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March 1, 2019 / Volume 7, Issue 7
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Tucson Hosts International Water Symposium
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From South Australia to southern Arizona, water is life. Communities, businesses, and wildlife all depend on scarce water supplies in a tenuous balance between deficit and prosperity.
On April 2-3, the WRRC and Sky Island Alliance will co-convene the Desert Waters International Symposium in partnership with the University of Adelaide, Australia in order to pool ideas around what works for providing water to natural areas. These areas - including the plants and animals that rely on the presence of water - are still considered to be the "forgotten sector" of Arizona water law and regulation. Many ideas and potential lessons learned from our international neighbors can help Arizona reframe the link between healthy watersheds and healthy, thriving businesses and communities. The program includes a series of panels with perspectives from a range of backgrounds in the Colorado River Basin in the U.S. and Mexico and the Murray-Darling River Basin in Australia. Join us for an action-oriented discussion of how to balance social and economic water demands, while considering and providing water for natural areas.
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March 14, 2019
Speaker: Crystal Tulley-Cordova, Principal Hydrologist, Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources - Water Management Branch
The North American monsoon (NAM) is a significant summertime feature of climate in the southwestern United States; NAM is an important contributor to total annual precipitation in the Four Corners region. For the northern extent of NAM, an observational spatiotemporal study of this substantial precipitation contributor has been understudied. Little is known about source contributors to NAM in the Four Corners region, that details about NAM and its relationship to associated water resources can be better understood using oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes. This study characterized the spatiotemporal variability of NAM precipitation stations and meteoric waters by examining stable isotopic samples, from 2014 to 2017, collected at 39 precipitation sites, 185 groundwater wells, 7 lakes, 25 streams, and 45 springs located within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
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In September 2018, leaders from government, industry, and not-for-profit organizations shared their water experiences and lessons at the First Cobre Valley Forum on Water. We learned about local and regional opportunities to create a more resilient water future for healthy communities, businesses, and the environment. Since then, the WRRC and community partners have been working to make progress on some of the top priorities related to water and community well-being. Join us to learn about recent progress and project results, engage with local decision makers, and ask questions and share ideas about water in the Globe-Miami area.
Presentation topics include:
- Water and Supply Demand
- Trails and Environmental Stewardship
- Water Education and Awareness
- Connectivity Planning
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UPCOMING BROWN BAGS
- March 19 Monica Ramirez-Andreotta and Jean McLain - Project Harvest
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The expo is recognized by customers and exhibitors as one of the area's best water-themed events. There will be a variety of activities at the free expo for the entire family, including an educational bird demonstration by Liberty Wildlife. Also, exhibitors will be presenting information on ways to save water, landscape professionals will be on site to provide advice, and representatives from several Valley cities will be available to discuss their rebates and water conservation programs.
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On February 20th, Mark Brusseau, Professor in University of Arizona's Department of Soil Water and Environmental Science, gave an excellent presentation about per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at the WRRC Brownbag. Dr. Brusseau explained that PFAS comprise a large family of compounds and he described their various applications, which range from non-stick materials to stain-resistant materials, to cleaning products, paints and food packaging, resulting in their widespread distribution in the environment. He presented maps of the U.S. and of Tucson showing groundwater sites with PFAS detections. Based on public water utility data, six million people in the U.S. may be affected by these contaminants. Dr. Brusseau also described human exposure and regulatory controls and provided insight into the chemical structure of these compounds. Their low volatility, relatively high aqueous solubility, low transformational potential, and frequent occurrence in mixtures present significant analytical constraints and make them uniquely persistent in the environment.
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Photo Credit: Degree Search UA College of Engineering
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On March 14, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) will hold its 2019 Science and Engineering Excellence Banquet in the University of Arizona Student Union. This annual event brings together University of Arizona faculty, staff, and students - as well as members of industry and the general public - who support the efforts of WISE to engage women and girls in science and engineering careers. This no-cost event will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Rebecca Diaz Brinton, Director of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science. WRRC Research Scientist Jean E. McLain has served on the Advisory Committee for WISE since 2013
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The American Water Resources Association's (AWRA) January 2019 issue of
Water Resources IMPACT, a bi-monthly magazine, featured an article about Arizona's water planning efforts. Written by Einav Henenson, Deputy Area Director for Arizona's Active Management Areas in the Arizona Department of Water Resources, the article focuses on Arizona's history of active groundwater management through its Active Management Areas, the state's rural water management efforts, drought planning, and drought contingency planning. AWRA also released a study of state water plans, which is available online. You can access this article and January 2019
Water Resources IMPACT using the link below.
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Photo Credit: Georgia Ehlers |
WRRC Student Presents at Coverdell Outreach and Research Poster Showcase
WRRC's Graduate Outreach Assistant and Coverdell Fellow, Chris Freimund, presented a poster, "Meeting the Water Resources Research Center's Mission through Outreach", at the UA Coverdell program's Outreach and Research Poster Showcase on February 22nd. After Chris finished his Peace Corps work in Guatemala, he came to the University of Arizona to obtain a Master's degree in Natural Resources. The Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Fellowship helps returned Peace Corps volunteers pay for and succeed in graduate school. This year, to celebrate Peace Corps Week, the Coverdell program hosted its first Outreach and Research Poster Showcase. Each of the fellows had the opportunity to present and share the positive work that they have been doing alongside community partners in their assistantship organizations. Chris's poster described the two projects he has been working on in collaboration with WRRC staff: our annual conference, and a water education project in the Green Valley area called Know About Your Water.
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