Past Conferences

The WRRC 2024 Annual Conference, Implementing Water Solutions Through Partnerships, was held March 12–13 at the University of Arizona Student Union. This year’s conference program focused on how solutions to Arizona’s water resources concerns are being realized. Throughout the state and region, many in our communities are hard at work implementing solutions to a wide range of water challenges. 

Another successful WRRC conference is in the books! In July of 2023 we held our 21^st annual conference, What Can We Do? Solutions to Arizona’s Water Challenges, at the University of Arizona Student Union. With over 300 registered in-person and more than 600 for the Zoom livestream, we had one of our largest audiences to date.

This year’s conference, Arizona’s Agricultural Outlook: Water, Climate, and Sustainability, took place over three days, July 12-14. Day One was held in person at the University of Arizona Student Union on Tuesday, July 12 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Arizona time. Two mornings of virtual programming, 9:00 am to noon, followed the in-person event. 

The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center held the 2021 Annual WRRC Conference, Tribal Water Resilience in a Changing Environment on August 30-September 1. The program featured information, diverse perspectives, networking, and much more. The conference kicked off with an afternoon session (1-4 PM Arizona time) on Monday, August 30, followed by morning sessions (8-11 AM Arizona time) on Tuesday, August 31, and Wednesday, September 1. In addition, a special conference screening of the film Paya was held on the August 31.

The WRRC Annual Conference, Water at the Crossroads: The Next 40 Years, took place virtually on June 18 and 19, 2020. With more than 450 people attending, we had registrants from 51 Arizona communities, 10 states, and 5 other countries. The program consisted of notable speakers, in-depth panel discussions, audience Q & A, and more. Over the two half-day sessions, participants celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Arizona Groundwater Management Act and looked forward toward the next 40 years. 

On February 1, more than 350 people attended the WRRC's 2019 Annual Conference, "Arizona Runs on Water: Scarcity, and Community-based Solutions." Evaluations and verbal feedback indicate that the audience was highly satisfied. Ten states and 56 Arizona communities were represented by elected officials, staff, and engaged citizens. After hearing about the particular water challenges and responses of local communities, members and staff from the Arizona State Legislature reflected on their legislative goals.

The Water Resources Research Center's 2018 annual conference, The Business of Water, held on Wednesday, March 28, attracted over 300 people from around the state. Topics such as public-private partnerships, water transactions and the growing relationship between environmental water and economic development were examined throughout the course of the day. Dean Shane Burgess remarked on the importance of water to our economy during his welcome address.

On March 28, 2017, approximately 325 people traveled to the University of Arizona Student Union for the WRRC Annual Conference, Irrigated Agriculture in Arizona: A Fresh Perspective. The event began with a packed audience viewing the movie Groundwater: To Enact a Law for the Common Good, followed by a discussion led by the movie's co-producer, Kathleen Ferris, during which panelists discussed how sustainable water management can be achieved through cooperation and leadership. Morning and afternoon panels and keynote presentations covered a range of current agricultural water issues, and included commentary from water managers, farmers, and policy makers. 

Approximately 275 people attended the WRRC’s 2016 Annual Conference, “#AZwaterfuture: Tech, Talk, and Tradeoffs” at the University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center on Monday, March 21st. Attendees came from 23 communities throughout Arizona and six Southwestern states. They were treated to talks and panel discussions from a full roster of experts and innovators from water technology, communication, education, policy, and management fields. Farmers shared experiences with irrigated and dryland farming, and keynote speakers offered lessons learned from high-level positions and programs with major impacts on water issues. 

The Water Resources Research Center 2015 conference, Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainable Water Practices, brought together a unique diversity of perspectives to share experience and knowledge about indigenous water management and stewardship. More than 330 people attended the conference, representing six states, 49 cities, and 13 tribal nations. Thirty-three speakers with ties to Native American communities across the state presented a variety of viewpoints.

The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) annual conference, “Closing the Gap Between Water Supply and Demand,” was held April 8, 2014 at the UA Student Union Memorial Center in Tucson. Organized in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), the conference attracted 350 attendees from 49 Arizona communities, and featured presentations and commentary from speakers, panelists and audience members. A poster session, with 24 water-themed posters, included a competition for best student poster and a celebration of the WRRC’s 50^th anniversary.

