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IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED June 29, 2007:
- COCHISE COUNTY RAINWATER HARVESTING TOURS JULY 7
- FOOD SAFETY ON THE GO
- COOLING COWS FROM THE INSIDE OUT
- HYDROLOGY SYMPOSIUM IN SEPTEMBER IN TUCSON
- SMARTSCAPE ON CABLE TV
- GROWING TROPICAL FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE DESERT
- US-MEXICO BORDER WATER ISSUES ADDRESSED
1 COCHISE COUNTY RAINWATER HARVESTING TOURS JULY 7
Although many Arizona residents enjoy a reliable, relatively inexpensive supply of high quality water, water use has begun to exceed water recharge in some areas of the state. In Cochise County, concern about depleting water resources has led to the development of a Water Wise program with tips for saving water indoors and outdoors. These ideas can help save money on water bills, and conserve water.
Rainwater harvesting extends the benefits of the rainy season by capturing and saving water for later use in the landscape. A free tour of residential rainwater harvesting systems will be held Saturday, July 7, at various locations in Cochise County. Call the Cochise County Cooperative Extension office for details and a map at (520) 458-8278 x2141
Water Wise is a public and privately funded University of Arizona Cooperative Extension program. Partners include Cochise County, the City of Sierra Vista, Ft. Huachuca and the Upper San Pedro Partnership.
Cado Daily, Cochise County Cooperative Extension, cdaily@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/cochise/waterwise/
Keeping food safe to eat is as simple as keeping hot foods hot, cold foods cold, and all foods clean. With summertime meals on the go, and picnics, barbeques and camping changing how food is transported and prepared, extra attention can make a difference.
The Arizona Cooperative Extension bulletin "Keeping Foods Cold for Picnics, Grilling and Camping" offers these tips and more:
- Freeze meat and juices before packing them in a cooler to help keep other foods cold.
- Pack perishable foods closest to the ice in a cooler.
- Store the foods you will eat first at the top of the cooler so you can work your way down during your meal.
- Throw out any food left out for more than two hours. If the temperature outside is above 90 degrees F, throw away any food that has been out for an hour or more.
Scottie Misner, Department of Nutritional Sciences, misner@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/health/az9718.pdf
3 COOLING COWS FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Cows don't produce a lot of milk when it's 110 degrees outside. Heat stress costs the Arizona dairy industry about $20-30 million in reduced production annually during the summer. Nationwide, the costs run close to $900 million and global costs are in the billions. Traditionally, dairies have tried to prevent heat stress by providing the animals with shade, water and fans.
These external precautions are still the first defense, but a research team in the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is looking at the problem from inside the cow. They want to find out how the cow's metabolism reacts to heat.
Lance Baumgard, Department of Animal Sciences, baumgard@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/general/resrpt2006/article4_2006.pdf
4 HYDROLOGY SYMPOSIUM IN SEPTEMBER IN TUCSON
The Fourth Symposium on Southwest Hydrometeorology will take place on September 20-21 at the Tucson Hilton East Hotel. The event will provide a forum to discuss and present research issues associated with mid-latitude, subtropical, and tropical weather systems that affect the Southwest United States, and to discuss the impact of these systems on hydrologic systems.
Close working relationships across academic, government and private sectors have opened new areas of investigation to address questions on how to add value to both weather and water forecasts. This symposium seeks to strengthen these relationships and continue to advance our understanding of the complex weather and hydrologic forecast issues in the Southwest U.S.
Bonnie Colby, Agriculture and Resource Economics, bcolby@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/swhs
The SmartScape Program is hosting a series of informative half-hour television shows through Tucson Access Television's program, Tucson Vision. Water conservation topics include Local and Statewide Efforts (June), Xeriscape Turf and Drip Irrigation (July), and Water Quality and Rain Water Harvesting (August).
Running through August 23, these cable television programs will air on Saturdays at 5:30pm and Thursdays at 7:30pm on Access Tucson Channels (99/Cox and 74/Comcast). A full list of programs and dates can be found at the link below.
Smartscape is a training program for nursery and landscape professionals designed to encourage consistent horticultural practices compatible with the Sonoran Desert. The program is endorsed by statewide landscape organizations.
Kathryn Hahne, Pima County Cooperative Extension, khahne@ag.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pima/smartscape
6 GROWING TROPICAL FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE DESERT
Desert gardeners are willing to go with landscapes that demand little water, but they still love colorful tropical flowering plants.
Among the favorites: bougainvillea, plumbago, lantana, red bird of paradise and oleander. They may freeze back in the winter, but all have spectacular blooms, grow back rapidly in the spring and flower continually until cold weather returns.
Add to this list the showy flowering tecoma shrubs in their many variations, including Arizona yellow bells, gold star bells and orange bells.
To read the entire story from the June 24, 2007 Arizona Daily Star, go to the link below.
John Begeman, Pima County Cooperative Extension, begeman@cals.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/188402.php
7 US-MEXICO BORDER WATER ISSUES ADDRESSED
Water management planning between the US and Mexico will assist both countries in determining the wisest use of precious water resources. The Arizona Water Institute (AWI), which includes water experts from the UA, ASU and NAU, recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to provide support on US-Mexico border water issues.
This joint AWI-ADWR effort led to the establishment of a forum for discussion of Arizona-Sonora water quantity issues. One of the goals is to prepare the Arizona-Sonora region for the shared impacts of prolonged droughts and the possibility of supply shortages on the Colorado River.
To read the entire article from the Arizona Water Institute, go to the link below. The Arizona Water Institute is comprised of water experts from the UA, ASU and NAU.
Kathy Jacobs, Director, Arizona Water Institute, kjacobs@hwr.arizona.edu
To learn more:
http://www.azwaterinstitute.org/media/Final_AWI_Newsletter-2007_June_2.pdf
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