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IN THIS ISSUE: Reflections, Seminar Recap, Hassayampa River Study, APW, ADWR | |
Reflections: A Cloudy Day at
Sweetwater Wetlands
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Graduate students in my “Water Policy in Arizona and Semi-arid Regions” class visited the Sweetwater Wetlands on Saturday, February 11, 2023. We were joined there by Professor David Quanrud and students from his “Wildland Water Quality” class. A visit to the wetlands is always a helpful addition to classroom discussions and readings. There we can see how treated wastewater is recharged and reclaimed for reuse and benefits the environment. Open to the public, it is a hidden gem and worth a visit. We visited the Wetlands on a cloudy, somewhat gloomy morning. Clouds often contribute to interesting photos, and the reflections of the clouds in the water led me to write this essay.
Science Friday Interview
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NVIS Seminar Series: Food Sovereignty for the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara People
Date: Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Arizona Time
Location: Webinar Only
Speaker:
Ruth Plenty Sweetgrass-She Kills
Dr. Ruth Plenty Sweetgrass-She Kills is an enrolled citizen of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. She is also descended from the Fort Peck Sioux and Assiniboine. She earned an associate degree in Environmental Science; a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education; a master’s degree in Organismal Biology and Ecology; and a PhD in Forest and Conservation Sciences. She has gardened and gathered traditional foods and medicines with her family her entire life. Currently, she serves as the Food Sovereignty Director at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College and is senior research personnel for the University of Montana on a project to develop and test a model for better supporting the professional success and satisfaction of Native faculty in STEM. Other projects she also works on include digitizing her tribal college’s special collections, developing the college’s traditional seed cache, and developing a consortium of Indigenous-led research along the Missouri River Watershed.
Join the Zoom
More Info
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Sonoran Institute Panelists Present on Santa Cruz River Report
On Wednesday, February 15, three panelists from the Sonoran Institute gave a WRRC Seminar Series presentation on “A Living River – The Santa Cruz River from Mexico to Marana.” Santa Cruz River Program Director Luke Cole, Program Manager Madeleine Oliver, and Ecologist Claire Zugmeyer shared highlights from their annual Living River reports on Santa Cruz River conditions and data. They discussed the revitalized ecosystems in the flowing portions of the river, maintained by effluent releases near Nogales and Tucson, reporting increasing biodiversity but also pointing to ongoing issues with E. coli contamination and accumulation of trash. The long-term monitoring of the river and communication of findings through the Living River reports are crucial components of the Sonoran Institute’s work on the Santa Cruz River Program. The data they collect are used to inform management decisions and serve as a source of information for community members to learn about their local river. The Sonoran Institute makes its reports available on its website, and the most recent Living River reports are available in both English and Spanish.
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The Hassayampa River Study - Assessing Low Impact Development for Stormwater Management
The WRRC is pleased to feature the following article, prepared by Deborah Tosline RG/PMP, Hydrologist/Program Manager, US Bureau of Reclamation.
The use of nature-based practices may potentially be used to augment community water supplies.
In 2020, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the City of Buckeye, Arizona (Buckeye) partnered on the Hassayampa River Study (Study). The Study investigates the impacts of theoretical use of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) and conventional stormwater infrastructure (CSI) to manage stormwater in a regional watershed and hypothetical development within Buckeye, on an alluvial fan on the west side of the White Tank Mountains. The Study models the use of theoretical GSI and CSI to assess stormwater management, assesses GSI operations and maintenance (O&M) practices and costs, completes an economic analysis of GSI and CSI, and develops a City of Buckeye Low Impact Design Manual and a high-level conceptual water budget. Buckeye is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Arizona, and in the entire United States. Buckeye’s General Plan – Imagine Buckeye 2040 – supports an innovative, healthy, and resilient community while being good stewards of natural resources, open spaces, and overall quality of life. Use of GSI for stormwater management in the arid southwest is a burgeoning practice. Buckeye, like other communities, is interested in identifying, understanding, and potentially implementing nature-based stormwater management solutions.
