On Tuesday, May 2, the WRRC hosted a seminar featuring Dr. Rebecca Bernat, water resources specialist and technical administrator for the Arizona Water Banking Authority (AWBA), who discussed how AWBA distributes water from the Colorado River. Bernat began by explaining the relationships between AWBA, the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, all of which work together to manage and distribute available water resources. Bernat used a live map of long-term storage credits to demonstrate where water is stored and how the credit system works. She also outlined how other states have different terms of agreement with AWBA and explained how this affects water replenishment accreditation, though only Nevada currently stores Colorado River water using the AWBA system. With university graduations rapidly approaching, Bernat, who is a former WRRC Graduate Research Assistant, concluded her presentation by sharing current job opportunities for students with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the fields of Hydrology, Water Resource Specialization, and Application Development. The presentation was followed by a brief Q&A.
Image: Brian F. O'Neill, Colorado River