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April 13, 2018 / Volume 6, Issue 15
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Water Roots: A Series to Celebrate Springs, Streams, Culture, and Citizen Science
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This spring, the WRRC and Sky Island Alliance are highlighting water as the building block of life in the arid southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. Join us for a series of talks and events where we will share stories and learn about water for wildlife, landscapes, and human populations in this unique region. Make your own statement by sending us a photo of water - we will include it in a visual display of the many values of
water, to be unveiled later in the year.
Click here for a list of upcoming events
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Time/Location:
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell Ave.)
Speaker: Chris Castro
, Associate Professor, Hydrology / Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona
In his presentation, Dr. Chris Castro will describe research on the changing occurrence and intensity of monsoon rains. This research focuses on the simulation of severe weather events caused by mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), which account for much of monsoon rainfall in the central and southwestern portions of Arizona, downwind of the Mogollon Rim. Over the past 60 years, there have tended to be fewer strong, organized MCS-type thunderstorms during the monsoon; however, when they do occur, their associated precipitation tends to be more intense. Central/southwestern Arizona appears to be a local hot spot for increasingly intense precipitation and downdraft winds. Dr. Castro is a UA faculty member in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, where his current research focusses on the understanding and prediction of climate through atmospheric modeling and analysis of observations.
If you can't make
the
seminar on April 17, you can join us
here
.
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Time/Location:
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. / WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell Ave.)
Speaker:
Melanie Stansbury, Sr. Advisor and Consultant, Utton Transboundary Resources Center, University of New Mexico
What does water security mean in the 21st Century and how do we reconfigure water policy for a more sustainable future? Although drought and water scarcity have driven conflict throughout history, there are increasing efforts across the U.S. to bring a more collaborative and systems-based approach to water governance. This talk examines the current water policy landscape and the ways in which a clash of paradigms is playing out between the legacy systems of the past and the new paradigm solutions of the future. Case studies of several major water policy efforts at the national level--including legislation and regulatory efforts in the current and past Congress--provide a lens for examining how these tensions are reflected in federal policy making. This talk will also explore the frontier of water policy making in the U.S. and what that may look like going forward in a time of great political, social, and hydrologic change.
This presentation will not be recorded.
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Time/Location:
11:00 a.m. - Noon / ENR2, S107 (1064 E. Lowell St., Tucson)
Speaker:
Jim Burling, Esq., Vice President of Litigation and Principal Attorney for Property Rights, Pacific Legal Foundation
Jim Burling has been with Pacific Legal Foundation since 1983 and his cases involve regulatory takings, environmental and land use regulations, eminent domain, and Indian law. In 2001, he successfully argued a leading property rights case, Palazzolo v. Rhode Island, before the United States Supreme Court. He is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education courses on topics such as the regulation of wetlands, eminent domain, and the "taking" of private property. In 2013, Mr. Burling was awarded the Crystal Eagle Award by the Owners Counsel of America in recognition of his work on behalf of property rights.
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Time/Location:
5:30-7 p.m. / Borderlands Brewing Company (119 E. Toole Ave., Tucson)
Speaker:
Samantha Hammer, Conservation Biologist & GIS Specialist, Sky Island Alliance
Join us for a pint and presentation on the interesting things we've been learning about springs in our Sky Island Wilderness areas. Ever wondered what springs in the wilderness look like--or how many are out there? This presentation will take you on a tour of springs surveyed with help from dozens of intrepid citizen science volunteers who did some serious scrambling and orienteering to bring us this new information. You'll also get a brief introduction to the techniques used to gather information through springs surveys and how this is helping protect our wildest waters and guide restoration and conservation of these amazing oases in the sky islands.
