September 14, 2018 / Volume 6, Issue 23

In this issue: Highlights / APW / Water Roots /  EPA
Cobre Valley Small Town Forum on Water Builds Consensus on Water Priorities
On September 6th, more than 50 people gathered in Miami, Arizona to participate in the Cobre Valley Small Town Forum on Water. The meeting was held to facilitate discussion about water resources management among elected officials, utility and planning staff, natural resource experts, and other interested water users. While only about 100 square miles in area, Cobre Valley is home to multiple competing water uses. Water scarcity, historic contamination, and limited resources are making it more critical than ever for all community water users to agree on the status of water resources in the Valley and establish priorities for their management.  

WRRC EVENTS
September 18, 2018
 
Speaker:  Courtney Crosson,  Assistant Professor , Global Change Graduate Interdisciplinary Program
 
 
Globally, cities are facing increased water stress under growing populations, degrading infrastructure, and changing climate patterns. This imbalance between available water resources and projected urban water demands presents tremendous challenges for water resource management, necessitating novel planning and design strategies and tools. The talk will discuss recent research that evaluates the capacity of Tucson, Arizona to become water independent using rainwater and regulatory hurdles to making rainwater capture and use a reality at a commercial scale.
 
If you cannot get to the WRRC on September 18, you can join us here
September 27, 2018
 
Speaker:  Susanna Eden, Assistant Director, Water Resources Research Center 
 
 

In this overview of Arizona's irrigated agriculture and its water supply, the focus will be on what is grown, where, with what water; how the water is managed by the state and by irrigators; water efficiency strategies, and economic impacts. The presentation will touch on current irrigation water supply issues concerning growers, their communities, and other water users.

 
If you cannot get to the WRRC on September 27, you can join us here
Other Upcoming Fall Brown Bags
  • October 17 Hans Huth, Hydrologist, ADEQ, Source Characterization of Metals in Ambos Nogales Wastewater
  • November 8 Chase Saraiva, Head Brewer, Wilderness Brewing Co., Sustainability and Beer
OTHER EVENTS
ucowr AHS Annual Symposium -  "The Importance of Hydrology in a Vibrant Southwest." 
    
September 19-21, 2018

Location: Desert Willow Conference Center, Phoenix, AZ
 
The 31st annual Arizona Hydrological Society Symposium is a premier event in the Southwest for hydrology and water resources science, engineering, and public policy. This year's theme is "The Importance of Hydrology in a Vibrant Southwest." The 3-day symposium features workshops, exhibitions, a plenary on "Reimagining Arizona's Rivers", a luncheon panel on drought, Casino Night, and more than 50 technical presentations on a wide range of water-related topics.
    
ucowr Upper Gila Watershed Forum - How Do We Adapt to a Hotter and Drier Future?  
    
September 28, 2018
 
Speakers:  Randa Owens McKinney, Owens Properties, Sam Daley, Daley Farms, Steve Plath, Gila Watershed Partnership, Morgan Steele, City of Safford, Ryan Rapier, Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, Mike Crimmins, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Carianne Campbell, Sky Island Alliance
 
 
The annual Upper Gila Watershed Forum on September 28th in Thatcher, Arizona will feature day-long discussion, presentations, and activities focused on "Adapting to a Hotter and Drier Future."  Explore how increasing heat and drought are affecting agricultural, business, municipal, and conservation practices, and what communities and individuals are doing to adapt.    
    
WRRC NEWS
highlights12017 WRRC Highlights Brochure Now Available in Print and Online

A brief compilation of WRRC 2017 accomplishments is now available to the public in print and online. The summary and infographics showcase WRRC's 2017 activities and programs.  It includes a description of our online resources, information on the number and location of people reached, and our 2017 financial summary.  

To review our progress over the last year, please come in to the WRRC and grab a printed copy or visit our website.
APWFlagAPW Now in Flagstaff
 
 
Greetings! I am Cara Corbin, the new Arizona Project WET Instructional Specialist for the Flagstaff area. Thanks to City of Flagstaff sponsorship and support from Coconino County Cooperative Extension, I now have the distinct pleasure of working with Flagstaff and tribal teachers to educate students on water conservation and technology. Reaching students of all different ages, I teach them about aerators and other technologies that save water in our schools and homes.
 
I have a passion for sustainability. I got my Masters in Sustainable Communities from NAU in 2014.  Prior to that, I had lots of experience working with small-scale farmers and farmers' markets. I also work for City of Flagstaff Water Services managing the Rainwater Catchment Program and conducting Water Wise Business checkups, helping businesses save water and save money. I am excited to be a part of the APW team!   
RootsWater Roots' Sunset Tour, a New Vision for the Rillito River
   
On August 28th, the WRRC joined the Watershed Management Group and the Sky Island Alliance in hosting a sunset excursion along the Rillito River as part of the Water Roots Series -- a series to "celebrate springs, streams, culture, and citizen science in the Sky Islands".  Despite the afternoon heat, the walking tour attracted close to 40 people.  Guides highlighted river restoration opportunities and efforts and local flora and fauna. The event engaged participants in a vision of the flowing river and culminated in a viewing of the famous Campbell Street Bridge Mexican free-tail bats.  Afterwards, local artist Dennis Caldwell (Caldwell Designs) shared his illustrations of Tucson's rivers restored with regular flow, while participants discussed, over wine, how best to take action at home or in their neighborhoods to provide benefits to Tucson's natural places. Water Roots is part of an innovative movement in communities across the nation to create partnerships among arts, culture, and water leaders to creatively reimagine traditional approaches to water planning and management and engage communities in new ways.   

epaEPA Assesses Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs
 


The EPA's Sixth Report to Congress on Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs, published in March 2018, contains the results of EPA's survey and assessment conducted every four years. The survey found a $472.6 billion need to maintain and improve the nation's drinking water infrastructure over the next 20 years. This is up from $428.6 billion (in adjusted 2015 dollars) needed in 2011. Most of this need, $312.6 billion, is to replace or refurbish aging or deteriorating pipelines.

ANNOUNCEMENTS