Today’s Show:
With the sensationalized😨 headlines coming out recently on Arizona running out of water and halting new home construction, we decided to record an emergency🚨 episode to shed some light on the truth about the water situation. On today’s show, Rebecca is joined by our favorite Arizona water experts💧 Kathryn Sorensen and Gary Hix. We will cover topics such as recharging groundwater reservoirs, the water crisis in the Rio Verde community, the impact of alfalfa farming, the new groundwater ruling, and the potential to drill a personal well, this episode dives into the reality of Arizona’s🏜️ water demand. Join Rebecca, Kathryn, and Gary as they discuss the reality of water in Arizona. Let this episode be the ultimate guide to understanding the water situation Arizona faces.🙌 Tune in now to learn more!
Listen & Learn:
2:28 – Kathryn’s quote in the latest water article
4:08 – Areas where construction is not impacted by the water issues
5:46 – What is a non-groundwater supply?
9:59 – Is Arizona’s situation as dire as the news makes it seem?
13:20 – What actually happened to the community of Rio Verde
15:13 – Why do we allow Alfalfa farming in AZ when it’s the crop that uses the MOST water
18:05 – Is the groundwater ruling only targeting developers or homeowners building their own houses as well?
23:55 – Rebecca welcomes Gary Hix to the show
26:11 – What Gary believes will happen with the groundwater here in Arizona
27:40 – What it means to recharge a water source
31:25 – Gary’s thoughts on where we are gonna get the water to recharge our reservoirs
33:53 – The uses of groundwater in our state
34:40 – Gary’s concerns with the farming of Alfalfa here in AZ
36:54 – If someone wants to move to AZ should they be concerned about not having water?
40:10 – Does Gary believe the headlines are misleading?
43:40 – Can someone drill their own well?
46:50 – Rebecca’s closing statement
Special Guests:
Kathryn Sorensen – Director of Research at Kyl Center for Water Policy at Morrison Institute:
Kathryn served for many years as Director of Phoenix Water Services as well as Director of the City of Mesa Water Resources Department. In these roles, she was responsible for the delivery of safe, clean, reliable water for millions of Arizonans, and significantly advanced the sustainable management of water resources in Arizona and the Colorado River basin.
She earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Michigan.
In her position at Arizona State University, she oversees the research efforts of the Kyl Center for Water Policy, serves as a Professor of Practice at the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, and contributes to the Global Futures Laboratory.
Phone: 602-496-1799
Email: kathryn.sorensen@asu.edu
Website: https://morrisoninstitute.asu.edu/leadership/kathryn-sorensen
Gary Hix – Certified Well Driller and Pump Installer, Registered Professional Geologist, & Certifed Real Estate Instructor:
Gary Hix has worked in the groundwater industry for over 40 years. He is the owner of In2Wells and now spends his time in Arizona, occasionally consulting to private well owners, lawyers, realtors and well drilling pump installing businesses. For many years Gary was actively involved with the National Groundwater Association, where he was a Contributing Editor to their Water Well Journal magazine, a frequent workshop instructor and nominated as the Groundwater Foundations’ McEllhiney Distinguished Lecturer for 2019.
His years of experience in many different areas surrounding water wells, well drilling, pump installing, real estate transactions of properties with wells, shared water wells, construction defects and environmental issues has prepared him for him to provide expert witness services when needed.
His full Resume’ can be found by clicking here