Articles
Speak up for Tucson's Hydro Local Future: Comment on Tucson Water's 2100 One Water Plan by July 21st
Did you miss the virtual comment writing party? No sweat! We posted it to YouTube so you can still get the inside scoop, and still submit your comments. We’d love to see over 100 people submit comments and advocate for our rivers—that means you! Use this link or click on the photo to the left to view the recording. The One Water 2100 Plan is a comprehensive,...
Coder Dojo will be offering free week-long coding/gaming workshops at the Living Lab - drawing on WMG's work in water-awareness and 'hydrolocal' practices. Through fun activities – such as exploring the rain gardens, food forest, and other water conservation practices, telling stories, making games, and collecting data - participants will consider what each can do to make the most of the water we...
River Run Network Clean Up: Santa Cruz River at Irvington RdWednesday, July 19 @ 6:30pm to 8:00pmRegisterThe Santa Cruz River has a rich cultural and ecological history that grounds us in this watershed and the city of Tucson. There are stretches of the river where effluent flow is being released, and water flows year round, the Irvington Outfalls is another example of this. Located on...
Springtime has been an important fundraising season for WMG, as we raise funds to support our programs and at the same time raise funds to build our Learning Center. We are getting close to the finish line with both of these campaigns, and we’re reaching out to share the good news and ask for your support if you haven’t yet had a chance to donate.Kudos to the 275 donors who have given so far...
Flow365 New Monitor Virtual TrainingThursday, June 1st @ 5:30pm - 7:30pmRegisterWMG is searching for community members in Tucson and the surrounding area to help monitor flow in our creeks and rivers. These volunteers spend time all year round collecting data on the flow in our creeks and rivers, so if you love getting outside, this volunteer opportunity is for you! We are looking for...
Tucson, like many Western communities, historically over pumped our groundwater supplies and dried up our rivers. Yet in the last few decades some creek flow has returned in the Sabino and Tanque Verde Creeks, and some groundwater areas have stabilized thanks to conservation, restoration, and reclaimed water projects. WMG’s 50-year vision is to restore our heritage of flowing creeks and rivers in...
River Run Network Clean Up: Along Pantano Creek near Fort Lowell ParkWednesday, May 17th @ 6pm - 7:30pmRegisterGather together to care for and explore the Pantano Creek, right off The Loop. The Pantano Creek is an important riparian area in Tucson, fed by the perennial Ciénega Creek. While historically the Pantano would have flowed seasonally, it now primarily flows after rainfall and during...
Hi, my name is Julia and I am the River Run Network intern for Fall 2022 - Spring 2023. I started my internship with Watershed Management Group in August 2022 and my first Arundo pull was a warm September day. I remember seeing this invasive plant all around the Tanque Verde Creek, taking up so much space in the creek. It seemed like removing all of the Arundo from the creek would be impossible...
This year we’re celebrating WMG’s 20-year anniversary and working to build the infrastructure to launch us successfully into the next twenty years. Our goal is to raise $125,000 this spring in support of our hydro-local education, restoration, and policy work. We have just $22,000 left to reach our goal! Your donations are our largest source of revenue to fund programs like the River Run Network...
The Emerald Circle is our new giving group in recognition of donors who give $5,000 or more annually to Watershed Management Group (WMG). This is a growing group of donors, and we wanted to formally recognize these donors as well as invite new donors to this giving circle in honor of WMG's 20-year anniversary. Our goal is to welcome 20 donors into our Emerald Circle this year and grow this giving...
This year’s data tells us we had less days of flow throughout most of the city compared to 2021, due to less than average rainfall during both our monsoons and winter rainy season. However, some of the sites highlighted in the report had increased flow through our rainy seasons, and the city has added another effluent release site to the Santa Cruz river, upping flow days near South Tucson....
WMG’s Living Lab is demonstrating what a sustainable water future could look like – for homes and businesses across the West. Instead of depending on imported water, energy, and resources, we are harvesting nature’s abundance and wisely stewarding these resources. And now you have an opportunity to invest in that future, by supporting our Learning Center project. The Learning Center is...
