IN THIS ISSUE:
Reflections, WRRC Conference, Water Authority, APW, ADWR, New Staff
Reflections: Commemorating
World Water Day 2022, Part I
On World Water Day, 2019, I published my first Reflections essay. The United Nations established March 22 as World Water Day in 1993 to raise awareness of global water challenges, including lack of access to water and sanitation. My introduction to World Water Day was in 2013, when after attending an international groundwater meeting in the Netherlands, I had the privilege of participating on the program of a major international gathering in The Hague celebrating World Water Day. The theme that year was International Water Cooperation. Subsequent themes have been Water and Energy, Water and Sustainable Development, Better Water, Better Jobs, Why Waste Water?, Nature for Water, Leaving No One Behind, Water and Climate Change, and Valuing Water.

EVENTS
World Water Day Teach-In Hosted by
District 5

Date: March 22, 2022
Time: 12:30 pm-1:30 pm Arizona Time
Location: Webinar Only

Join us virtually on Tuesday, March 22 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm for a World Water Day Teach-In! Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva's District 5 Office will be hosting this space to encourage the community to learn more about the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project and the water challenges we face as a desert community. The City of Tucson Interim Assistant City Manager Timothy Thomure and representatives of the WRRC will be presenting, followed by Q&A.

Date: March 29, 2022
Time: 12:00-1:15 pm Arizona Time
Location: Webinar Only

Moderated by:
Jennifer Gimbel, Interim Director and Senior Water Policy Scholar, Colorado Water Center
Speakers:
Steve Wolff, General Manager, Southwestern Water Conservation District
Jim Lochhead, CEO/Manager, Denver Water

Brought to you by the WRRC and the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University, this panel will focus on an Upper Basin perspective of current Colorado River issues. The Upper Basin does not have the luxury of pulling water out of reservoirs to supply its water users. Climate change and the prior appropriation system control water uses and naturally limit water use. Panelists will discuss the Upper Basin Drought Contingency Plan and the methods being used to efficiently use water from the Colorado River.
Upcoming Events

Mar 23: UA Food Day 2022


Apr 7: WRRC Brown Bag Webinar: Public Interest, Indigenous Rights, and the Los Angeles Aqueduct; Sophia Borgias, Assistant Professor, School of Public Service, Boise State University

Apr 11: Native Voices in STEM Spring 2022 Seminar Series: Environmental Justice; Tommy Rock, PhD in Earth Science and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University

Apr 19: WRRC Brown Bag Webinar: Civil Society in the Binational Agreements of the Colorado River: Advocacy Meets Shuttle Diplomacy; Carlos A. de la Parra, Chair of the Board, Restauremos el Colorado, AC

Apr 27: WRRC Brown Bag Webinar: Sharon Nappier, National Program Leader for Water Reuse, US Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Water

May 3: Special Event: Counter Mapping; Jim Enote, CEO, Colorado Plateau Foundation
NEWS
Mark Your Calendar: WRRC 2022 Annual Conference - July 12
 
We are excited to announce the WRRC 2022 Annual Conference, Arizona’s Agricultural Outlook: Water, Climate, and Sustainability. We will convene our in-person event (with livestreaming) on July 12, 2022, followed by additional days of virtual programming. As agenda details and other program information becomes available, we will update our conference page. Please save the dates, check back for updates on the program, and contact us for sponsorship opportunities!
New Water Agency May Be On the Horizon

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey recently announced a plan to create a new water agency: the Arizona Water Authority. Draft legislation that would implement his plan has been distributed to lawmakers. The Authority would focus primarily on finding new water supplies, building new infrastructure, and funding projects like desalination in the Sea of Cortez. The state Legislature may hold a special session to consider the bill. If established, the agency would significantly expand the state’s involvement in water, allowing the state to obtain and market water rights. The Arizona Department of Water Resources, however, would remain the primary regulator and manager of water in the state. The Authority would manage two funds: the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund, with a focus on projects in rural counties, and the Long-term Water Augmentation Fund, which would make loans available for entities working on water augmentation or conservation projects anywhere within or outside the state.


