Decision Center for a Desert City
2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009
Tackling climate change with technology -
2009-11-17
November 11, 2009 — New technologies will be required if the world economy is to grow without accelerating climate change. BBC News
Low Water Levels Inspire Dam Upgrades -
2009-11-16
Nov. 14, 2009 — Work is underway to improve Hoover Dam’s power plant performance to compensate for the lowest Lake Mead water levels since 1965, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Mesa Weighs Tucson Model to Save Water -
2009-11-13
Nov. 13, 2009 — While numerous governments, businesses and non-profits promote such measures, Tucson kicked it up a notch in September 2008 by making gray-water plumbing mandatory for new construction beginning next June.
Yuma Desalting Plant is Approved -
2009-11-12
Nov. 12, 2009 — The federal government has signed off on a plan by three water agencies to operate a Yuma desalting plant, largely mothballed since it was built 17 years ago, on a one-year trial basis, according to the New York Times.
Las Vegas Gambles With an Uncertain Water Future -
2009-11-10
Nov. 10, 2009 — Straddling the border between Nevada and Arizona, the Hoover Dam is a symbol of human engineering might. All may not be well behind its water-storing walls, however, according to the New York Times.
October 2009 Wettest on Record in USA -
2009-11-10
Nov. 10, 2009 — The National Climatic Data Center announced Tuesday that this past October was the wettest on record, with a nationwide precipitation nearly double the long-term average, according to USA Today.
Calif. water-transfer deal faces court blockade -
2009-11-09
November 9, 2009 — Largest agriculture-to-urban water transfer in U.S. history is challenged.
Divergent Perspectives on Water Resource Sustainability in a Public–Policy–Science Context -
2009-11-06
Cleaning Dirty Air Risks Costlier Arizona Water -
2009-11-02
November 1, 2009 — The Navajo Generating Station, the huge coal-fired power plant outside Page, supplies a fraction of Arizona's electricity demand, but its role in moving water to the state's largest cities has thrust it into a growing battle over the cost of cleaning up air pollution.
State Water Agency: Cut Would Hurt Rural Areas -
2009-11-01
October 31, 2009 — Projected state budget cuts would all but end Arizona's efforts to secure long-term water supplies, water officials say, a loss that would devastate rural communities already struggling to meet demands.
United States Using Less Water than 35 Years Ago -
2009-10-30
October 29, 2009 — The United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent population increase during the past 25 years, overall water use has remained fairly stable according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report.
For Farm-Water Rights, Planners Ready to Deal -
2009-10-26
October 26, 2009 — Agreements help farmers to economize, saving water for cities later.
Farms Eyed as Water Source -
2009-10-25
Oct. 25, 2009 — As Arizona water managers look for possible future water resources, the one-billion-plus gallons a day going to irrigate farmland are a juicy target, according to the Arizona Republic.
Using Adaptive Management at Glen Canyon Dam -
2009-10-21
October 21, 2009 — Adaptive Management Strategies at the 1,312-MW Glen Canyon Dam Project are Helping the Bureau of Reclamation Determine How to Best Operate the Project While Conserving the Downstream Ecosystem
Record Drought Takes its Toll on Arizona -
2009-10-15
Oct. 15, 2009 — A Financial Times article explores Arizona’s most severe drought in more than a century through the eyes of a ranchers and farmers, and within the context of climate change.
Water Conservation District Sues State over Raids on Special Fund -
2009-10-15
Oct. 15, 2009 — The Central Arizona Water Conservation District has filed suit against Gov. Jan Brewer and State Treasurer Dean Martin over the constitutionality of taking nearly $14 million from a special district fund created to help the state bank water against dry years, according to The Arizona Republic.
Reclamation awards $1 million for Colorado River study -
2009-10-08
October 8, 2009 — The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a $1 million grant to the seven Colorado River Basin states for a first-ever comprehensive evaluation of water demands on the 1,450 mile river.
WRRC Inaugurates Writing Contest for Undergraduate Students at Arizona’s Three Universities -
2009-10-05
October 5, 2009 — The Water Resources Research Center is inaugurating an annual writing contest for undergraduate students at The University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University.
10th driest - 2nd hottest monsoon is over -
2009-10-01
Oct. 1, 2009 — Although runoff from mountain snow supplies much of the water reserves for Arizona, the importance of summer rain should not be ignored.
Fulbright Scholar Joins DCDC -
2009-09-30
NPR: Solar Plan Ignites Some Environmental Concerns -
2009-09-29
Sept. 29, 2009 — A planned project by the Interior Department to build huge solar energy plants on public land in the Southwest has some environmentalists expressing concern, according to National Public Radio.
