Field Trip to Sierra Vista
The ALRS and the Water, Society, and Policy MS programs planned a joint field trip to the Sierra Vista area, southeast of Tucson. The Cochise Conservation & Recharge Network (CCRN) - a cooperation between Cochise County and the Nature Conservancy - have several water retentions basins to recharge of treated effluent from Sierra Vista to keep flow within the San Pedro river. The students got to see and learn about water management activities. Speakers at the event included: Mark Apel (Environmental Projects Coordinator, Cochise County Engineering and Natural Resources) and Holly Richter (Principal, Resilient Rivers LLC). There was also discussion regarding the San Pedro River National Conservation Area (SPRNCA), Memorandum of Understanding among CCRN members, partnership efforts, and effluent recharge (City of Sierra Vista Environmental Operations Park and Riverstone). Students also visited the Coyote Wash on Moson Road and discussed the concept of urban enhanced runoff (UER), stormwater in-channel recharge and the importance of flood flows to the river.
