Water Vapors

Note to Our Readers...

Updating mailing list
We are in the process of updating the Arizona Water Resource mailing list weeding out names, or in a more refined horticultural sense, pruning from the list names of people who for one reason or another don’t want to receive the publication or would prefer getting it via email. Please notify us if you no longer want to receive the AWR or if you would rather receive an electronic copy by emailing us at wrrc@cals.arizona.edu

New Arroyo to be mailed
Instead of a March-April AWR you will be receiving the latest edition of Arroyo, the Water Resources Research Center’s single-issue newsletter; this edition is devoted to river restoration efforts in the state. The publication continues the Arroyo tradition of providing a readable review of important state water issues. Arroyo was last published this time last year and addressed artificial recharge.

USGS sponsors newsletter and supplement
This edition of the AWR contains a 4-page supplement sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey titled, “Land Subsidence and Aquifer Compaction in the Tucson Active Management Area, South-Central Arizona 1987 – 2005.” The agency is sponsoring this edition of the AWR as well as the supplement. We appreciate the opportunity to work with U.S.G.S. and the agency’s generous support.

Community Views on Water Available

Woody Allen once said, “Love is the answer, but while you are waiting for the answer sex raises some pretty good questions.” Perhaps a farfetched, overstretched reworking of Allen’s quote could be applied to two recent efforts to engage Tucson citizens in water discussions: “Sustainability is the answer, but figuring how to get there raises some pretty good questions.”

A Tucson Community Conversation on Water, which took place on Oct. 26, provided a forum for approximately 300 participants to discuss important water supply issues. The event included sessions with water professionals discussing key issues facing the community. This offered a review or refresher course, providing attendees, who varied in their understanding and awareness of water issues, a common background. At the end of the day, a questionnaire was distributed to get participants’ responses about the day’s discussions and their opinions about water issues.

About a week later, on Oct. 31, a Sustainability Forum was held at the University of Arizona that provided an opportunity for about 125 community members to participate in a series of discussions on the value and meaning of sustainability in the greater Tucson area. Among the topics discussed that day was water, with participants identifying the best case and worst case scenarios. Participants were then asked to identify steps for progressing toward the best case and barriers the community might face in attempting to achieve the best case scenario.

Participants’ input from both events is available. Their responses may not be particularly sexy but they do pose some pretty good questions and provide a valuable insight about community water thinking. The responses might be a good starting point in the development of community-supported public policy.
Participants’ responses to the questionnaire at the Community Conversation on Water, along with other information about the event, are posted on the Water Resources Research Center web site:
http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/

Transcripts of the Sustainability Forum discussions and a summary report will be available via email by contacting Nicole Urban-Lopez at nicole.urban-lopez@tucsonaz.gov or 520-837-6934. You can also request to be added to the sustainability listserv for project updates.

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