image: 2020 WRRC Photo Contest, Andy Yates.
World Water Day - March 22

It’s been said that “Unless you’re standing next to a river, your closest water source is under your feet.” Here in Arizona, groundwater is generally hundreds of feet beneath us. In some locations, such as Flagstaff, those groundwater resources are almost half a mile down! It takes a tremendous amount of energy and resources to pump, clean, and distribute this precious resource to our homes and businesses. Yet, most of us tend to take it for granted. We turn on the tap with the full expectation that water will flow forth. What if it doesn’t? What if we have to miss our morning coffee or shower? What would we do? It wouldn’t be the first time in Arizona’s history that groundwater wasn’t available for public consumption. In several counties across the state, the levels of groundwater are getting lower and lower and there are limited options for replenishment. As World Water Day approaches, let’s all make a conscious effort to remember this hidden treasure is worth more than any gold we could mine. It is, in essence, life itself. Teachers—Arizona Project WET would love to help your students learn about groundwater! 
New Recharge & Recovery Workgroup
Being Formed

The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) is forming a new workgroup for Recharge & Recovery on behalf of the Governor’s Water Augmentation, Innovation, and Conservation Council. Responding to stakeholder concerns regarding the Recharge & Recovery Program and a recent recommendation by the Post-2025 Active Management Areas (AMAs) Committee, ADWR is inviting public participation in the new workgroup. As a forum for stakeholder feedback, the workgroup will discuss the program framework, including statutes, rules, management plan requirements, and substantive policy. ADWR plans a series of three initial meetings to establish a consistent foundation of understanding through educational content and informal discussions. Tentative workgroup meeting dates are Thursdays, April 14, May 12, and June 16, 2022. Additional meetings will be planned as needed. An online survey will help inform preparations for workgroup meetings. The survey is collecting comments on the question: What topic or topics regarding the recharge and recovery requirements would benefit from further clarification or explanation? The survey closes on March 21. Send questions/comments to Jenna Norris at jnorris@azwater.gov.

Image: www.tucsonaz.gov/water/cavsarp
WRRC Welcomes Two New Staff Members
 
The WRRC is pleased to welcome new staff members Dr. Valerisa Joe-Gaddy and Jessie Hampton! Dr. Valerisa Joe-Gaddy is originally from Gallup, NM, and is of the Diné (Navajo) people. As our new Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Valerisa will work on diversifying voices in water resources through outreach and research in rural and Tribal communities. She is an alumna of the University of Arizona, receiving both her PhD and MS in Environmental Science with an emphasis in microbiology. Her research interests include developing and validating methods to assess microbial water quality and communicating modern water quality and safety methods to growers. In addition, she is passionate about environmental science literacy and serving the Diné people. As Communications Coordinator, Jessie will play a central role in the delivery of the WRRC’s many outreach and engagement efforts. She has an academic background in biology, writing, and environmental studies. She has previously worked as an undergraduate writing instructor, coordinator for a nonprofit climate advocacy group, and content manager at a puzzle company. Although she has lived in several states, Jessie was born and raised in Tucson and is excited to get involved with science communication and water issues here in the Sonoran Desert and beyond. Welcome, Valerisa and Jessie, to the WRRC!
Special Notice: WRRC Funding Included in Omnibus Bill

The FY2022 Omnibus bill recently signed into law includes funding important to the WRRC. The package included $14 million (an increase from $11 million in FY 2021) for the Water Resources Research Act (WRRA) program. WRRA funding supports 54 Water Resources Research Institutes, including the WRRC! The package also appropriated $1 million for the US-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP). The TAAP-A/S (transboundary Santa Cruz and San Pedro aquifers) is a federally funded program co-hosted by the USGS Arizona Water Science Center and the WRRC. Visit our TAAP website for more information on the program and the WRRC’s collaborative contributions. 
WATER JOBS
UArizona Director, Cooperative Extension Job Listing
The University of Arizona seeks a strategic and innovative leader to be the next Director of the UArizona Cooperative Extension System (CES).


Please visit WRRC's website for a complete listing of water jobs & opportunities.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Do you have a story idea, water job announcement, or event to share?