Articles
"My husband and I bought a home in May and we were thrilled the house was already outfitted with gutters and a 1,300-gallon rainwater harvesting tank. When we moved in, the tank sat full of water, while the desert-adapted vegetation in the backyard was receiving daily irrigation from the municipal supply. There were no apparent vegetable garden or fruit trees in the yard. This left me...
Journalist Christopher Conover and videographer Sandra Westdahl from Arizona Public Media visited WMG's headquarters to talk water conservation with Cultural Ecologist Joaquin Murrieta-Saldivar. The interviews were part of a larger segment titled "The Ebb and Flow of Water Predictions in Arizona" which aired on Arizona Week July 7 & 9, but you can watch it online!
Did you know that there are 22 bodies of water designated as Outstanding Arizona Waters (OAWs)? Currently, Hudbay Rosemont Mine is soliciting ADEQ to review the protected OAW status of those 22 streams. At the Tuesday, July 11 Pima County Board of Supervisors' meeting, three of the five board members passed a resolution that affirms Pima County's goals for...
This manual provides information for neighborhood residents, municipal professionals, grassroots advocates and others who seek to implement green infrastructure (GI) strategies in their communities. You can download or buy the manual.
(Read the full annual report. Link opens a PDF.)Dear Readers, WMG is poised to lead, innovate, and grow in 2017, standing tall on the foundation of all we achieved together last year. Our foundation is strong, thanks to your investment as donors, volunteers, docents, clients, and students. The current political climate is sending out tremors of hate, fear, and division, but our organization...
This video about the Middle Tanque Verde expresses Tucsonans’ attachment to our heritage of flowing rivers and our passion for restoring the flow. Watch to learn more about the benefits of slowing, spreading and sinking storm water, and how restoring flow in this creek will increase the area's wildlife diversity.The Goal for this Streamshed: To restore creek flow during the summer...
Watershed Management Group and our event sponsor Meow Media hosted Tucson’s first ever morning dance party on Tuesday, April 8. The “We are One Watershed Dance Rally” kicked off at 7 a.m. with YogaOasis warming up our muscles, and then we moved to the beats spun by DJ Herm until 9:30 a.m. The fun took place downtown on the roof of Playground Bar & Lounge. What was the purpose? To...
For WMG's 2nd Annual Flow and Feast on May 6, we gathered at the Isabella Lee Natural preserve to enjoy the beautiful Tanque Verde wash, build community, and re-energize our efforts to restore the flow to Tucson-area creeks and rivers. Highlights included an informative walk and talk with River Restoration Biologist Trevor Hare, a sunset toast, live music by The Coots, and a delicious catered...
Help us build watershed unity in 2017.Despite our politics, passions, race, religion, or socio-economic status, we are all part of one watershed. If you are feeling troubled in this divided political climate, respond positively by increasing your commitment to community with small but meaningful acts. And if you need a way to build common ground, we suggest talking about water.
WMG's We Are One Watershed ResolutionsResolution #1: We will uplift all gender identities and fully value their contributions.Actions: Create universally inclusive spaces at our Living Lab & Learning Center through how we design our space and welcome people, including gender inclusive facilities, family-friendly bathrooms, and ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) culture...
Thanks for another great year! We’ve loved working alongside you to transform landscapes and inspire friends, families, and neighbors throughout the Southwest. Enjoy our Top 10 Reasons to Give in 2016, ending with #1: the Water MaGicians' hilarious video spoof debut, "WMG Can Work at Your Home”. We're ready to get back to "work" and accomplish even more in 2017.
WMG's "Green Infrastructure for Desert Communities" manual provides information for neighborhood residents, municipal professionals, grassroots advocates and others who seek to implement green infrastructure (GI) strategies in their communities. It offers a neighborhood-centered perspective on GI that is tailored to work with the unique climate conditions of the southwestern US. The guide...
