Busy WRRC Revives Publication, Plans Conference, Gets Funding Authorized

It's Back - The Arroyo

The WRRC once published two newsletters, this one — the Arizona Water Resource — and the Arroyo. Whereas the bimonthly AWR provides wide coverage of state water news and events, the Arroyo is a single-issue newsletter, with each edition focused on a particular water issue. Issues addressed by Arroyo have included rural water affairs, watershed management, aquaculture and constructed wetlands. It was written with a wide readership in mind, in a nontechnical, nonacademic style, to appeal to the interested citizens as well as water professionals.

As it turned out, the Arroyo lived up to its name; it proved not to be a channel for a perennial flow. In fact, the last Arroyo was published in May 2002, with a long dry spell following. The AWR became WRRC’s publication priority.

The Arroyo series will begin to flow again soon with an edition focusing on artificial recharge and will be mailed to people whose names are on the WRRC mailing list. It will continue the Arroyo tradition of providing a readable review of an important water issue. Extra copies are available for educational purposes.
The Arroyo will continue as an occasional publication, with editions published as resources become available and appropriate topics identified.

WRRC Plans June 5 Conference

As you fill in your new 2007 daily planning calendar don’t forget to note on June 5 the Water Resources Research Center’s annual conference. The title of the conference is “20th Anniversary of the Environmental Quality Act and ADEQ: Assessing, Protecting and Remediating the State’s Water Quality. What Future Challenges?” The event is cosponsored by the Arizona Water Institute and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. As befits the event, the tentative agenda is an anniversary agenda, celebrating the origins of Arizona’s EQA, reviewing the current situation and considering future challenges. Issues to be addressed include the history of the act; the state of water quality science; emerging policy challenges; regulatory approaches; and the future of ADEQ.

To include your name on a mailing list to receive additional information about the event contact us at wrrc@ag.arizona.edu. Check the WRRC web site for conference planning updates.
Law Authorizes WRRC Funding

The program that provides federal funding to the UA’s Water Resources Research Center, along with other state water institute programs throughout the nation, received a five-year extension when President Bush signed H.R. 4588 into law on Jan. 11. The law authorizes appropriations for the state water institutes for FY2007-FY2011.

Congressional appropriations have annually funded WRRA’s 104B and 104G grants program supporting water research. WRRA has strong congressional support; both the House and the Senate unanimously passed the recent reauthorization.

WRRC Director Sharon Megdal says, “Reauthorization is great news. It is a measure of national support for a program that makes an impact at the state level in the vital area of water. Funding from the program enables WRRC to support research on important state and regional water-related issues.” (See Special Projects, page 9, for description of Arizona projects awarded 104B support for 2007.)

U.S.G.S. Sponsors Supplement

This edition of the AWR contains a 4-page supplement sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey titled “Trends in Streamflow of the San Pedro River, Southeastern Arizona.” By sponsoring the supplement, the agency is supporting the publication of this newsletter. We appreciate the opportunity to work with U.S.G.S. and the agency’s generous support.

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