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 WRRC Mourns the Loss of Rod Lewis
This week the WRRC was saddened to learn of the death of our friend Rod Lewis, Gila River Indian Community member, who served as General Counsel for the Community for many years. Mr. Lewis earned a place among Arizona's most notable public figures through his tireless work for the Community and the people of Arizona. He led negotiation for the Community that resulted in the Arizona Water Settlements Act of 2004. He was one of the first members of an Arizona Indian Tribe to become a member of the State Bar of Arizona and the first member of any Indian Tribe to appear before the United States Supreme Court. He was appointed to the CAWCD Board in March 2017, the first Native American to serve on that board, where WRRC Director Sharon Megdal had the pleasure of serving with him,
A good friend of the WRRC over the years, Mr. Lewis was a guest lecturer in Dr. Megdal's graduate water policy class in each of the past two Spring semesters. As Dr. Megdal put it, "We all admired Rod Lewis. He took seriously his role in training the next generation of water professionals. He was generous with his knowledge and expertise and happy to share it." Former student, Anna Hohag, now with California Indian Legal Services, characterized him as "a legend to us Indian water rights enthusiasts" and said, "I am grateful that your class allowed us the privilege of meeting and learning from him."
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Student Research Recognized in Earth Week Events
It's that time of year. In honor of Earth Week, students are showcasing their work in oral presentations and posters at events organized by their academic departments. This week the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Science held its annual El Día del Agua y Atmósfera on Monday and the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science held "SWESx" on Wednesday and Thursday. Several students with connections to the WRRC participated in both events. Tim Lahmers, the WRRC's 2017 Summer Writing Intern, spoke and Joel Atwood, the WEES Graduate Assistant, and Erin Gray, former student assistant for Arizona Project WET, both had posters at El Día. At SWESx, Valerisa Joe and Rebecca Bernat both made oral presentations. Joe is a graduate student in Jean McLain's water quality laboratory and Bernat has worked with WRRC Director Sharon Megdal. Three student researchers who were awarded federal grants through the WRRC also presented: Ravindra Dwivedi - an oral presentation - and Amanda Minke - a poster - at El Día, and Rob Lynch - an oral presentation - at SWESx. Victoria Hermosilla, who, with the help of Atwood and other HAS students, organized the 2018 El Día, will be joining the WRRC this month to assist with work on the Water RAPIDS program.
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Have You Taken the Pledge?
Every year thousands of Tucson residents take the water conservation pledge as part of the annual Wyland National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation. Mayors from more than 4,800 cities participate in this challenge and collaborate with various organizations to promote it. The annual month-long campaign takes place from April 1st to 30th.
Arizona Project WET partners with Tucson Water each year to endorse the challenge at schools and outreach events across Tucson. The pledge empowers you to make small changes in your daily life to help conserve water. It's more than a commitment to save water, it is a way to encourage and promote a community ethic of water conservation.
Take the pledge. You'll be taking a stand for Tucson's cherished water resources!
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Jean McLain Presents Invited Talk at CDC Meeting in Vancouver
On April 3, WRRC Research Scientist Jean McLain traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia at the invitation of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Kingdom Science and Innovation Network. The Vancouver meeting gathered 200 renowned scientists from around the world to discuss the impact of environmental contamination by antibiotic resistant bacteria and potential risks to human health. The white paper co-authored by meeting attendees will be used to guide the development of high-impact research studies that focus on steps needed to mitigate the risk of antibiotic resistant infections in developing countries and modern nations.
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The Central Arizona Project (CAP) has announced its student research paper competition for 2018. The purpose of the competition is multifold: to encourage and support water research, and to raise public awareness of CAP and of water issues affecting CAP water users. Undergraduate and graduate students at any college or university in the state of Arizona are welcome to submit their original, unpublished research focusing on water issues that affect Central and Southern Arizona and/or the Colorado River. Papers may address legal, economic, political, environmental, or water management issues, or other issues that might be of interest to CAP or Arizona water users. The first place winner will receive $1000 and second place winner will receive $500, in addition to receiving a scholarship to attend and present their research at the 2018 Arizona Hydrologic Society Annual Symposium. Submissions which can be made through the CAP website, will be accepted until June 1, 2018.
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