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May 31, 2019 / Volume 7, Issue 2
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Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is the intentional recharge (and storage) of water into an aquifer for future recovery or for environmental benefits. Mary Belle Cruz Ayala, a Ph.D. Student in Arid Lands Resource Sciences and a Graduate Research Assistant at the WRRC, recently presented her research on this topic at the 10th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR10) in Madrid, Spain. Her presentation, "Use of Managed Aquifer Recharge to Improve Water Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Mexico," presented results from the first paper from her Ph.D. dissertation. ISMAR10 showcases strategies of meeting future demands with secure supplies of clean water by storing water underground. Topics included sustainable technical solutions, water quality and health aspects, and the impacts of managed aquifer recharge on ecosystems.
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ARE YOU SMART WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE WATER USE?
Join the next Smartscape training session for landscape professionals and increase your knowledge in the design, installation, irrigation, and maintenance of desert landscapes.
The University of Arizona, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension is accepting registrations for the summer/fall 2019 Smartscape series! Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays between July 9th and August 8th from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension office: 4341 East Broadway Road Phoenix, AZ 85040.
Seats are limited and fill fast, so register today!
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 2019 Summer Writing Intern Joins WRRC
The WRRC is happy to introduce our 2019 Summer Writing Intern, selected from among an outstanding group of applicants. Emily Joiner is an MS student in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Her research focuses on defining economic resilience for exurban and rural communities. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Arizona State University who has worked on water use and conservation projects for the City of Gilbert and the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy. She believes strongly in the importance of communicating technical information from the environmental, economic, and social sciences to non-academic audiences. For the WRRC, Emily will be involved in research and writing for the 2020 Arroyo, our annual publication on a timely water topic. This year's topic is community-based solutions to water challenges in Arizona.
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The WRRC Reaches Out in 2018
Did you know that in 2018, WRRC Brownbags had 710 attendees or that Arizona Project Wet trained 460 teachers? How about that the McLain Water Quality Research lab counted $2.7 million in collaborative funding, or that 33 Arizona communities were reached through WRRC activities? Each year, we at the Water Resources Research Center recap our activities in a 4-page WRRC Highlights document, which has now been released online as well as being available in hard copy at the WRRC. Learn about our funding, online resources and more. And while we are at it, we thank you for being one of over 2,630 subscribers to this Weekly and Summer Wave e-newsletter!
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Nogales High School Students Host Water Festival
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"Hey! I remember that!" was a common exclamation at the Nogales Water Festival Training this spring. On May 9, Nogales High School hosted the 9th Annual Nogales Water Festival, with lessons being led by high school students. To supplement the learning of these young presenters, teachers Rebecca Gil and Roda Mongen invited students on a field trip to Tumacacori National Historic Park, where students explored the Santa Cruz River and its history in their community to provide greater context to the water festival lessons they would be presenting. This unique model, in which high school students are the main drivers of Arizona Water Festival lessons presented to 4th graders, began in Nogales in 2009 with the NHS Science Club. This year, some of those former fourth graders are Science and 4-H Club members and Water Festival volunteers themselves, and were excited to share their knowledge with younger students. Many thanks to the staff and students of Nogales High School for being such outstanding Water Festival hosts!
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Photo Credit: Bob Wick/BLM |
San Pedro River Issues Explained on The Buzz
On May 10,
The Buzz,
an NPR interview-focused show for southern Arizona,
hosted a panel discussion about the present and future health of the San Pedro River. The first panel featured
Holly Richter, Arizona Water Projects director for the Nature Conservancy, and Michael Bogan, aquatic ecologist and assistant professor at the University of Arizona. The second panel featured Scott Feldhausen, Gila District manager for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Sara Ransom, Cochise County Deputy Attorney, and Michael Gregory, a local grassroots San Pedro River advocate. The discussion touched on river water needs for species diversity and riparian health as well as the San Pedro River National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) water adjudication trial, a recent case to decide federally-reserved water rights that will address conservation water needs and population growth impacts. Closing briefs on this case are due August 30, 2019, with objections due at the end of September. More information about management of this area can be found in the SPRNCA Resource Management Plan, which was proposed by the BLM in April 2019 and will guide land-use decisions on the property for the next 15 to 20 years.
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| WRRC Associate Director Claire Zucker speaks about Arizona's water issues in Arizona Chamber Business News article spotlighting UA's No. 1 position for water resources in Shanghai Academic Ranking of World Universities. |
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