi-arid lands that face similar water challenges. The Water Resources Research Center has been working to facilitate communication and develop partnerships related to water management and policy in the Middle East. The focus has been on the critical water issues of water-stressed regions and transboundary waters.

As a trusted information and engagement resource for Arizona, the WRRC has undertaken a multi-phase initiative to broaden the range of participation in water resource dialogues. The first phase was uncovering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) trends and patterns in water resources through an extensive literature review.