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June 24, 2022 / Volume 10, Issue 3
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IN THIS ISSUE: WRRC Conference, New MAR Article, Colorado River, APW, ADEQ
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Quick! Register Now for the
WRRC Annual Conference!
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The low-cost standard registration for the WRRC's upcoming conference, Arizona’s Agricultural Outlook: Water, Climate, and Sustainability, closes on June 30! Register today to ensure your spot before the price goes up. In addition to the diverse set of speakers and topics scheduled for the in-person day on July 12, the WRRC has organized two days of virtual programming on July 13 and 14. Day 2 (July 13) opens with a panel on climate change and drought adaptation, including discussions of Tribal resilience, the impacts of Colorado River shortages on irrigated agriculture, and mitigation research. The innovative partnership between N-Drip, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, and Central Arizona Project will be featured in a panel on technological solutions to pressing drought concerns. The day closes with a roundtable discussion of water policy in the region, including outcomes from the current Arizona legislative session, similarities of issues faced in California, and USDA rural development efforts.
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Upcoming Events
Aug 30: WRRC Brown Bag Webinar: Rio Reimagined: Reconnecting the Salt River with the Valley's Metropolitan Communities
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New Publications Focus on Managed Aquifer Recharge
Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is the subject of two recent publications written by or with contributions from WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal. The first, titled “ MAR as a Mechanism to Advance Water Policy Goals: A Perspective,” is an article in the recent edition of The Water Report, focused on how MAR has helped Arizona meet water policy goals. The article also discusses a few unresolved issues with Arizona’s MAR framework that require further attention. The second publication, “ Managed Aquifer Recharge: Overview and Governance,” discusses MAR more generally and is split into three sections. Megdal is a co-author of Section 2 on Water Resources Planning and Management, which outlines the governance arrangements needed for a successful MAR program. Sections 1 and 3 of the book cover the basic concepts of MAR and water quality management. Peter Dillon, one of the authors and editors, highlights the book's value, noting, “this is the most complete global overview that I have seen of groundwater management policies and groundwater protection strategies to harness and encourage MAR to sustain water resources in both developing and advanced jurisdictions.” The book is available for free online, published by the International Association of Hydrologists (IAH).
Image: Gila River MAR 5 Interpretive Trail, Sharon B. Megdal
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Reclamation’s Commissioner Touton Warns of Upcoming Colorado River Water Cuts
On June 14, Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton of the US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) made a statement before the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources summarizing the status of drought in the western states and giving particular attention to the reality of conditions in the Colorado River Basin. “The system is at a tipping point,” said Commissioner Touton, and “despite the actions taken by the Department and Reclamation, significant and additional conservation actions are required to protect the Colorado River system infrastructure and the long-term stability of the system.” According to coverage of the testimony by Tony Davis with the Arizona Daily Star, Commissioner Touton said two to four million acre-feet of water use must be cut across the basin to address the continued decline in reservoir levels. In response to Commissioner Touton’s statement, Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke said, “We will do whatever it takes. Circumstances now beckon us further toward immediate and substantial actions.” Read Commissioner Touton’s testimony, responses from Director Buschatzke and Central Arizona Project General Manager Ted Cooke, and the article by Tony Davis below.
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Annual Coconino County 4th Grade Water Ethics Contest
Water conservation is an ethical challenge. Integrating ethical water education into our programs instills a sense of stewardship, ownership, and responsibility in our youth, shaping behaviors and inspiring solutions to our water resource issues. Each year, 4th-grade students across Coconino County are invited to participate in a Water Ethics Contest. The contest, which began in 2010, is sponsored by the Coconino Plateau Watershed Partnership (a branch of the Coconino Plateau Water Advisory Council) and hosted by Willow Bend Environmental Education Center. The mission of the Council and Partnership is to facilitate and implement sound water resource management and conservation strategies on the Coconino Plateau.
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ADEQ Planning Potable Water Reuse Rulemaking Process
Permanent standards and regulations for direct potable reuse (DPR) of ultra-treated reclaimed water will be developed in the coming year by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Prompted by House Bill 2129, pending in the Arizona legislature, ADEQ is planning to revisit the interim rules adopted in 2017, “to better address minimum performance requirements, source control, design elements to prevent contamination of the water supply, operator qualifications, technical, managerial, and financial requirements, uniform terminology, and other issues.” There are no permitted DPR facilities in Arizona to date, but advances in detection and treatment technology and growing water scarcity are driving interest in adding DPR to the list of viable water supply options. ADEQ will consult stakeholders, including both experts and the water-consuming public, throughout the rulemaking process. The first public stakeholder meeting is likely to take place this summer. Interested individuals should subscribe to the “Water Quality Division Rulemaking” email list for updates and notifications regarding participation.
Image: Arroyo 2016: Potable Reuse of Water
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Please visit WRRC's website for a complete listing of water jobs & opportunities.
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Petersen-Perlman, Jacob D.; Aguilar-Barajas, Ismael; Megdal, Sharon B. 2022. “Drought and Groundwater Management: Interconnections, challenges, and policy responses” Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, In Press, Journal Pre-proof.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coesh.2022.100364
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City of Tucson Announces John P. Kmiec as Director of Tucson Water. More Info.
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