his issue brings mail, email and phone correspondence from readers.

So many water problems seem insurmountable, so it is truly heartening to encounter a water crisis readily resolved through quick and creative action. Gracing Phoenix's new Central Library is an atrium lobby, called by its designer, P hoenix architect Will Bruder, the "Crystal Canyon." The space is intended as a metaphorical oasis and includes a pool that represents the "refreshment of life."

Trouble at Crystal Canyon

There were forebodings of trouble when an architect and a waitress fell into the pool at the opening night gala in May. Since then at least six other library visitors have taken the plunge. One victim mistook the pool for a black floor leading to t he elevator.

A temporary barrier of portable poles and ropes proved ineffective. Assuming the barrier was bolted and secure, some people leaned on it, causing the barriers and themselves to tumble in.

Fortunately, the problem of the inadvertent use of the atrium pool proved readily resolvable. The architect is designing a 150-foot stretch of steel poles and chains which he describes as "a wonderful sway of braided steel necklaces." He adds, "The solution is very poetic."

Mysterious Power of Water

The pool problem was viewed as a design flaw and was treated accordingly. But could the mysterious attraction of water have contributed to the "unintended" immersions? Writer M. F.K. Fisher describes water's powerful, even suicidal, attraction: "T here is something about a bridge over clear water, no matter how far down (perhaps the farther the better) that does pull people down into it, toward it."

She describes a personal experience while walking on the Golden Gate Bridge: "About a quarter of a mile onto the bridge, I realized that the whizzing cars on one side and the peaceful bay on the other were splitting me in two ... and I was almost ove rcome with the terrible need to jump off and be more peaceful."

Could people be throwing themselves into the atrium pool at the Phoenix Central Library to escape the stress of living in the Phoenician megalopolis? Are similar incidents occurring at other Phoenix-area pools?

Dancing of the Waters

Whatever the cause of the problem, the discovery of a "very poetic" solution is heartening since few water problems are resolved artistically. In fact, water's aesthetic appeal rarely is recognized when technocrats and committees discuss water affai rs. It is not that Arizona's water community is boorish and unresponsive to the aesthetic appeal of water. Rather, tackling water quantity and quality issues is so all-consuming that water's aesthetic attraction seems beside the point.

In response to this situation, the University of Arizona's Office of Cultural Affairs has scheduled three dance performances exploring various aspects of our natural environment, including water. OCA is planning the performances as opportunities to creatively integrate information about land, water and the environment with the creative movements of dance.

One of the events, performed by Contraband, a team of dancers, musicians, and artists, is Mira, Cycle III. According to the program, the performance, scheduled for April 27 in Tucson, "focuses on water as a universal metaphor, representing somethin g that is, at the same time, completely ordinary and completely sublime."

OCA is arranging special events to bring together government officials, researchers, and others involved in water with the dancers of Mira, Cycle III, so that people of science and public policy can join with performers to celebrate the aesthetic or artistic meaning of water. OCA invites suggestions on how to facilitate these encounters.

Planned events could include discussions, seminars, workshops or other special events. They could involve events as simple as setting up booths with water information in the theater lobby, or more involved activities. Please contact Joe Gelt, Water Resources Research Center, with any suggestion you may have.

Correction

The April-May AWR review of House Bill 2193 included a discussion of the section of the bill pertaining to water rights on State Trust lands for stock watering, stockpond purposes, or for domestic use on a farm or ranch. Such water rights are to be issue d to the state except when water is diverted from private or federal lands, or when the water right was perfected on federal land by the lessee before land ownership was transferred to the state. The article erroneously indicated a ranch and farm excepti on.