Community Engagement News

This week's deal on how to share the Colorado River's water relies heavily on cuts to the agricultural sector, which is responsible for 80% of the region's water use. "Water is a valuable asset, and I think people are nervous about parting with it, because it kind of suggests that you don’t really need it after all," said University of Arizona extension specialist George Frisvold, earlier this week. "I think there's real concern that this is voluntary now, but it could come back and bite you."

This week — after months of tense negotiations and a couple of blown deadlines — Arizona, California, and Nevada agreed to massively cut their use of Colorado River water for agriculture in order to sustain cities. However, that deal will face renegotiation in 2026 and those talks could look a lot different from the Colorado River Compact negotiations of 100 years ago, with Tribal nations playing a more meaningful role. "What I think is important is that we create political arenas where tribes have equal voice with states," said said Andrew Curley an assistant professor of geography and development and American Indian studies at the University of Arizona. "My only fear is — and I think this is the fear of many tribal leaders — is that there’s going to be less water to negotiate with."

The Biden administration has temporarily resolved a dire water crisis – with help from a wet winter. A new plan would conserve at least 3 million acre-feet of water by 2026 in an effort to ensure the crucial waterway continues to generate power and provide drinking water. Once analyzed and officially approved by the Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the dams on Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the new agreement would be in place through 2026. "This is a big deal," said Robert Glennon, a professor emeritus at the University of Arizona who specializes in water law and policy. He added the problems states faced were "truly historic and potentially catastrophic if either Lake Powell or Lake Mead hit dead pool."

Some Indigenous farmers are trying to bring traditional food back to their communities. Michael Kotutwa Johnson, a farmer from the Hopi Tribe, is focusing on bringing Hopi corn back to the dining table – not only for the health benefits but also to connect his people to their culture. Johnson, who also is a faculty member at the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment, refers to corn as “our mother.”

The University of Arizona is helping communities contribute to decision-making on water resources in the state. Professor Sharon Megdal with the UA Water Resource Research Center talks about getting indigenous peoples involved and how their knowledge can be transferred to cities coping with water concerns.

Bruce Tabashnik, a Regents Professor of Entomology whose discoveries helped eradicate the invasive pink bollworm from the United States and Mexico, is one of 120 new members elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences.

The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Bridgestone, focuses on growing and processing guayule (pronounced why-OO-lee), a hardy, perennial shrub that could be an alternative source of natural rubber.

Maria is a trilingual international student interested in studying the intersection between language and psychology. Her interests in environmental sustainability sparked as she saw the differences between countries’ perspectives towards going green. Working for AIR was her first step into the environmental field and learning more about the climate crisis through her role has made her realize that there’s still hope for people to restore the planet’s health. She’s learned that there are many things we can do to protect our planet both collectively and individually.

Efforts are underway to wean the university off fossil fuels by 2040 or sooner. As a first step toward that goal, the Office of Sustainability is leading the development of the university's first Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.

Isabella Feldmann is a 2022-2023 Earth Grant student who interns at the Sonoran Institute. She explains that Earth Grant has amazing professional development opportunities in the environmental field that allows students to broaden their experiences in the industry! She’s also writing a thesis studying how marine microorganisms out of the Amazon River Plume use organic phosphorus versus manmade inorganic phosphorus as an energy source.