Reflections

A commentary series by University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center Director Sharon B. Megdal, Reflections essays are published several times a year through the Weekly Wave.

Please click the button below to access a compendium of Reflections.

Compendium (PDF)

Sweetwater Wetlands. Photo: Sharon B. Megdal

Sep 2022

Reflections: Connecting Globally at Stockholm World Water Week

National Audubon Society, Felicia Marcus, Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program, and Susan Daniel, Secretary for the United States…

Aerial view of the Colorado River, near Parshall, Colorado

Aug 2022

Reflections: The Colorado River Is Not Waiting

The week of August 15 was full of news about the Colorado River. As announced by US Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton in mid-June,…

Jul 2022

Reflections: On Key Themes from the WRRC's 20th Annual Conference

The Water Resources Research Center’s annual conference, Arizona’s Agricultural Outlook: Water, Climate, and Sustainability, was held July 12–14, 2022.…

May 2022

Reflections: Energized by Highly Engaged Students

This Spring Semester I once again taught my graduate class, Water Policy in Arizona and Semi-arid Regions. Like last year, I had a good-sized seminar class,…

Apr 2022

Reflections: Commemorating World Water Day 2022, Part II

In Part I of this two-part Reflections, I discussed how World Water Day is celebrated each year on March 22. The 2022 World Water…

Mar 2022

Reflections: Commemorating World Water Day 2022, Part I

On World Water Day, 2019, I published my first Reflections essay. The United Nations established March 22 as World Water Day in 1993 to raise awareness of…

Feb 2022

Reflections: Looking Back 20 Years and a Call to Action

February 14 is an important date for me – and not only because it is Valentine’s Day and Arizona Statehood Day. February 14 is also the anniversary date of my…

Jan 2022

Reflections: On Connecting Land Planning and Water Planning

Land planners and water planners often work in separate silos. Though all recognize that different land uses have different water requirements, land use…

Nov 2021

Reflections: Water, Recharge, and Life

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR), the term commonly used for the practice of storing water underground, often for later recovery or use, is a widely deployed…

Oct 2021

Reflections: On the Meaning of Indigenous Water Resilience

Prior to the WRRC’s 2021 Annual Conference, Tribal Water Resilience in a Changing Environment, I penned an essay entitled “On the Meaning of Water Resilience.”

Aug 2021

Reflections: Adapting to a Drier Future

On August 16, 2021, the United States Bureau of Reclamation announced a Tier 1 Shortage to go into effect on January 1, 2022. This declaration of cutbacks in…

Jul 2021

Reflections: On the Meaning of Water Resilience

Resilience seems to have replaced security in discussions of water availability. Because the term was appearing everywhere, I started thinking…

half glass of water in front of the hoover dam

Jun 2021

Reflections: Returning to the (Virtual) Classroom

Each Spring Semester I teach a graduate class, Water Policy in Arizona and Semi-arid Regions. This year marked my return to teaching after a one-year hiatus…

Apr 2021

Reflections: On April 4, Easter, and the Earthquake

In 2021, the Easter holiday once again fell on April 4, which happens to be my birthday. This coincidence previously happened in 1999 and 2010. For different…

Apr 2021

Reflexiones: abril 4, domingo de Pascua y el terremoto

En 2021, el domingo de Pascua coincidió nuevamente con el día 4 de abril, que por cierto es día de mi cumpleaños. Esta coincidencia también había sucedido en…