The water resilience of Native peoples to climate and other exogenous shocks has depended largely on the perseverance of the Native Tribes themselves and will depend increasingly on their own intentions and agency. The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center’s 2021 Annual Conference, Tribal Water Resilience in a Changing Environment, provided a platform for Native American participants to present and discuss their experiences, knowledge, and visions of water resilience. This Arroyo draws extensively on their words.
Susanna Eden

Susanna Eden
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350 North Campbell Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85719
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Water resources policy and management, with focus on negotiated decision making, the role of science in policy and decisions, groundwater recharge and recovery, sustainability and growth, and climate change.
Susanna collaborates on development and implementation of research and outreach programs with relevance to Arizona water resource policy and management. She manages and conducts applied research projects and dissemination of research results. She oversees development of the WRRC's regular publication and edits the quarterly newsletter, Arizona Water Resource.
Publications

The passage of the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Act (GMA) represented a major change in Arizona’s attitudes toward sustainable groundwater management. Prior to enactment of the GMA, there were essentially no restrictions on groundwater withdrawal, except that its use be “reasonable.” Today, groundwater use in most of the populous regions of Arizona is monitored and regulated in the effort to preserve a dependable water supply for generations to come.

Rainwater harvesting can provide a realistic source of water for homeowners living in remote areas or those who for one reason or another prefer not to use their groundwater inside the house. Local groundwater may have problems common in many parts of Arizona: high mineral content, naturally occurring elements such as arsenic and fluoride, and contaminants from various sources, such as overflowing septic tanks, and agricultural, industrial or mining activities. Homeowners may have low-yield or seasonally dry wells and wish to avoid trucking in water.

Community-based solutions to water problems is the theme of the 2020 Arroyo, newly released by the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center. The stories featured in the Arroyo illustrate how communities outside the cities of Central Arizona are approaching local challenges such as limited water supplies and increasing water demand—from traditional infrastructure projects to innovations made possible by new partnerships and cooperative action.

In collaboration with city, county, and academic institutions can open new opportunities to secure new water resources. Green infrastructure is critical to reducing the demand on potable supplies, explain authors Susanna Eden at the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center and at the Pima County Regional Flood Control District.