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April 19, 2019 / Volume 7, Issue 14
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WRRC Director Gives Keynote Address at International Workshop in Jordan
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WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal gave a keynote presentation at the April 14, 2019 International Workshop on Sustainable Development of Arid Lands at the Hashemite University in Zarqa, Jordan. Organized by the Prince El Hassan bin Talal Faculty for Arid Lands at the Hashemite University, the workshop was designed for participants to engage in dialogue on addressing some of the critical natural resource and agriculture challenges common to semi-arid, arid, and hyper-arid regions. As part of the opening ceremony, Megdal had the honor of offering some opening comments prior to HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal's address. Her keynote presentation, "Water Management Challenges, Pathways to Solutions, and Collaboration Opportunities", then followed. In her presentation, Megdal, who has visited Jordan several times, highlighted University of Arizona research and educational efforts relevant to mitigating water challenges common to Jordan and Arizona. A key purpose of her visit was to foster collaboration between the faculty at the Hashemite University and the University of Arizona. She met with faculty from the Prince El Hassan bin Talal Faculty for Arid Lands, along with representatives of the Natural Resources and Environment Faculty, the day following the workshop.
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April 22, 2019
Speaker: Brian Studenka, ITC Grid Development Director, Engineering and Policy
The Big Chino Valley Pumped Storage project is a 2,000 MW, 10-hour long duration greenfield pumped storage project being developed in northern Arizona. This project will help integrate the projected increase in renewable energy generation into the grid in the desert southwest region of the United States in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Project is investing a great deal of effort into understanding the impacts of withdrawing groundwater for the reservoirs, so that a mitigation plan may be put in place that will result in a net positive for the water resources and the community in the area.
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April 24, 2019
Speaker:
Tanya M. Quist, Ph. D. Associate Professor, School of Plant Sciences; Director, University of Arizona Campus Arboretum
Tree and urban landscapes provide an opportunity for every citizen to contribute to climate resilience through informed plant selection and sustainable management practices. Join us for this talk aimed at empowering urban communities through understanding principles and practices of horticultural science and through exploration of resources and tools available. Note: Refreshments will be served.
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Sharon B. Megdal and Sally Spener, IBWC Foreign Affairs Officer |
 WRRC Participates in Binational Summit in Groundwater
WRRC personnel were well-represented in the Binational Summit on Groundwater at the United States - Mexico Border, organized by the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), and held April 10-11 in El Paso, Texas. Director Sharon B. Megdal gave the keynote address on how the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) is a model for multi-level collaboration. Research Analyst Jacob Petersen-Perlman presented on the WRRC's stakeholder engagement efforts through the TAAP, and Sr. Research Specialist Elia Tapia spoke on her research on the impacts of variable climate and effluent flows on the Transboundary Santa Cruz Aquifer. The WRRC TAAP team was joined by many of their TAAP partners from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. The summit included speakers from both countries on topics including hydrogeologic assessment, cooperative strategies for groundwater, and watershed restoration, improvements, and sustainability.
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Desert Waters International Symposium - Videos Posted
The Desert Waters International Symposium, held in Tucson on April 2-3, included outstanding presentations by water professionals from both Arizona and South Australia. Videos from the two-day event are now posted.
The Symposium began by honoring the memory of Rodney Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community and included keynote presentations by Brian Richter (Sustainable Waters) and Michael Hanemann (Arizona State University).
Panel discussions covered: Perspectives on the State of Policy, Establishing a Baseline with Science, Understanding the Potential for Eater Markets, Showcasing Successes in Agriculture, Engaging with Indigenous Water Ethics, and Overcoming Challenges and Next Steps. Panelists presented brief overviews of their work followed by at least 30 minutes of discussion and Q & A.
If you were not able to attend or would like to see one of the presentations again, please visit the WRRC website to view the videos.
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The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's (USBR) work, building more than 600 dams and reservoirs including Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, has arguably been the single most important factor in the socioeconomic development of the West. Today, their water management strategy includes education and conservation. To those ends, the USBR's Phoenix office has invested in building the Arizona Project WET program over the last 20 years. They provided funding to the first small festival at Civano in Tucson and were the driving factor in developing the first 950 student water festival in 2001 in Mesa. Current Phoenix Area Manager, Leslie Meyers, was one of the 80 volunteers there that day!
Americans volunteer. They come together with friends, neighbors, and communities to accomplish something that they believe in. So, it makes sense that
for decades USBR employees have engaged Arizona's 4th graders in exploration and discovery about water in the West. Current Water Resources Program Manager, Jessica Asbill-Case has volunteered at over a dozen water festival programs in the last two years. So, whether you're inspired by Muhammad Ali, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth" or Mahatma Gandhi "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others" - SERVE! Happy National Volunteer Month!
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UA Researchers Receive $1.2 Million Grant to Make Drinking Water Safer
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been used since the 1940s in many common, everyday products including, food packaging, stain- and water-repellent fabrics, frying pans, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams. Scientists have discovered numerous negative health effects from PFAS, including cancer, low birth weight, and immune system dysfunctions. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a Health Advisory for PFAS in drinking water, but its recommended limit of 70 parts per trillion is difficult to achieve. Reyes Sierra, Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, is leading a team in developing a new method for removing PFAS contaminants from groundwater. Sierra and the team were awarded at $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense's Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program to address the issue.
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Drought Contingency Plan - Approved!
The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan Authorization Act is the federal legislation needed to protect Lake Mead in the event of a Colorado River shortage declaration. In January of this year, Arizona approved its Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) and by mid-March, all of the Colorado River states had signed their DCPs, allowing the federal legislation to move forward. Within eleven days of its introduction, on April 8, both the House and Senate had approved the legislation. This week, President Trump signed the legislation, allowing the Secretary of the Interior, along with the governors' representatives of the seven Basin States, to sign the plan. This accomplishment is a tribute to the collaborative efforts among the seven Colorado River Basin States, Tribes, local water agencies, non-governmental organizations, Mexico, and the Department of the Interior to reduce the risk of shortage on the Colorado River.
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