My name is Andrea Troyer and I am the River Run Network Program Coordinator at Watershed Management Group. I moved to Tucson in August 2022 through a year-long volunteer program after graudating from college. I am from the East Coast in Virginia, and so many people asked me prior to leaving, “Why are you moving to Tucson to work with water? There’s no water there.” My knowledge of rivers and...
River Run Network Bike Ride: PFAS in the Santa Cruz River When: Thursday, March 28, 2024 | 4:00pm - 6:00pmWhere: From Tucson Heritage Santa Cruz Site to PFAS Treatment PlantRegister hereDive into the heart of Tucson's environmental stewardship on a bike ride that brings our community together for a cause that touches us all – the health of our waters. Join Watershed Management Group's...
Join us outside to learn how to plant your own rain garden at home on Saturday, September 16 from 8:00am - 11:00am. Rain gardens help capture rainwater, conserve city water used for irrigation, cool down sidewalks, reduce flooding, and provide habitat for bees, birds, and butterflies. After you attend a hands-on workshop, you can take home a complimentary rain garden kit which...
At the Living Lab we maintain our CTs on a weekly basis. All staff, interns and docents get a chance to learn about this important part of doing away with flush toilets.
A few days ago, WMG's Program Manager and Educator, Charlie Alcorn and Candice Rupprecht, Water Conservation Manager of Tucson Water, were interviewed by KGUN9, a Tucson's local news channel. They mentioned Tucson Water's Rebate Program and the monthly classes WMG offers for the community interested in conserving water and applying for a rebate.“Here you’ll see examples of all the...
WMG is one of three winners of the Colorado River Basin Water Scarcity Challenge, offered by The Gates and Walton Family Foundations. The selected organizations will work with Quantified Ventures (QV) – at no charge, thanks to grant funding – to design, finance, and scale investible, cost-effective solutions that deliver beneficial outcomes for Colorado River Basin ecosystems and communities.WMG...
The Learning Center will ensure WMG's experiential education programs can be expanded to accommodate regular school groups, family activities, professional collaborations, and the unique needs of today's in-person and virtual classes. The final major buildout of the Living Lab and Learning Center is currently underway, with the addition of the Learning Center, a multi-purpose space...
(Español abajo)My name is Matthew Jensen. I’m the River Run Network Intern with Watershed Management Group here in Tucson. Every day, I wake up, I go to class, go to work, and live my life. Every day, I drink lots of water because everyone needs water to live. When I was younger, it was easy to think that water was almost infinite, all I had to do was turn on the sink and there it was. Even now,...
Western communities face massive water cuts in the coming years, making WMG’s work more relevant than ever. Your donation today ensures we can scale-up our conservation solutions and watershed restoration efforts. Together, we can take water conservation to the next level, shifting people from water consumers to water stewards: recharging our aquifer, restoring our rivers, and caring for our...
Our fall newsletter is hot off the press! Is it time to pack our bags and leave Tucson? What can be done at the policy level to respond to the Colorado River shortage? How many days of flow were there in Tanque Verde Creek last year, how can you go hydro-local at home, and what opportunities is WMG offering to get involved and learn more?Read about all of this and more in our fall 2022 newsletter...
Right now, the massive Colorado River water storage system is in crisis and facing the potential of total failure — a “dead pool” scenario where Lake Mead water levels drop so low they are unable to deliver water to Tucson and people across the West. In August, Tucson moved up from a Tier 1 to a Tier 2 Colorado River shortage, triggering additional drought response measures. But have these...
Giving TuesdayRainwater on Tap Happy HourTuesday, November 29th5:30p.m. – 8:30p.m.Living Lab, 1137 N Dodge BlvdOnline registration closes at 4pm 11/29. Tickets available at the door.Get Your Tickets Here Enjoy rainwater refreshments at our 7th annual Rainwater on Tap Happy Hour on Giving Tuesday! You'll be in great company with live music and dancing from The Out of Kilters, innovative...