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June 28, 2019 / Volume 7, Issue 4
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2019 Arroyo Now Available
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Few pairings provoke as passionate a response as the coupling of water and money; however, water is deeply rooted in our market economy. The newly published 2019 Arroyo, "Water, Business, and the Business of Water," takes this truism as a jumping-off point for its survey of the ways in which water and business intersect. The inspiration for this Arroyo came from "The Business of Water," the WRRC 2018 Annual Conference.
Drawing from and expanding on the conference presentations, this Arroyo offers a brief but comprehensive review focusing on Arizona and the Southwest.
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Arizona Water Law Conference
Date / Time: August 1-2, at 8:00 a.m - 5:30 p.m.
Location: Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas
The Arizona Water Law Conference will give you the facts, opinions, and in-depth analysis you need to stay on top of important water issues, including the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan, Assured Water Supply, developments in federal water quality laws, effluent reuse, and more.
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 Reviving the River
Monday, June 24th was a day to celebrate the sight and sound of water flowing down the Santa Cruz River on a hot and cloudless day. Approximately 300 people joined Tucson Water to hear speeches, see flowing water, and help to celebrate the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project and its release of recycled water into the river just south of downtown Tucson. It was surprising to see how much water was released and we understand it has already made its way northward past St. Mary's Road. From a water resource perspective, this release represents a change in the way Tucson earns groundwater recharge credits from recycled water. Since the Arizona legislature approved the Drought Contingency Plan legislation, Tucson can receive credit for 95% of the 2.8 mgd released into the Santa Cruz by the Heritage Project, reviving the river and storing water for the future. We at the WRRC congratulate all those who helped make this happen.
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Guest View - Tracking the summer monsoon By Mike Crimmins, UA Climate Scientist, ENVS
The summer monsoon season is upon us again! The sun is high in the sky, temperatures have climbed to their highest levels of the year, and the cicadas are buzzing. We wait in great anticipation now for the first signs of monsoon moisture creeping in from the south. Monsoon moisture doesn't guarantee rainfall in your backyard though. Monsoon thunderstorms are notorious for producing highly localized and often extreme amounts of precipitation. This means that even in the same neighborhood some people can observe inches of rain while down the street the pavement is dry.
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What will the future of the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project hold?
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As Tucsonans gathered on the banks of the Santa Cruz River on Monday to celebrate the release of water into the river, many harkened back to the historical Tucson when the river's waters were a central part of our community. Arizona Project WET is excited about the return of the water and what that could mean for the future of our community. Since 2005, APW has partnered with Tucson Water to support the utility's water education efforts, reaching thousands of students every year.
In the coming years, we're looking forward to working with students to monitor development of the riparian habitat expected to grow along the river where recycled water is now flowing. We will use this new resource to engage students in scientific discovery and help build a sense of place and an appreciation for our precious water resources in the desert. We know that when people understand something, they care about it, and when they care about it, they protect it; so we are proud to bring understanding of water resources to the Tucson community.
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Photo Credit: Caroline Mosley
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SWES Gets a Name Change
Beginning July 1 the Soil, Water and Environmental Science (SWES) Department will be the Environmental Science (ENVS) Department. Department Head Jon Chorover explains, "Our main goal is to be more recognizable and easier to find for students interested in studying environmental science at the University of Arizona. We've been home to the Environmental Science major for the past 25 years, and it's been a primary part our identity, so we want our name to reflect that. Soil and water are, of course, key to the work that we do, but they're also part of the environment, so we're eliminating that redundancy in our name, while also acknowledging that there are people in our department who study and teach about other aspects of the environment, such as air quality."
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What's New in the Water Community
With all that goes on daily in the water community, we wanted to take the time to acknowledge some distinguished members of the community and friends of the WRRC and update you on what they are doing now. Tom McCann, who joined CAP in 1994 to represent the agency on Indian water rights, interstate banking, and other matters, recently retired from his position as Deputy General Manager. Gerry Walker, who served as Deputy Assistant Director at ADWR for 5 years, also retired recently. She is working now for the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Terri Sue Rossi left her position at the AWBA to serve as Water Resource Manager for the Arizona Water Company. She arrived as Arizona Water Company President William Garfield retired after more than 23 years, 16 as president. He will remain with the company as Senior Advisor and Director. Lastly, John Kmiec, formerly Water Director for Marana has moved to Tucson Water, where he serves as Deputy Director. He also serves as president of Watereuse AZ.
We wish all five great success in all future endeavors.
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- WRRC Director Sharon B, Megdal was quoted by the Arizona Chamber Business News on the subject of protecting Arizona's groundwater in an article spotlighting the Arizona Groundwater Management Act.
- The UA website feature, Proud to be Dessert Dwellers highlights comments from UA experts including Sharon B. Megdal, WRRC, and Michael Crimmins, ENVS, on what is "hot" when it comes to environmental research in arid settings.
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