Study Warns of Crossing Vital Sustainability Boundaries -
2009-09-28
Sept. 28, 2009 — A study published in Nature warns that human activities are nearing or exceeding the boundaries of Earth's ability to sustain life as we know it, according to a Cronkite News Service article published in the Arizona Daily Star.
Water Experts Voice Future Concerns at Conference -
2009-09-25
Sept. 25, 2009 — Water managers from Arizona's major cities expressed apprehension regarding the state’s water future in light of climate change, which studies predict will further reduce flow from Arizona's watersheds, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
Study: Wealth Buys Rescue from Urban Heat Island -
2009-09-21
Sept. 20, 2009 — Phoenix's sweltering summer inflicts the most misery and illness in poor neighborhoods, a new study shows, and among people least able to protect themselves from the elements.
Shortage of Water a Crisis in Mexico -
2009-09-16
Sept. 13 2009 — A months-long drought has affected broad swaths of the country, from the U.S. border to the Yucatan Peninsula, leaving crop fields parched and many reservoirs low.
NYT: Clean Water Laws Neglected -
2009-09-14
Sept. 14, 2009 — The New York Times reports that violations of the Clean Water Act are on the rise nationwide, with more that half a million violations in the past five years alone.
Joint Panel to Advise on Water Issues -
2009-09-01
Sept. 1, 2009 — Officials from ADEQ, the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Arizona Corporation Commission have announced they will lead a new water sustainability commission.
Water Wars (A Utah Perspective) -
2009-08-28
August 28, 2009 — At the center of the West’s water struggle is the Colorado River—a bright blue strip running through the southeastern quadrant of Utah—and America’s most overtapped waterway. Seven states and Mexico have a stake in its flow.
Concise Vision Needed for Water -
2009-08-25
August 25, 2009 — Sharon Megdal, director of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center, penned this editorial.
Quenching Las Vegas’ Thirst -
2009-08-19
August 19, 2009 —The Las Vegas Sun tells the epic story of the region’s water, based on the lives of five passionate, savvy and determined individuals who stand at the center of the issue.
Assessing Stakeholder Evaluation Concerns: An Application to the Central Arizona Water Resources System -
2009-08-19
Cloud-seeding Program Cut to Hurt Nevada, Nation's Driest State -
2009-08-18
August 17, 2009 — The renowned program, operated by the Reno-based Desert Research Institute, squeezed 5 percent to 15 percent more snow from storms to increase the winter snowpack, which provides summertime water to the thirsty state.
Superstition Vistas planning advances -
2009-08-17
August 17, 2009 — State Land Department is about to release a first report on possible ways to develop Superstition Vistas, a 275-square-mile tract of state trust land in the far southeast Valley.
Future Depends on Solving Water Problem -
2009-08-16
August 16, 2009 — "We must be ready to tap new water source" (Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority)
Bill introduced to aid Colorado River -
2009-08-13
August 12, 2009 — Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva has introduced a bill to the U.S. House of Representatives that would provide funding for programs designed to keep the Colorado River clean and the ecosystem pristine.
Psychology to Blame for Humans not Acting on Climate Change, Psychologists Say -
2009-08-06
August 6, 2009 — The American Psychological Association has released a 225-page report detailing aspects of human behavior affecting reactions to climate change.
Rural Areas Face Challenge to Find Next Water Source -
2009-08-03
August 3, 2009 — As Phoenix, Mesa, Tucson and the rest of Arizona's big cities wonder if there will be enough water for the next 100 years, the question up in the cool pines of the high country is sometimes a little more basic: Will there be enough for the next year?
Unabated Use of Groundwater Threatens Arizona's Future -
2009-08-02
August 2, 2009 — Thirty years after Arizona tried to stop cities and towns from using up their groundwater, the state still can't shake its thirst for one of its most finite resources.
Tempe Earns GE Ecomagination Leadership Award for Water Facility -
2009-07-27
July 27, 2009 — For its efforts in developing a new, sustainable water source that helps overcome water scarcity, the City of Tempe has received a GE ecomagination Leadership
Award.
Texas Water Table Keeps Falling Lower -
2009-07-27
July 26, 2009 — There are 230 Texas public-water systems under mandatory water restrictions, including those in and near San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Austin.
Page Utility Contracted for Pipeline Study -
2009-07-27
July 27, 2009 — The AP reports that the Page City Council has authorized studies for the Lake Powell Pipeline, a $1 billion plan to pump lake water to southwestern Utah.
