Watershed Info No 944

1 .AZ Water Association Celebrates 90+ Years of Stewardship. By David Iwanski, Executive Director, AZ Water Association 5/2/2018

The AZ Water Association vision is “A vibrant Arizona through safe, reliable water.” The Association prides itself on being the premier training and professional development entity to ensure that we continue to have a highly skilled and motivated workforce today and in the future. We identify and encourage individuals to seek leadership roles and positions in our industry. We work with our partners and collaborators to develop strategies, which will result in water sustainability along with construction and maintenance of necessary water and wastewater infrastructure. It is incumbent upon us to educate our elected officials, business leaders, educators and the public as to the vital nature of water certainty

Not withstanding our nine decades of being in existence, the AZ Water Association is not well known outside the water profession. We are a volunteer driven 501(c)(3) corporation with membership that includes operators, utilities (both public and private), engineering firms, contractors, lab professionals, customer service representatives, equipment manufacturers, consultants, technology firms, regulators, environmental compliance firms, educators and students. We are also Arizona’s affiliate to both the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) .

At the conference, we’ll be discussing important water and wastewater issues in several tracks:

We’re looking forward to networking with our peers and coming together to talk about what we love best – water! Hope to see you there!

For more information regarding The AZ Water Association, membership, training opportunities, Committee participation, scholarship availability, veterans support and links to AWWA and WEF, please go to www.AZWater.org, or contact me at Director@AZWater.org.

2. Emerging Voices of Tribal Perspectives in Water Resources Webinar Series The Universities Council on Water Resources is presenting a two-part webinar series, “Emerging Voices of Tribal Perspectives in Water Resources.” The webinars highlight papers from the April special issue on tribal waters in the Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education (JCWRE), edited by the University of Arizona’s Dr. Karletta Chief, Assistant Professor of Soil, Water & Environmental Science. The first webinar on April 26 at 9 AM MST, “Tribal Waters and Climate Change”, will feature authors of two papers. The second webinar will be held on May 23 at 9 AM MST. The authors of two papers will present papers on tribes and water quality and quantity. The webinar is free to both UCOWR members and non-members.

3. ADEQ will be hosting a full-day of sessions to discuss the 2018 Triennial Review of water quality standards in Tucson on May 10, 2018. The Tucson and Phoenix meetings provide the same content.

Participation Options:
In person at ADEQ
400 W. Congress
North Building, Room 222
Tucson, Arizona 85701

or online via WebEx access code 805 520 055 Password: ADEQTRTUCSON or via conference call at 240-454-0879 (access code: 805 520 055)

Times, Discussion Topics & Background Materials:
Thursday, May 10, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Overview of the process, Appendix B, enforcement, mixing zone, site specific standards and variances.

• Agenda >
• Appendix B >
• Working Group Charter >
• Final Consensus Recommendations: Topic 1 | Topic 2 | Topic 3 | Topic 4
• Variances (R18-11-122): Variances are time-limited standards for specific pollutants, and are only applicable to a particular permittee or water body segment. A variance standard reflects the highest attainable condition during the time of the variance. In 2015 EPA promulgated a final rule (See 80 Fed. Reg. 51020, 51035 (Aug. 21, 2015)). Variances must now be issued as a water quality standard under 40 CFR part 131 including public involvement and EPA approval. States must submit supporting documentation: why variance is needed, represents the highest attainable condition, justify term and requirements. The variance may not lower the quality of currently attaining waters
• Enforcement (R18-11-120): This “enforcement” rule indicates how compliance will be shown for purposes of a compliance action. It has existed since before ADEQ had AZPDES primacy and was last amended in 2002 (see 8 A.A.R. 1264).
  Thursday, May 10, 1 – 3 p.m
  Appendix A, a proposed new selenium multi-matrix standard, and nutrients, including a minor language change to 109F.
• Agenda >
• R18-11-109 and Appendix A are comprised of the numeric standards for toxic chemicals. R18-11-109: A new selenium multi matrix standard will be proposed. Appendix A: Approximately 154 out of 2468 standards are likely to change to incorporate updated EPA criteria, including 304(a), USEPA Priority Pollutant, and MCL criteria. 178 toxic chemicals addressed (up from 160) in 13 separate use categories. In particular, ammonia and cadmium standards are likely to change. • Nutrients – Minor language change to 109F.
  Thursday, May 10, 3 – 5 pm.
  Outstanding Arizona Waters, Effluent Dependent Waters and antidegradation
• Agenda
  Outstanding Arizona Waters | Working Group Charter | Final Recommendations
  Effluent Dependent Waters | Working Group Charter
  Antidegradation | Working Group Charter
  
  
  

4. After nearly a month of terse exchanges among water managers in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona about Colorado River conservation strategies, representatives from the five states met Monday in Salt Lake City to hash out their differences.