Image: Chloe Killian, USBR Resource Assistant Intern, Hassayampa River desert region
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Making Discoveries with Nature Journaling
Arizona Project WET is excited to be running a new program for middle & high schoolers in the Tucson area. In the Discovery Journey program, students learn about and connect to the urban water cycle through nature journaling. Students learn about the history of the Santa Cruz River, the reclaimed water system, and the ways in which Tucson is using recycled water to bring life back to riparian ecosystems that used to flourish naturally in the area. Students will practice their skills of observation, inquiry, descriptive language, estimation, and documentation, and combine all their knowledge and skills for a field trip to either the Sweetwater Wetlands or the Southeast Houghton Area Recharge Project. Teachers interested in doing the Discovery Journey program with their students can contact APW here: https://tucson.projectwet.arizona.edu/scheduling
Image: Clayton Lyon
Outreach Scheduling
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Winter Precipitation Impact on Drought
The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) published an article on February 16 featuring a recent interview with Arizona State Climatologist Erinanne Saffell, wherein ADWR Water News asked her about how this year’s unusually wet winter will impact moisture conditions in Arizona. Saffell reported that “At the end of January, precipitation for the water year was above average for most counties in the state,” observing that the Verde River and Salt River basins are both doing well in terms of snowpack. She also noted that “The goal is to add snow and not rain on the higher elevation basins at least through the end of February.” Saffell referred to a three-month outlook provided by the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center for official seasonal temperature and precipitation forecasts. She noted that it indicates the likelihood of below-average precipitation later this spring, and expressed hope that this spring will not be as dry as Spring 2022. Saffell concluded by stating that “While the water year still has much more to go, it’s a good start!” ADWR has also recently published an interview with National Weather Service Lead Forecaster Mark O’Malley, offering his perspective on the impacts of winter storms on the Colorado River system. Both articles are free to read on the ADWR website.
Image: Annette Coffey, WRRC 2022 Photo Contest
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WRRC Student Communications and Outreach Assistant (Hourly)
The UArizona Water Resources Research Center is seeking a student employee with interest and experience in writing about water and/or environmental topics to assist with outreach communication. Applicants are encouraged to visit the WRRC website for more information on WRRC programs and activities. Accepting applications until the position is filled. More Info
Please visit WRRC's website for a complete listing of water jobs & opportunities.
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Free Issue of Water Resources IMPACT Magazine
As the American West responds to a 20-year megadrought, this first issue of a Water Resources IMPACT two-part series diagnoses water scarcity issues confronting the western US and explains how these impact a variety of ecological, community, and economic sectors. The second of the series, to be released as the March-April issue, moves from diagnosis to prescription. In that issue, authors will consider options for addressing water scarcity and its complex ramifications. Read the full digital issue.
Opinion on Saving the Colorado River
UArizona Professor of Environmental Science, Katherine Jacobs, wrote an opinion piece in Newsweek titled “We Must Save the Drought-Stricken Colorado River—Here's How.” View Article
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Youth Innovation Challenge – Water Solutions for Sustainable Development
The 2023 Youth Innovation Challenge, hosted by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, invites North American youth, ages 18 to 30, to propose innovative solutions that address and respond to critical issues related to water. North American youth are invited to submit their solutions and compete for up to $15,000 per country in seed funding, a chance to present their solutions to North America’s top environmental officials, and access to mentorship and networking opportunities. The deadline to submit is April 3, 2023. More Info
Applications Open for Project CENTRL
Project CENTRL is a twelve-month, competitively selected and tuition-free leadership development program for 16 individuals connected to rural Arizona. Over the course of 9 seminars across Arizona, Washington, DC and Sonora, Mexico they build personal leadership skills, educate on the issues facing rural Arizona and connect leaders and experts. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 15, 2023. More Info
Request for Comments for Rio de Flag Flood Control Project DSEA
The US Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District announces the availability of and is requesting comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (DSEA) and Draft Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) analysis for the Rio de Flag (RDF) Flood Control Project, located in Flagstaff, AZ. Comments may be submitted through March 14, 2023. Please submit comments or questions regarding the Draft SEA to Kirk.C.Brus@usace.army.mil with subject heading “Rio de Flag Flood Control Project Draft SEA Review Comments.” Electronic versions of the Draft SEA and Appendices are available here.
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