Western Reservoirs Could Be Dry By 2050 -
2009-07-21
July 20, 2009 — (US News & World Report) There's a one-in-two chance that the water reservoirs of the Colorado River will dry up by 2050 if water management practices remain unchanged in our warming world, a new study finds.
Invasive Mussels Imperil Western Water System -
2009-07-20
July 20, 2009 — The AP reports that quagga mussels will likely eventually spread throughout the West’s reservoirs and aqueducts, raising operation and maintenance costs by millions.
Secretary Salazar Presents Partners in Conservation Award -
2009-07-16
July 17, 2009 — WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar present a Partners in Conservation Award to a huge collaborative partnership.
NOAA Phoenix & Portland Study -
2009-07-14
White House Starts Urban Policy Outreach -
2009-07-14
July 14, 2009—President Obama is pledging a nationwide review of urban policy, including sprawl, congestion and pollution.
Rate hike required to pay for cleaner energy, SRP says -
2009-07-13
July 13, 2009 — Salt River Project has announced a possible electricity rate hike of 8.8 percent, meant to help fund a shift to cleaner energy in the coming years.
Stockholm Water Front Article -
2009-07-13
Arizona Tribes Get $8 Million in Water-Related Stimulus -
2009-07-09
July 8, 2009 — Arizona’s American Indian tribes will receive about $8.2 million in federal stimulus money for a host of water-related projects, fueling jobs and bringing in needed amenities such as safe drinking water.
G8: World powers accept warming limit -
2009-07-09
July 9, 2009 — Developed and developing nations have agreed that global temperatures should not rise more than 2C above 1900 levels, a G8 summit declaration says.
AP: Tucson Rainwater Harvesting Law Drawing Interest -
2009-07-06
July 5, 2009 — Long dependent on well water and supplies sent hundreds of miles by canal from the Colorado River, this desert city will soon harvest some of its 12 inches of annual rainfall to help bolster its water resources.
NYT: It’s Now Legal to Catch a Raindrop in Colorado -
2009-06-30
June 29, 2009 — Western states, driven by population growth, drought, or groundwater decline—and bolstered by scientific studies—are loosening restrictions on rainwater collection.
Workshop: Water and Energy -
2009-06-30
House Passes Bill to Address Threat of Climate Change -
2009-06-29
June 26, 2009 — The House passed legislation on Friday intended to address global warming and transform the way the nation produces and uses energy.
Council Subcommittee to Review Water Study -
2009-06-24
June 23, 2009 — The Scottsdale City Council's subcommittee on water issues is considering taking over Arizona American Water Co., the state's largest private water utility.
White House Issues New Dire Climate Report -
2009-06-17
June 17, 2009 — Arizona sits in a bull's-eye of many threats, including drought, hotter weather and shrinking water supplies. The report noted that rising temperatures have already affected the water-runoff cycle, melting snow too early and drying up rivers.
NPR: Recycling 'Gray Water' Cheaply, Safely -
2009-06-09
June 8, 2009 - NPR’s Morning Edition discusses how California’s tightening water restrictions are driving some to propose shifting the state’s restrictive ‘grey water’ laws to something more akin to Arizona’s.
$102 million water plant now serving Gilbert, Chandler -
2009-06-08
A new treatment plant now provides drinking water to residents not served by SRP. Using a new, much faster purification process, the plant also reduces reliance on well water during peak times.
Lake Mead level trigger for pipeline project -
2009-06-04
For the first time, the Southern Nevada Water Authority has established a direct link between its multibillion-dollar pipeline project and the shrinking water level at Lake Mead.
San Diego Water Restrictions -
2009-05-12
Water Cops to police "lawn-watering days" starting June 1
Colorado River adaptive management program needs overhaul -
2009-05-08
New York Times: Energy & Environment; May 8, 2009
CAP preparing for possible shortages -
2009-05-07
David Modeer (Guest Opinion) Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Former DCDC Undergrad Publishes Capstone Project in Journal -
2009-04-29
Former COURS member Peter Howe, now a geography graduate student at Penn State, recently published his capstone project in Aether, an open-access journal of media geography.
As World Warms, Water Levels Dropping in Major Rivers -
2009-04-27
Rivers in some of the world's most populous regions are losing water, according to a National Science Foundation funded study of global stream flows.
The Guardian: Desert Clash in West Over Solar Potential, Water -
2009-04-23
Solar projects in the West struggle with issues of land, conservation, endangered species and water requirements.
