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2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Arizona. Find out more. | | |
IN THIS ISSUE: Reflections, Simone Williams, Shrinking Reservoirs, APW, Waterloop, Trellis | | |
Reflections: On Stockholm World Water Week 2024 and Bridging Borders | |
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Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future was the theme of the 2024 Stockholm World Water Week conference. Organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the conference attracts global participation with its variety of session formats and content. I very much value the opportunity to participate.
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WRRC Water Webinar: Re-Imagining Water Resiliency – The San Diego Story
Date: Monday, Sep 16, 2024
Time: 12:00 pm–1:15 pm Arizona Time
Location: Webinar Only
Speaker:
Dan Denham, General Manager, San Diego County Water Authority
This WRRC Water Webinar will be an overview of how San Diego went from being almost 100% reliant on one imported water supplier to developing one of the most resilient water supplies in the southwest.
Register Here
More Info
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WRRC Water Webinar: Using Green Stormwater Infrastructure Projects to Develop Partnerships, Address Stakeholder Needs, and Build to Future Work
Date: Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024
Time: 12:00 pm–1:15 pm Arizona Time
Location: Webinar Only
Speakers:
Garland Speight, Project Manager, Water Resources Research Center
Todd Pryor, Town Manager, Town of Superior, Arizona
Raluca Mihalcescu, Water Conservation Coordinator, Arizona Water Company
Jim Schenck, Treasurer, Rebuild Superior & Vice President, Legends of Superior Trail
This WRRC Water Webinar will describe how the Town of Superior and associated stakeholders have used the Coleman Alley Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project to help develop partnerships and address water issues on Queen Creek. Panelists will provide a brief history of watershed restoration work efforts for Queen Creek near the Town of Superior, how this group of partners won funding for this Green Stormwater Infrastructure Pilot Project, and the status of project implementation. Partner presentations will provide perspectives on how stakeholder (e.g., community, agencies, NGO) interests were incorporated into planning, highlighting the co-benefits of this project for water conservation, flood control, and climate change mitigation. The presentation will conclude with a brief description of how this project has helped build a foundation for future successes, including recent funding awards that will advance Queen Creek Restoration Planning efforts.
Register Here
More Info
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Upcoming WRRC Events
Other Events
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Spotlight on Simone Williams: New PhD Graduate
The University of Arizona (U of A) Water Resources Research Center is bidding farewell to Simone Williams, WRRC Graduate Research Associate and newly minted PhD in Arid Lands Resource Sciences. Simone brought a global perspective to her work, drawing from her extensive experience in natural resource management and sustainable development across the Caribbean and the United States. At the WRRC, she focused on addressing critical water resource challenges in arid environments. Her research on groundwater vulnerability assessments and sustainable water management strategies contributed significantly to an evaluation of the impacts of agricultural land management practices on groundwater in the Pinal Active Management Area (AMA). Her skill in translating complex scientific data into actionable recommendations for researchers and policymakers was demonstrated in her work for WRRC programs on diversifying voices in water resources and the future of groundwater-dependent agriculture. She was the lead author of the award-winning article Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Water Dialogues: A Review and Conceptualization, participated in national dialogues and stakeholder consultations, presented her research at national and regional conferences, and contributed to the development of the U of A Sustainability & Climate Action Plan. Her scholarship earned her multiple awards, including the Babbitt Dissertation Fellowship (2023) from the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy and the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Richard A. Herbert Scholarship. As Simone moves on from the WRRC, we eagerly anticipate her continued contributions to the field of water resource management. Thank you, Simone! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
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New Study Assesses Declining Reliability of US Reservoirs
We are not alone. While our region focuses on Colorado River shortages, a recently published study analyzes long-term observations of reservoir levels across the United States. Researchers from multiple institutions, including University of Arizona Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences Associate Professor Laura Condon, compared historical patterns and operational rule curves for 250 US reservoirs from 1981 to 2020 to investigate how droughts affect storage. They found that the maximum amount of water stored in these reservoirs is decreasing across the country, and periods of unusually low storage are becoming longer, more variable, and more severe in reservoirs in western and central states. Decreases in maximum storage from sedimentation and decreased annual storage due to changes in climate and hydrology suggest that our reservoirs may become less reliable sources of water and more vulnerable to extreme conditions. The findings of this study and ongoing reservoir monitoring efforts may help reservoir managers adapt to changing conditions. A recent video from the Central Arizona Project (CAP) provides a Colorado River shortage update, with information on how CAP has been working with partners to implement conservation measures to raise the elevation level of water stored in Lake Mead, the key storage reservoir for the lower Colorado River basin.
Image: Trends in annual low-storage anomaly duration. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL109476
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The Mountains Are Calling…
The Arizona Water Festival (AWF) Mountain Series is hitting the upland trail with the latest gear, fresh supplies, and new stories to share with old friends. Is there a verdant Arizona landscape that beckons you to volunteer at an AWF event? If so, you’ll have the chance to guide 4th-grade students as they explore the Arizona water cycle, map our regional watersheds, unearth the local surface-to-groundwater connection, navigate water stewardship, and investigate the relationships between water/heat/people in our (sub)urban environments.
Come for a mid-morning Festival but stay for an all-day adventure! Consider journeying to an Arizona Water Festival that’s set against a spectacular backdrop in one or more of these nearby locations:
You can explore the Water Festival Adventure story map or learn more about volunteering at an Arizona Water Festival on the Arizona Project WET website.
Image: Adriana Greisman. Prescott, AZ. WRRC 2020 Photo Contest
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Podcast Episode Features Emerging Water Leaders
A recent Waterloop podcast episode highlights seven emerging leaders in water. The WaterNow Alliance annually presents Emerging Leader awards to recognize and support promising and creative mid-level water sector professionals from under-represented backgrounds who are driving change in sustainability, equity, and community engagement. The podcast episode presents brief interviews with each of the 2024 winners, discussing their impactful work in water management. Of the seven winners, two work for Tucson Water. Xochitl Coronado-Vargas serves as the Public Outreach Coordinator for Tucson’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) program. She has led initiatives to advance racial equity within Tucson Water and advocated for equitable distribution of investments of GSI as a Departmental Equity Coordinator. Amanda Jones serves as a Project Manager for Tucson Water’s Enterprise Asset Management Program and is also a Departmental Equity Coordinator. She is a trustee-at-large on the AZWater board of directors, co-chair of the AZWater Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and a member of the Diversity and Member Inclusion Committee for the American Water Works Association. In Jones’ previous role at Marana Water, she developed an affordability program and advocated to eliminate shut-offs for non-payment during COVID-19.
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Exciting News: The Weekly Wave is Moving to a New Platform!
This fall, we’re transitioning to Trellis, the University of Arizona's Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system, to deliver our Weekly Wave e-news digest. If you're already subscribed, no action is needed—we’ll automatically transfer your subscription. Stay tuned, more details coming soon!
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WATER JOBS & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES | |
Please visit WRRC's website for a complete listing of water jobs and opportunities. | |
Do you have a story idea, water job announcement, or event to share?
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