Keynote speaker: Bruce Babbit
AHS is pleased to announce that Bruce Babbitt has accepted our request to be the keynote speaker via live Zoom with a question-and-answer period. His topic will likely be the groundwater situation in rural Arizona, which is now becoming a legislative issue.
Mr. Babbitt served as the Secretary of the Interior from 1993 to 2001, as Governor of Arizona from 1978 to 1987, and as Attorney General of Arizona from 1975 to 1978.
He personally negotiated and steered to passage the Arizona Groundwater Management Act of 1980, which remains the most comprehensive water regulatory system in the nation.
Guest Speakers: Sarah Porter and Kathleen Ferris
After the keynote, Sarah Porter and Kathleen Ferris (Kyl Center for Water Policy at the Morrison Institute for Public Policy, ASU) will give a presentation on urban groundwater issues: “The Myth of Safe Yield — Pursuing the Goal of Safe Yield Isn’t Saving Our Groundwater.” Their presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.
Kathleen Ferris is a Senior Research Fellow for the Morrison Institute. She previously served as the Executive Director of the Arizona Groundwater Management Study Commission, Director of ADWR, and Executive Director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. She holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Utah College of Law.
Sarah Porter is the inaugural Director of the Kyl Center. She previously served as Arizona State Director of the National Audubon Society ; prior to that, she was a lawyer who specialized in complex commercial litigation. She graduated with honors from Harvard College and obtained a juris doctor degree magna cum laude from ASU.
Thursday Lunch Speakers: Chuck Cullom and Andrew Volkmer
Chuck Cullom is Central Arizona Project’s (CAP) Manager of Colorado River Programs, primarily focusing on developing and implementing policies and projects that protect and enhance CAP’s Colorado River water supply.
Currently, Chuck is working on plans to develop new water supplies from local, regional, and international projects to augment the Colorado River system. Projects include local and international desalination efforts, snowpack augmentation, Colorado River demand reduction, and conservation efforts. In addition, he leads CAP’s participation Colorado River environmental protection and enhancements through the Lower Colorado River multi-species conservation program.
Chuck has more than 25 years’ experience developing and managing surface and groundwater resources in Arizona and across the Colorado River Basin. He has led design, construction and operation of underground storage (recharge) projects, and surface storage facilities, as well groundwater development and recovery of the stored water. Prior to joining CAP in 2001, Chuck worked for Bookman-Edmonston Engineering and for the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Chuck earned his Master’s of Science degree in Geology from Northern Arizona University and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Geology from the University of Arkansas.
Andrew Volkmer is a Senior Hydrologist with Surface Water at Salt River Project (SRP). His responsibilities focus on watershed monitoring, streamflow forecasting, flood emergency reservoir operations, and water supply planning using SRP modeling tools. Andrew holds a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Nebraska, is a Registered Professional Civil Engineer in Arizona, and an alumnus of Scottsdale Leadership (Class 34).
Andrew will discuss the condition of the Salt and Verde watershed and status of SRP reservoirs. His presentation will include a summary of Winter 2021, recap the monsoon season, and provide a Winter 2022 outlook. The SRP Surface Water team has also been monitoring the effects of local burn scars on runoff. Andrew will share some flow images from the past summer and describe how they are helping SRP operate its reservoir and water deliveries.