Warming could spur water crisis -
2009-04-21
Colorado River users may face frequent shortages by 2050
Stimulus to boost Arizona water infrastructure -
2009-04-17
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will spend $1 billion
DROUGHT LINGERS: Lake sinking near 1965 level -
2009-04-14
Decline of another 30 feet will trigger federal shortage declaration. By HENRY BREAN
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL (4/14/2009)
Time to face the possibility of losing every drop from the Colorado River -
2009-04-08
Commentary- By V.B. Price 4/8/09 1:28 AM; New Mexico Independent
Global Change and the Ecology of Cities -
2009-04-07
March weather dries up chance to end drought -
2009-04-02
Better hold on to the eulogy for Arizona's long dry spell.
Shaun McKinnon - Apr. 2, 2009
The Arizona Republic
Experts look to balance desert-river flows -
2009-03-30
by Shaun McKinnon - Mar. 29, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Urban Heat: Cities Sizzle as More People Move in -
2009-03-30
Science News examines the latest research in urban heat island effects, focusing particularly on Phoenix and studies conducted by Arizona State University researchers.
Gober Featured on OVPREA Web Site -
2009-03-23
The Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Affairs Web site has added DCDC co-director Pat Gober to Profiles in Discovery, its list of noteworthy ASU researchers.
UN: Half World’s Population to Face Water Stress by 2030 -
2009-03-19
Report blames surging population growth, climate change, mismanagement and increasing energy demand for world’s evaporating water supplies.
Reuters examines Western U. S. water challenges -
2009-03-11
The American West faces a “water crisis,” according to a March 10 Reuters article examining water issues facing California, Nevada and Arizona.
ASU-Southwest Poll: drought biggest environmental problem -
2009-03-09
Drought is the biggest environmental problem facing the Southwest, according to the most recent Arizona State University-Southwest Poll.
Schwarzenegger declares California drought emergency -
2009-03-02
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Friday because of three years of below-average rain and snowfall in California, a step that urges urban water agencies to reduce water use by 20 percent.
Gober garners Faculty Achievement Research Award -
2009-02-27
DCDC Takes WaterSim on the Road to Chicago AAAS Meeting -
2009-02-26
Five representatives hopped a plane to this year’s AAAS meeting in Chicago to present DCDC research at a special climate change-themed booth highlighting NSF-funded research.
Las Vegas Running Out of Water Means Dimming Los Angeles Lights -
2009-02-26
Patricia Mulroy, manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, is the general in this region’s war to stem a water emergency that’s playing out worldwide.
Wetland vies for Colorado River’s water -
2009-02-20
Conservation land in Mexico and a desalting plant in Arizona are at the center of a debate over the river.
Colorado snowpack slightly above average for now -
2009-02-20
Across the state, every major river basin is slightly above average snowpack for this time of year.
Nearing limit, Roosevelt Lake releases water -
2009-02-10
Two February storms have filled Roosevelt Lake to its highest level ever and could trigger federal flood-control limits before week's end, forcing the release of millions of gallons of water into the normally dry Salt River.
Bill would ease rules on Colorado River water -
2009-02-09
A bill in the Arizona Legislature would allow Colorado River water to be used for municipal and consumer needs in northwestern Arizona.
New approach needed to confront climate change: -
2009-02-05
Invent our way out
SRP will release reservoir runoff -
2009-02-05
Water will begin flowing down the lower Salt River to make room for runoff from a series of storms expected in Arizona's high country.
Tucson to sell 1/3 of CAP allocation -
2009-02-04
City votes to sell big chunk of CAP water (2-4-09)
Tucson Water’s New Priorities -
2009-02-03
City's aging water mains targeted for more repairs
California’s Central Valley farmers curb planting to cope with drought -
2009-01-23
Some of the nation's largest farms plan to cut back on planting crops this spring over concerns that the drought plaguing California will cause federal water supplies to dry up.
Sensitivity of residential water consumption to variations in climate: An intraurban analysis of Phoenix, Arizona -
2009-01-23
Wastewater to tap water? -
2009-01-22
The city of Escondido, California is considering reclaiming wastewater for use as drinking water to augment its water supply.
La Niña could offset wet winter’s bounty of water -
2009-01-20
As snow-survey teams measured the bounty on watersheds across the state, climate forecasters charted the return of La Niña, a periodic drop in ocean temperatures that usually turns Arizona winters dry.
Cities are key culprits in weather shifts -
2009-01-12
The real-life power of urban areas to shape and reshape weather and climate is the theme of the American Meteorological Society's national conference, which runs January 11-15th at the Phoenix Convention Center.