At issue is how the Central Arizona Project (CAP) – the operator of a 336-mile aqueduct that pumps Colorado River water to farmers and cities – is conserving water in Lake Mead, the river’s largest reservoir. The project is managed by the Central Arizona Water Conservancy District (CAWCD) and is the state’s largest water provider.

The meeting didn’t resolve the issue, says James Eklund, the Colorado representative on the Upper Colorado River Commission, but CAP officials did offer an apology.

“District representatives expressed regret about their use of rhetoric in describing the policy of maximizing reservoir releases solely for the benefit of the [Central Arizona Water Conservancy] District at the expense of the rest of the Colorado River Basin,” Eklund said in a written statement.

In response to a series of public statements and an infographic sent to CAP’s Twitter followers demonstrating this strategy, Upper Basin representatives sent a letter in mid-April saying CAP’s behavior, while within the rules, was a violation of the watershed’s collaborative spirit. The larger basin-wide feud was borne out of a dispute within the state of Arizona over which agencies have final authority to decide how to conserve water.

“CAWCD regrets that intra-Arizona issues have impacted other parties in the Colorado River basin,” said CAP spokeswoman Crystal Thompson in a written statement. “Specifically, CAWCD regrets using language and representations that were insensitive to Upper Basin concerns, and resolves to have a more respectful and transparent dialogue in the future.”

Meeting attendees did not schedule a follow up meeting to further address the issue, and a meeting between CAWCD and state of Arizona water officials has yet to be scheduled.

The dust up caused at least one city to pull out of a Colorado River conservation program meant to boost reservoir levels. The city of Pueblo, Colorado’s water department cited CAP’s behavior in rescinding its proposal to participate in the System Conservation Pilot Program

“This river really only works and functions the way we’ve designed it if trust is in abundance and we’re truly viewing the entire basin as connected,” Eklund says. The discussion in Salt Lake City was a starting point, “but the proof of progress will be in [CAP’s] actions.

5. Upper Agua Fria Watershed Partnership. Tuesday, May 14, 2018 at Arcosanti 10 am

• Introductions and Announcements
• Report on Tom Whitham, NAU Cottonwood Project, focus of April 4, 2018 meeting at Horseshoe Ranch
• Cold Water Farm Conservation Easement in Dewey Humboldt – Proposal Project of Garry Rogers and Central Arizona Land Trust – maybe first of many on Agua Fria – Update
• Friends of the Agua Fria – Wet/Dry Mapping plans, training
• Other business
  Cordes Junction Projects
  Points of Pride
  Outreach for new members
  Water Quality testing in the River
• Next Meeting: Mingus Springs, June 5, 2018 with Henry Dahlberg
  
  
  

6. Oak Creek Sediment and Macroinvertebrate Study Public Citizen Science & Ecological Health Event!

Citizen Scientists
We invite you to join the OCWC and Friends of Oak Creek on Sunday, May 13th, from 8:00amnoon to help collect data that will lead to better understanding of how erosion and sediment impact macroinvertebrates in Oak Creek! These aquatic insects and other small organisms play key roles in the food web of the creek ecosystem and can be indicators for overall stream health

in Oak Creek! These aquatic insects and other small organisms play key roles in the food web of the creek ecosystem and can be indicators for overall stream health.

May 13th, 2018:
Data Collection

• 8:00 a.m. to noon
• Meet at the lower parking lot off of Stadium Dr. at Red Rock High School in West Sedona and carpool to nearby sampling site for brief overview of sampling procedure
• Training provided by expert ecologist Dr. Larry Stevens
• Teams will be composed of novices to experts. All levels of experience and knowledge are welcome!
• We ask that volunteers bring a hat, sunscreen, water bottle, and comfortable shoes as we will be hiking in and along the creek in some areas.
• This is the last of our Spring 2018 sampling dates
• For more information see our Facebook event

page:https://www.facebook.com/events/1612129925571872/1633192466798951

TO REGISTER CONTACT Cordel Adler:
cordel@oakcreekwatershed.org
http://www.oakcreekwatershed.org/