Adaptive Management of Groundwater Resources in the Arid Southwest
Monday, February 26, 2018: 8:30 a.m.
Holly Richter, Ph.D.
,
Arizona Water Projects Director, The Nature Conservancy, Tucson, AZ
Increasing water demands, combined with extended drought within the arid Southwest, have resulted in widespread increases in aquifer depletion. While the complexity and uncertainty associated with groundwater systems limits well-informed decision-making in many cases, this presentation will provide a general framework for stakeholder engagement that builds progressive momentum toward identifying longer term solutions.
Holly Richter, Ph.D., Arizona Water Projects Director, The Nature Conservancy, Tucson, AZ
Holly Richter is the Arizona Water Projects Director for The Nature Conservancy. She oversees the design and development of water projects that help sustain river flows along the San Pedro River, Verde River, and the Colorado River/Delta in Mexico, working with other Conservancy staff and partners. One area of particular focus for her work is the development of a regional aquifer replenishment network, consisting of stormwater and effluent recharge projects along 25 miles of the Upper San Pedro River to increase groundwater storage and baseflows within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
Holly began her career with The Nature Conservancy in 1987, and has worked along several rivers in the Colorado River Basin during her career. She completed her PhD at Colorado State University, the focus her research involved the development of an interdisciplinary riparian ecology, geomorphology, and hydrology simulation model forecasting the downstream implications of potential reservoir construction on the Yampa River.
During her career, Holly was one of the founding members of the Upper San Pedro Partnership, a consortium of 21 member agencies addressing regional water needs, and served as the chairperson for the Technical Committee of (2000-2007), and their Executive Committee (2008-2011). She was appointed to the Organizing Board of the San Pedro Water District by Governor Napolitano in 2007, and served as their Vice Chair. She initiated the bi-national wet dry mapping citizen science program for the San Pedro River in 1999, which continues to engage hundreds of volunteers along 320 miles of the river and its tributaries in the U.S. and Mexico every year. Holly also served as the Director of Conservation for the Arizona Chapter for four years, overseeing over 30 conservation staff throughout the State.
