August 2, 2024 / Volume 12, Issue 6

The Water Resources Research Center - a research unit of the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences and an Extension unit in UA Cooperative Extension within the Division of Agriculture, Life & Veterinary Sciences & Cooperative Extension.

Land Acknowledgement.

Subscribe to the Summer Wave

View as Webpage

IN THIS ISSUE: Webinar Recap, Santa Cruz County, Amanda Trakas, Tribal Water, Family Farm Alliance

At the WRRC Water Webinar on July 17, attendees heard from Kristen Johnson, Colorado River Programs Manager for the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), and Vineetha Kartha, Colorado River Programs Manager for the Central Arizona Project (CAP). The two gave a joint presentation on the Lower Basin Alternative proposed earlier this year to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) by the Lower Colorado River Basin states. The proposal is intended for use in the development of new operating guidelines for the river following the expiration of the current guidelines in 2026. Johnson and Kartha discussed the key paradigm shifts in the way shortages on the river are determined and allocated, which were highlighted in the Alternative. The proposed approach includes basing determinations on total system contents—multiple reservoirs, not just Lake Mead — and current river conditions, rather than 24-month projections. The proposal was developed using five different hydrologies that Reclamation selected that represent a wide range of minimum and maximum flow sequences. This allows the states to plan for a plausible range of future conditions, including extended dry periods. The webinar presentation included “heat maps” and other graphics to illustrate potential future conditions and how the proposed Alternative would address them. The recorded presentation and slides are available on the WRRC event webpage.

• View the Recording
• Lower Basin Alternative FAQs
• More Info

Upcoming WRRC Events

• Aug 21: Water Study Session for the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Meeting (10 am–12 pm); Organized by the WRRC – Save the Date!
• May 20–21, 2025: WRRC 2025 Annual Conference: Shared Borders, Shared Waters: Working Together in Times of Scarcity – Save the Date!

Other Events

• Aug 8–9: Arizona Water Law Conference: In the Eye of the Storm
• Sep 9–10: 12^th Annual Tribal Water Law Conference

WRRC Organizes Santa Cruz County Water Study Session

The WRRC is organizing a Water Study Session for an upcoming Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting, at which WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal will give a presentation on the Arizona Water Factsheet series, including an overview of the Santa Cruz County Water Factsheet. Megdal will also provide updates on the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) and the Governor's Water Policy Council. Second on the agenda, ADEQ's Environmental Justice Coordinator Joaquin Marruffo and Environmental Science Specialist Claudia Gil Anaya will present on Transboundary Water Issues in the Ambos Nogales Region. The final speaker, ADWR Statewide Planning Manager Collin Wogenstahl, will provide updates on the upcoming Supply & Demand Report for the Santa Cruz AMA. The meeting will be held in Nogales, AZ, on August 21 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

­­Amanda Trakas Accepts New Position in Indiana

Last month, the WRRC bid a fond farewell to Amanda Trakas, who carried the title of Statewide Water Information Manager over the past two years and had been working for us remotely. During this time, Amanda spearheaded the expansion and completion of the Arizona Water Factsheet series, working with stakeholders across Arizona’s counties. She recently accepted a new position with the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water and says the focus of her new role as a Source Water Specialist is “protecting and managing drinking water sources for rural communities in Indiana, building relationships with local stakeholders, developing protection plans, and providing technical assistance.” When asked to reflect on her time at the WRRC, Amanda responded that she was “grateful for the opportunities to work with diverse partners across the state and alongside the engaged staff at the WRRC. Together, we have expanded access to vital water information and resources for Arizona stakeholders.” She also said she was thankful for “the support and collaboration over the past two years” and that she felt “very privileged to carry forward skills and experiences from the WRRC to support Indiana’s waterways and rural water partners.”

­­UACW Releases Tribal Water Funding Handbook

The Initiative on Universal Access to Clean Water (UACW) for Tribal Communities has published a Tribal Water Funding Handbook. The handbook was designed as a reference guide for Tribes seeking to obtain funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support projects that improve and maintain access to clean drinking water and serve as a road map to help Tribes navigate the entire funding process. The four main topics presented in the handbook are Water Access Requirements, Funding Landscapes, Funding Pathways, and Funding Summaries. Additional resources are available on UACW’s website.

