Alphie Smith and Lois Connell
Arizona’s Water Issues Discussed
Quail Creek residents were given a full overview of the challenges Arizona faces with its water sources. Connie Williams spoke before the Democratic Club of Quail Creek (DCQC) on July 19 at the club’s monthly meeting in the Ocotillo and Mesquite Rooms of the Kino Center.
Williams volunteers as a team lead for RiverWatch, a citizen science initiative that monitors sites along the Upper Santa Cruz River. She works closely with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), the US Geological Survey (USGS), and the Sonoran Institute.
The depleting lack of water resources is one of the biggest concerns that Arizona faces due to the hotter temperatures from global warming, more people moving to Arizona, and a lack of regulation of corporate agriculture and mining operations.
Williams put these challenges into historical context, described what is being done now, and offered some solutions that we can turn to.
Water sources for Arizona come from groundwater (aquifers), the Colorado River, surface water, and effluent (treated) wastewater. The water from the Colorado River is shared with states like California and Nevada. Most water is used for agriculture.
The Central Arizona Project (CAP) allocates who gets what water in Arizona. Here in Green Valley, water resources go mostly to FICO (pecans) and Hudbay (mining).
Some of the solutions of conserving water are reclamation, creating riparian areas and using native plants, gathering stormwater, changing how we farm, and passing laws that regulate those who receive the water.
The Sonoran Institute is a private nonprofit institution that partners with communities to conserve our natural resources throughout the Western United States and Northern Mexico. It is very active along the Santa Cruz River. For more information, go to sonoraninstitute.org.
The complexity of water issues in Arizona is a non-partisan issue, and Williams’ PowerPoint presentation drew a large crowd. They were not disappointed. It is time to pass sensible groundwater laws.
Women In Blue
The Women In Blue Luncheon was held on July 24 at the Madera Sunrise Café in Green Valley. Forty women gathered to enjoy lunch and to support Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona with monetary contributions. L’Don Sawyer of Mobile Meals of Arizona was the guest speaker. She was accompanied by volunteer Tara McCarthy.
The organization plans meals for people based on their medical needs and limitations rather than a “one meal for all” approach. In Green Valley they serve 50 people in need, with 20 on a waiting list because of the need for volunteers. For more information, go to mobilemealssoaz.org.
DCQC Adopt-A-Road Clean-up
Once again, members of DCQC gathered on July 17 at 8 a.m. to clean up the litter alongside Old Nogales Highway outside of Quail Creek. In service to the community of Sahuarita, DCQC donates their time and effort four times a year to keep their one-mile designated stretch of the highway clean.
For more information on the Democratic Club of Quail Creek, go to our website at www.dcqc.page.