Jakarta’s urban sprawl brings water woes -
2008-12-29
Jakarta has become a cautionary tale of what can result when runaway urbanization meets poor water management.
Prescott wins a battle in groundwater fight -
2008-12-23
The Arizona Department of Water Resources decided that water tapped from the Big Chino aquifer will count toward the Prescott area's 100-year assured water supply.
Climatic controls and hydrologic impacts of a recent extreme seasonal precipitation reversal in Arizona -
2008-12-08
Research has revealed a trend of increasing variability in Arizona winter precipitation from year to year. This study develops a methodology for calculating extreme seasonal precipitation reversals and tying them to particular large-scale climate forces, such as El Niño and La Niña.
Arizona’s power and water supplies intertwined -
2008-12-08
Energy and water are tightly connected, each requiring copious amounts of the other and each increasingly vulnerable to volatile supplies of the other.
Blue is the new green -
2008-12-07
A range of alternative energy technologies are available to us today; there is, however, no substitute for water. But there are new ways of thinking about water that can help us make better use of the available supply.
Climate change, drought to strain Colorado River -
2008-12-05
Associated Press article (5 Dec. 2008)
DCDC Graduate Student wins APCG award -
2008-12-03
Brian Pompeii earns President’s Award for Outstanding Paper by a Master’s Student
Drought deepens strain on a dwindling Colorado -
2008-12-01
Flows falling » California first in line as Utah, other states fight for water.
Striving to be green -
2008-11-25
A front page story in The Arizona Republic lists conserving water as one of the biggest things people can do to impact the Valley's sustainabilty
Scientists warn of potential health effects of climate change in Southern Arizona -
2008-11-18
Climate change in Southern Arizona could trigger an increase in asthma, bronchitis, West Nile virus, allergies, dengue fever, valley fever, heat-related deaths and malaria, according to two scientists who spoke at a weekend conference at University Medical Center in Tucson.
DCDC garners international coverage -
2008-11-18
United Arab Emirates’ The National profiles DCDC and WaterSim
Estimating Future Runoff Levels for a Semi-arid Fluvial System in Central Arizona -
2008-11-05
Researchers developed a water budget model for the Salt and Verde River basins and validated it using historical data. They then ran the model through a number of possible emissions scenarios described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007, using six different global climate models to estimate future runoff in the various cases.
WRRC Accepting Proposals for Research Grants -
2008-10-29
The UA WRRC is accepting proposals for research grants under the Water Resources Research Act, Section 104(b). The deadline for submission is November 12, 2008.
Tucson proposes a bold plan for water conservation -
2008-10-09
An Arizona Republic editorial says that the Valley should pay attention to Tucson's plan to balance water conservation and business development
Warming to cut Colorado water supply -
2008-10-07
Information from: Rocky Mountain News October 7, 2008
Pima proposes parking parsimony -
2008-10-07
Proposed Pima Country code changes could lessen urban sprawl and heat island effects by reducing the size of parking lots
Against Sprawl Odds -
2008-10-01
New California law aims to cut CO2 emissions by discouraging sprawl
DCDC Welcomes New Additions -
2007-10-18
Cassidy “Fern” White and Allison S. Lee join the DCDC family.
The Impact of the Phoenix Urban Heat Island on Residential Water Use -
2007-10-03
Subhrajit Guhathakurta and Patricia Gober’s article, The Impact of the Phoenix Urban Heat Island on Residential Water Use, has been published in the September 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Planning Association (vol. 73, issue 3, pages 317-329).
Phoenix Area Social Survey Report -
2007-10-01
Water Worries: Arizona Republic Special Series -
2007-05-21
The seven Colorado River states are looking beyond traditional approaches as they try to stretch ever further a water supply weakened by population growth and persistent drought.
Will Arizona Become a Dust Bowl? -
2007-04-22
A new international study predicts catastrophic climate change will bring drought and rising temperatures to Arizona and the Southwest. Should we be worried?
Computer program bridges gap between scientists -
2007-02-17
A computer visualization tool developed by Arizona State University researchers can simulate the effects environmental and policy factors have on the future.
Arizona No. 1 in population rise -
2006-12-22
Arizona can now lay claim to the title of the country's fastest growing state, outpacing Nevada for the first time in nearly two decades.
Ruined Rivers: Arizona Republic Special Series -
2006-08-12
Arizona’s waterways face many threats. Shaun McKinnon examines six of the state’s rivers in this series.