On Thursday, September 4, 2025, Luke Cole presented a WRRC Water Webinar, titled “The Santa Cruz: A River of Transition and Hope.” Dr. Cole, who is the Director of the Santa Cruz River Program at the Sonoran Institute, paid tribute to the Santa Cruz River, which has provided life-sustaining water for 12,000 years. Today, many stretches of the river are dry in areas where the bedrock is hundreds of feet deep; however, efforts are helping to refresh the flow of the Santa Cruz River in the Tucson area.
Longtime Collaborator Joins WRRC Staff
The WRRC is pleased to announce that Elia Tapia, a longtime collaborator and friend to the WRRC, recently joined our staff as the new Associate in Extension, TAAP & Water RAPIDS. Welcome to the WRRC, Elia!
New Publication Details 20 Years of Rainwater Harvesting
One Tucson household has released a report describing their rainwater harvesting efforts over the past two decades to show that rainwater harvesting is a viable option for conserving water in the arid southwest. Biologists Charles J. Cole and Carol R. Townsend installed a rainwater harvesting system in their home in the Tucson Mountains, allowing them to gather enough water to fully sustain nearly all their household water needs, including providing for a vegetable garden and swimming pool.
U of A President Garimella Recognizes WRRC in Annual Report
In his recent annual letter, “Celebrating Our First Year Together: U of A 2024-25,” U of A President Suresh Garimella highlighted the essential role of engagement across the university and spotlighted the WRRC as one example of how the university brings people together.