What we've
been
talking
about
Kira Russo attended the 2nd annual field trip for the Coconino Plateau Water Advisory Council (CPWAC). This trip was meant to familiarize the council with hydrogeologic formations on part of the Navajo Nation and near the Hopi villages. Students from Northern Arizona University also attended part of the tour with the council.
Leupp Desalinization Project
In August 2016, Kira Russo traveled to Colorado. This trip came shortly after the Colorado River Briefing, conducted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and the Central Arizona Project (CAP). In Colorado, she met with water managers in Cortez and Salida. She also met with water authorities in Fort Defiance, AZ on the Navajo Nation.
In her travels, Kira observed heavy bark beetle damage near Wolf Creek Pass, and she assessed the likelihood of conservation of Colorado River water by Upper Basin states. In addition, she looked at how some Colorado municipalities are dealing with mitigation of mining residue.
Destruction from Bark Beetle--Wolf Creek Pass, CO 2016
Colorado River Briefing—August 22, 2016
Kira Russo attended the Colorado River Briefing conducted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and the Central Arizona Project (CAP). Water authorities discussed the current status of Lakes Mead and Powell. In addition, authorities addressed possible future scenarios for Arizona with regard to Upper Basin and senior rights on the Colorado. The meeting was transmitted via Internet to a Flagstaff location.
For more information, cut and paste the following link into your browser:
http://www.azwater.gov/azdwr/ADWR_News/documents/CR_BriefingInvitation_082216.pdf
Governor’s Water Augmentation Council Meeting—August 5, 2016
Kira Russo attended the 4th meeting of the Governor’s Water Augmentation Council. Council members discussed Arizona’s water communication plan. In addition, the council created a desalination committee to discuss possibilities regarding this form of water augmentation. The council met in Phoenix at the Arizona State Capitol Executive Tower.
For more information, cut and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.azwater.gov/AzDWR/Arizona_Water_Initiative/GWACMeetingInformation.htm
In July 2016, Kira Russo traveled to California to personally assess the drought situation there. She spoke with water managers in Needles, Lucerne Valley, Sacramento, and San Luis Obispo County.
In her travels, it became clear that water issues in California vary considerably, even in locations of close proximity. Despite the fact that California lawmakers lifted state conservation rules in May, considerably more than half of the state remains in “severe, extreme or exceptional drought.”
For more information, cut and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article78513297.html
CPWAC Presentation--June 24, 2016
In June 2016, Kira Russo made a presentation to the Coconino Plateau Water Advisory Council (CPWAC). Cut and paste the following link into your browser to view this presentation:
http://www.slideshare.net/KiraArtemisRusso/1-cpwac-presentation-final-versiongwpc-66148399
Project CENTRL Presentation--October 2, 2015
Kira Russo presented about water policy for Project CENTRL Class XXIV. The objective of the seminar was to provide class members with an understanding of the importance of Arizona's natural resources and to look at environmental concerns facing rural Arizona.
Kira addressed the Doctrine of Prior Appropriation and surface water in Arizona, challenges with groundwater and over-consumption, and tribal settlements in Arizona.
Center for the Future of Arizona--October 1, 2015
Kira Russo attended a breakfast meeting organized by the Center for the Future of Arizona. Nearly 400 elected officials attended the event in Phoenix. Contributors included business and community leaders, heads of non-profits, and many people committed to the future of Arizona.
What Water is Worth is a book that looks beyond the monetary values of water. These are values that the authors say are often overlooked. On June 11, 2015 authors Kira Artemis Russo and Zachary Smith, an NAU Regents’ Professor of Politics and International Affairs, were interviewed on “Arizona Horizon” by Ted Simons of PBS station KAET-TV.
To watch this interview, cut and paste the following link into your browser:
http://www.azpbs.org/arizonahorizon/play.php?vidId=7760