Tribal Water Funding Handbook

UACW Resources

­­Paul Orme is New Family Farm Alliance President

In July, the Family Farm Alliance (Alliance) Board of Directors unanimously appointed Paul Orme as its sixth president. Orme is a water lawyer and fourth-generation rancher and farmer in central Arizona. He has served on the Alliance’s Board of Directors since 2021 and is a long-time member of the organization’s Advisory Committee. Orme’s presidency follows that of the late Patrick O’Toole, who served as president of the organization for 19 years and whose passing in February 2024 was a tragic loss for the agricultural community. In a recent Alliance newsletter, Orme was quoted as saying “No one individual can duplicate [O’Toole’s] impact on the Alliance and Western agriculture in general, but we must continue with the wonderful direction he has taken the Alliance over the past two decades.” In addition to his involvement with the Alliance, he is a member of the Arizona Agribusiness and Water Council and the Arizona Cattle Growers Association, serves on the Arizona Farm and Ranch Group Board of Directors, and recently joined the WRRC’s External Advisory Committee. Orme will serve as Family Farm Alliance president through October 2025, or until the Board selects a longer-term candidate.

Family Farm Alliance

• AMWUA Legal Consultant
• Arizona Water Company Water Resources Analyst
• Audubon Southwest Water Policy Fellow
• City of Chandler Water Resources Analyst
• National Wildlife Federation Senior Specialist, Riparian Connectivity
• National Wildlife Federation Western Water Senior Specialist
• University of Arizona Udall Center Environmental Policy Program Coordinator (Limited to Current U of A Employees)
• Watershed Management Group Paid Apprenticeships (Multiple Positions)

Please visit WRRC's website for a complete listing of water jobs and opportunities.

Registration Open for 2024 AWRA, UCOWR, NIWR 60^th Anniversary Joint Conference

Join the American Water Resources Association, the Universities Council on Water Resources, and the National Institutes for Water Resources in bringing together a professional community of 60 years! Attendees from each organization will have a unique opportunity to experience higher-level networking, engagement, and learning through the theme Celebrating the Past and Planning for the Future of Water. The Super Saver Deadline is August 10, and the Early Bird Deadline is September 10. Register Here

More Info

New Study Finds Alarming Rise In Persistent 'Forever Chemicals' In Pesticides

A peer-reviewed study just published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives has found that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” are increasingly being added to U.S. pesticide products, contaminating waterways and posing potential threats to human health. (Source: Water Online) More Info

AMWUA Seeks Legal Services

Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) invites proposals from qualified attorneys and law firms to provide legal consulting services for AMWUA. Please submit your letter or any questions to Warren Tenney at wtenney@amwua.org. 

The first review of letters of interest will be on August 15, 2024. More Info 

Rural Groundwater Resilience Workshops Call for Interest

The Arizona Water Innovation Initiative Impact Water – Arizona program, in partnership with the Arizona Institute for Resilience at the University of Arizona and the Lincoln Institute’s Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy, will collaborate with local leaders to host a series of Rural Groundwater Resilience Workshops. These workshops will address local groundwater issues and empower communities to collaboratively develop and implement strategies for managing groundwater depletion. Interested communities are encouraged to fill out an Application of Interest. Initial application review will begin August 16th. Early applications are encouraged. Submissions are due by 5:00 pm MST on September 16, 2024. More Info

• Aug 8–9: Arizona Water Law Conference: In the Eye of the Storm
• Aug 10: 2024 AWRA, UCOWR, NIWR 60^th Anniversary Joint Water Resources Conference – Super Saver Deadline
• Aug 15: Agricultural Water Management Journal Special Issue: Water Scarcity Solutions for Irrigated Agriculture in the Warming Western US – Manuscript Submission Deadline
• Aug 18: AWRA 2025 Spring Conference – Topical Session Deadline
• Aug 21: Water Study Session for the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Meeting (10 am–12 pm); Organized by the WRRC – Save the Date!
• Aug 23: ABWC 2024 Annual Meeting & Water Conference: Murky Water in Arizona
• Aug 30: Arizona Water Protection Fund FY2025 Grant Cycle – Application Deadline
• Sep 9–10: 12^th Annual Tribal Water Law Conference
• Sep 9–11: NSS National Conference: Innovation, Implementation, and Workforce Development for Sustainability
• Sep 10: 2024 AWRA, UCOWR, NIWR 60th Anniversary Joint Water Resources Conference – Early Bird Deadline
• Sep 16: Rural Groundwater Resilience Workshops – Submission Deadline
• Sep 30–Oct 2: 2024 AWRA, UCOWR, NIWR 60^th Anniversary Joint Water Resources Conference: Celebrating the Past and Planning for the Future of Water
• Oct 11: 2025 UCOWR/NIWR Annual Water Resources Conference – Special Session Proposal Deadline
• Apr 28–30, 2025: AWRA 2025 Spring Conference: Development Risks & Challenges in Changing Climate Conditions
• May 20–21, 2025: WRRC 2025 Annual Conference: Shared Borders, Shared Waters: Working Together in Times of Scarcity – Save the Date!
• Jun 3–5, 2025: 2025 UCOWR/NIWR Annual Water Resources Conference
• Jul 8–11, 2025: One Water Summit 2025