Watershed Management Group has been harvesting water in the Valley of the Sun for 5 years! We're celebrating by counting down to the new year with success stories from each of the past 5 years (6 counting this one), and launching a "5 for 5" campaign to raise $5,000 from Phoenix donors! We need your support to expand our "Hydrate" series, grow our Co-op program, and continue to develop...
Explore the wet, wild, and wonderful watersheds of Sabino and Tanque Verde Creeks through WMG’s Get Wet Guide! WMG created a pocket map just for you to visit trailheads, recreation areas, and our personal favorite, swimming holes—all located along or near Sabino and Tanque Verde Creeks. The Get Wet guide is packed full of information about local hydrology and wildlife and how each of us can...
You're invited to join us in supporting local farmers and fresh, tasty food through a CSA partnership with Sleeping Frog Farms. Sleeping Frog Farms CSA quick facts Season: 3 months (year-round)Share cost: $300 (cash or check)Weekly share size: 7 itemsPick up: Wednesdays, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., at the Living LabDeadline: June 21, 2017 (For July-September season, starts 7/5/17)...
Dear Readers,WMG launched the concept of hydro-regionalism in 2015 as part of our 50 Year Program to restore regular flow to Tucson’s springs,creeks, and rivers. I’m thrilled to see the concept spread, and just a year later, it has been adopted by the Community Water Coalition (CWC) as one of their policy platforms. WMG’s Catlow Shipek led the development of the platform, with input from CWC’s...
The River Run Network is a group of people working together to restore Tucson's heritage of flowing creeks and rivers. Join today and explore this online platform to learn more about restoration targets, priority actions, and progress towards our goal. Join the River Run NetworkThe River Run Network includes all of the Tucson basin, with a focus on target restoration areas, called...
We are looking for two dynamic and motivated professionals to join our team and expand WMG's mission.Living Lab Program Coordinator - you will be the lead staff member running the educational programs at the Living Lab and Learning Center.Community Relations & Development Associate - you will work as part of a team to build relationships with donors, volunteers, clients, and partners to...
You are invited to join us for our newest series of classes in Tucson—Living Lab Field Studies—and experience WMG's Living Lab as your living laboratory. You'll learn sustainable desert living skills in a fun, hands-on experience, with access to working systems to improve soil health, care for your urban forest, grow a cornucopia of tasty Sonoran foods, and more.Catlow Shipek will be kicking off...
Buy tickets today!Fall is in the air, and we are super excited to invite you to join one of our most anticipated events of the year—WMG's 6th Annual Homescape Harvest Tour on Saturday, October 1, 2016! We've lined up an A-list of sites with well-designed, beautiful, and affordable features to harvest water, energy, and food.You can spend the day exploring amazing home landscapes throughout Tucson...
Dive into WMG's Spring Newsletter to learn all about our Flow 365 plan to restore Sabino and Tanque Verde Creek, our latest policy initiatives, state-wide green infrastructure training, and our recently unveiled master plan for the Living Lab and Learning Center. We also profile two families helping to restore the Tanque Verde Creek in their own backyards.Other stories inside:Pg. 4: Sabino...
The 2016 round of grant funding is now open to proposals for Schoolyard Water Conservation Education Program funding of up to $4000.Create a learning lab–an urban desert oasis at your school–with the implementation of a Rain Garden. This 2016 grant opportunity is a step in the right direction. K-12 schools in the Tucson and Phoenix metro regions can apply.Application Deadline: September...
When we measure the value of Sabino Creek as we would other community assets, such as a bridge or building, we found Sabino Creek has a net value of $146 million – $230 million over a 100-year lifespan! This staggering number was determined by a recent economic analysis conducted by Seattle-based nonprofit Earth Economics in partnership with WMG. The analysis showed that, by a conservative...
As spring makes its slow transition into summer, we finally have a minute to look back on the flurry of fun and excitement of April.At Tanque Verde Flow and Feast on April 2nd, we celebrated our love of flowing desert rivers with a fun and inspiring community event at Tanque Verde Creek. About 200 WMG supporters, Co-op members, and friends joined us for an evening of good food, drinks, poetry,...