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June 18, 2021 / Volume 9, Issue 2
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IN THIS ISSUE: Reflections, WRRC Conference, Rebecca Bernat, APW, Wastewater Workshop, World Drought Day
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Reflections: Returning to the (Virtual) Classroom
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Each Spring Semester I teach a graduate class, Water Policy in Arizona and Semi-arid Regions. This year marked my return to teaching after a one-year hiatus due to my 2020 sabbatical. It was my first experience with a semester-long virtual course. Perhaps because of the two-year gap between classes and/or heightened interest in water management in these challenging times, I hosted the largest class ever – 18 students, including two enrolled auditors. Reflecting on the semester’s experience, I am very upbeat about the high level of interest and capabilities of my students. Though we are facing unprecedented water challenges, I am encouraged by the work of our emerging leaders. I found the students ready to tackle the water and environmental challenges we face as the growing stresses to our physical and human systems become more interwoven and complex.
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29th Annual Arizona Water Law Conference
Dates: Aug 26-27
Location: Hilton Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ
The 29th Annual Arizona Water Law Conference: Water Shortages, Replacement Supplies & Emerging Policies will be held in Scottsdale, Arizona. Join LIVE for timely updates, panel presentations, and discussions on key policies, water shortages, the Clean Water Act, and more. Earn up to 12 hours MCLE credit, including one hour of ethics.
Image: Whitewater Draw, Sandy Shiloh, WRRC 2020 photo contest winner
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Free Registration for WRRC 2021 Annual Conference Now Open!
The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center is excited to open registration for the 2021 Annual WRRC Conference, Tribal Water Resilience in a Changing Environment. Held virtually over three days, August 30-September 1, the program will offer information, diverse perspectives, networking, and much more. The conference will kick off with an afternoon session (1-4 PM Arizona time) on Monday, August 30, followed by morning sessions (8-11 AM Arizona time) on Tuesday, August 31, and Wednesday, September 1. In addition, special conference activities will be scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
Visit our conference webpage for updates on the agenda and additional information, including how to become a conference sponsor! Please feel free to post and share this registration announcement to help us get the word out. We hope you will join us!
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UArizona Student Participates in NASA DEVELOP National Program
Rebecca Bernat, PhD candidate in the Department of Environmental Science and former WRRC Graduate Research Assistant, was selected to participate in the NASA DEVELOP National Program (DEVELOP) out of the Pocatello, Idaho node. The DEVELOP program addresses environmental and policy concerns through the practical application of NASA satellite data to different research areas such as water resources. Bernat learned about this opportunity from former DEVELOP participant Dr. Amber McCullum when she co-presented a WRRC Brown Bag on January 20, 2021. Bernat will be working on monitoring remote stock-pond water levels in Arizona using Radar. Many farmers often must drive for hours to check on the water levels of their cattle’s water ponds. The project’s goal is to pair NASA satellite data with Google Earth, GIS, and Radar data to develop an online platform for farmers in Arizona to efficiently monitor water levels in their ponds. This project is conducted in partnership with Idaho State University, US Forest Services, Arizona Department of Game and Fish, and Diablo Trust.
Image: Arizona Game and Fish Department
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Recharging the Rain…and the
Teaching Profession
“In my 28 years of teaching, this has been the best project I have ever done with my students!” “If it wasn’t for my participation in the Recharge the Rain teacher cohort for the last 4 years, I probably would have left teaching.” These powerful testimonials were shared at last week’s celebration by local teachers who have participated in the Recharge the Rain Project for the past four and a half years. Partnering with APW and Watershed Management Group (WMG), these teachers have delivered this project-based learning with 13,565 students at 25 schools. A total of 57 rainwater harvesting systems have been installed to reduce flooding, create habitat, and provide shade to mitigate extreme heat. Seventeen of these systems are larger schoolyard rain gardens and when COVID-19 restricted our ability to be in schools, students designed and built 37 home basins as part of the Build Your Own Basin program. Rain basins become Living Laboratories that support student investigations and further student learning across the curriculum. The Recharge the Rain Project is changing the culture of teaching, learning, and thinking about water resources in our community. Tucson Water has joined this effort and we now have the ability to offer this program to more schools in the Tucson community as our NOAA funding comes to a close.
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BARD Funding Will Support 2022
Wastewater Workshop
WRRC Research Scientist Jean McLain, along with colleagues from the Volcani Agricultural Research Center in Israel, has been awarded funding by the US-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund to coordinate a fall 2022 workshop in Israel. The funded proposal, Understanding and mitigating effects of treated wastewater reuse in agriculture: From risks to policy and new opportunities, will bring together water quality experts from around the world to discuss the benefits and risks of agricultural irrigation with treated wastewater. BARD is a competitive funding program for mutually beneficial, mission-oriented, strategic, and applied research of agricultural problems, jointly conducted by American and Israeli scientists.
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Drought at the Forefront: In the News and at the UN
This year, June 17 was the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Presented by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), this day was observed to “focus on turning degraded land into healthy land.” In the Southwestern US, the current drought has plagued the already hot and dry climate for over 20 years. The day could not be more timely; over the last few weeks, both regional and national news organizations have highlighted the severe drought conditions gripping the West. Earlier this month, the New York Times published an article featuring many highly informative maps demonstrating the severity of the current precipitation and temperature conditions. An article in the Arizona Republic noted the record low water levels in Lake Mead on course to trigger significant cutbacks to Colorado River water allotments for Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico. Other articles have focused on the drought's impacts on regional food security. According to one, the current drought, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, has caused food prices to spike and land degradation throughout the Southwest. The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought engages on these issues with a program featuring videos, music, and activities for children. The UNCCD hopes to encourage communities everywhere to better their relationships with the natural environment.
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Please visit WRRC's website for a complete listing of water jobs & opportunities.
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Do you have a story idea, water job announcement, or event to share?
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