The Arizona Water Resources Research Center's (WRRC) 2013 Annual Conference, "Water Security, From the Ground Up," was held March 5 at the UA Student Union Memorial Center. Organized in partnership with the United States Geological Survey, this interactive water dialogue featured prominent water experts on issues that affect every Arizonan, including water sustainability, environmental implications of stressed water supplies, policy options for local, regional and federal decision makers, and much more. 

On January 24, 2012, the Water Resources Research Center held its annual conference, Urbanization, Uncertainty and Water: Planning for Arizona's Second Hundred Years, in the University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center Ballroom, Tucson. Arizona's urban areas are growing and some predict that a metropolitan region eventually will extend from Prescott, through the Phoenix area cities, Pinal County and the Tucson area, to south-central Cochise County. The conference addressed many of the vital questions about water in Arizona's future that this prospect raises.

This conference, held in collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, explored the role of desalination in expanding water supplies. Participants heard the latest information on the Yuma Desalting Plant pilot run from Reclamation experts as well as regional, national and international perspectives on key issues.

There is a critical need in Arizona for leaders—new and established—who have the ability and will to address pressing water and environmental issues. The WRRC Annual 2010 Conference brought together a diverse array of participants, ranging from scientists and policymakers to educators, writers and artists, to discuss this issue. In the morning, panelists shared their experiences with how they became leaders and how leadership can be nurtured and developed. During roundtable sessions and workshops, participants had the opportunity to begin crafting their vision for creating new water and environmental leadership for Arizona.  

On March 17, the Water Resources Research Center’s 2009 Annual Conference was held at the UA Student Union Memorial Center.  More than 250 people were in attendance.  This year’s meeting, on the topic “Best Practices for Stakeholder Engagement in Water Resources Planning,” drew participants from across Arizona; more than 40 communities were represented. The 2009 Conference was organized in collaboration with the Morris K. Udall Foundation and the Arizona Water Institute.

The Conference, ―The Importance of the Colorado River for Arizona‘s Future, was held June 24, 2008, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. It provided a forum to discuss the past, present, and most importantly the future of the Colorado River. Luncheon speaker Robert Johnson, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner, provided an overview of West-wide water challenges. More than 300 participants attended, including representatives from government, academia, non-profit groups, and private business along with interested citizens.

Assessing and Protecting the State's Water Quality

Titled "The 20th anniversary of the Environmental Quality Act and ADEQ: Assessing and Protecting the State's Water Quality," the June 5 event was cosponsored by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the Arizona Water Institute. It was held at the Hyatt Regency, Phoenix at Civic Plaza. The one-day conference featured panels on the genesis and history of the Environmental Quality Act and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), the water quality assurance revolving fund (WQARF), emerged and emerging contaminants, emerging policy challenges, and the future of ADEQ. Also included was a luncheon presentation on the state of ADEQ by Director Steve Owens and insights from former directors.

Over 400 people attended the he 2006 WRRC Conference, held in Phoenix on June 20- 21. The conference, titled “Providing Water to Arizona's Growing Population: How Will We Meet the Obligation?” provided a timely dialogue on water and growth. Day one of the conference featured a session on the different ways city, town and rural area managers addressed the issue “water planning for growth,” followed by a panel of diverse water professionals who considered “where is the water coming from?” Afternoon sessions included perspectives from developers, home builders, and realtors; the role of the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District; and views from public officials.

The 2005 WRRC Conference, entitled “Water and the Environment: The Role of Ecosystem Restoration,” was held in Tucson, Arizona on April 6th. The conference was an opportunity for various agencies or organizations to showcase ecosystem restoration projects in which they are involved. Maricopa County, Pima County, City of Phoenix, Salt River Project, U.S. Geological Survey and researchers at Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University and the UA described their ecosystem restoration work. 

“The Future of Agricultural Water Use in Arizona” was the title and theme of the UA’s WRRC April 28, 2004 conference in Casa Grande. The WRRC and the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics co-sponsored this well-attended conference (over 250 registrants). Financial sponsors included numerous agricultural and government organizations. A theme running through the conference was the importance of agriculture in the U.S. and Arizona economies, and its likelihood of maintaining its importance in the future.

The Annual Water Conference continued to extend the WRRC’s outreach with a highly successful program in 2003. The conference was expanded from its one-day format to two-days and was held in a non-urban area of the state. Titled “Local Approaches to Resolving Water Resource Issues,” the conference brought together people actively engaged in resolving water resource issues from all over the state. Participants’ expertise in solving problems was woven into the conference, which had the subtitle, “What’s Working, What Hasn’t Worked and Building on Existing Efforts.”