Event Set for Tucson Community to Talk Water

Water, a community resource, is a fitting topic for a community forum. Such an event is planned for Tucson. Called “Community Conversation on Water — Learn, Listen and Participate,” the event will be conducted Oct 26; the Water Resources Research Center is a cosponsor.

It is a special Tucson event, befitting the city’s reputation for taking an active interest in water issues. Tucsonans are very aware that decisions about the use, reuse and management of water resources are critical to the future of the community.

Presented as a follow-up to the Tucson Regional Town Hall held in May, the one-day water forum will help citizens understand the complex water issues they face and the decisions that lie ahead to ensure sustainable water supplies.

The Community Conversation will begin with fact-based presentations focusing on the state of the Tucson Active Management Area, its water resources, and the effects of drought, growth, and management choices. This will be followed by community members and water experts discussing their views. Their conversation will address some of the key questions facing the region: Do we have enough water? What role does conservation play? Can our community continue to grow? Should it? What about the environment?

Former Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Rita Maguire’s luncheon presentation will offer a statewide perspective, viewing issues raised in the morning in the context of those facing central Arizona and the state as a whole. The forum will conclude with an opportunity for attendees to share their own perspectives and ask questions.

Other sponsors of the forum are University of Arizona; Arizona Department of Water Resource, Tucson Active Management Area; Pima Association of Governments; Southern Arizona Water Users Association; Central Arizona Project; and Southern Arizona Leadership Council. The event will be conducted 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, 445 S. Alvernon, Tucson. Check the WRRC web site for information about registration. (http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/); registration fee is $25 fee. If you want to receive email information about the event contact wrrc@cals.arizona.edu

Film Shoot at AZ Watersheds
Video shows management options

Managing stormwater in arid conditions is the subject of an award-winning video that decision makers, whether municipal officials, watershed partnerships or local associations of governments, will find a valuable resource.

The making of “Stormwater Management from an Arid Watershed Perspective” got its start when Kristine Uhlman, director of NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) at the University of Arizona, noted that the Pacific Northwest Regional Water Quality Program’s Watershed Issues Satellite workshops did not include video addressing arid conditions.

Uhlman complained; she said they replied, “OK, you do it for Arizona and we did.” The Edward R. Morrow School of Communication at the University of Washington, Pullman, provided technical support. Jan Seago, executive producer of the of the series, conducted the interviews and edited over 26 hours of film to the 45-minute final version. Arizona is where all the actions occurs.

Film locations include the USDA Agricultural Research Station near Tombstone, a cattle ranch near the San Francisco River, construction sites in the Sonoran Desert and rain water harvesting project in Tucson. Filming also occurred in Sierra Vista where the City Council is considering ordinances to harvest rainwater. The Tucson PAG also gets video coverage because of its special efforts to work with local developers and construction companies on stormwater issues unique to the Southwest.

Also included were several community-based local watershed partnerships that were implementing projects to reduce erosion, conserve water, and improve water quality and riparian health. Various Arizona officials were interviewed.

Uhlman said, “We had a lot of interest from small municipalities. They became interested in implementing local stormwater management ordinances to achieve various goals, from reducing erosion and mud on the roads to collecting a water supply.”

She says, “The ultimate goal is to change behavior, to change policy, and to put into place the ultimate stormwater man Management tool — local ordinances.”

The documentary is available for videostream viewing at: http://caheinfo.wsu.edu/video/stream.html Copies are being sent to County Extension offices throughout the state. Interested individuals can obtain copies by contacting Kristine Uhlman, 520-621-5951, kuhlman@ag.arizona.edu

The video won an Award of Distinction for the Communicator Awards, an international competition that recognizes outstanding work in the communication field.

NEMO is partly supported by the UA Water Resources Research Center with TRIF funding (Technology and Research Initiative Fund) and is located within WRRC.

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