Pakistani delegates look at Water Management practices in Arizona
From July 20th through July 23rd, Global Ties Arizona was pleased to welcome a delegation of professors, engineers and government officials from Pakistan focused on “Improved Water Management, Distribution, and Pricing in Water-Scarce Environments”. While in Greater Phoenix, the delegation was exposed to U.S. water management systems, gained a better understanding of coordination and alignment between different water stakeholders, and learned about the latest water technologies and how to apply them within the context of Pakistan.
The group’s first meeting took place at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, where they virtually met Emma Reidy, a Legislative Assistant in Congressman Ruben Gallego’s (D) office. Ms. Reidy shared insight on the Congressman's role as a member of the Committee on Natural Resources and discussed his work in water legislation and equitable resource allocation.
For a balanced perspective, the group then made their way to Surprise, AZ where they met with Keith Forte, District Director for Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (R ). Mr. Forte spoke about Congresswoman Lesko's role on the Colorado River Caucus and her efforts on water legislation.
At ASU’s Kyl Center for Water Policy at Morrison Institute, the delegation met with Dr. Sarah Porter, Director of the Kyl Center. Dr. Porter provided a deeper focus on Arizona’s water situation as it relates to regional and transboundary water management by highlighting Arizona Water Blueprint, a data-rich, interactive map of Arizona’s water resources and infrastructure. This served as a spectacular follow up meeting for the delegation and Dr. Porter, as participants had virtually met with her in 2020 to discuss the topic.
To round out their time in the Valley, the group engaged in an interactive visit to multiple points of interest around Goodyear, AZ. The delegation was first hosted by farming icon Ron Rayner of ‘A Tumbling T Ranch’ to learn about innovative tilling methods to improve soil health and reduce water consumption. The tour continued with Stephanie Liesner of the Agribusiness & Water Council of Arizona and Noel Carter of the Buckeye Water Conservation & Drainage District showcasing the use of Rubicon Water technology and highlighting the installations of energy hydropower technologies within the canal system. Stan Barnes of Copper State Consulting Group provided additional context into the historical and political dynamics of Arizona’s water position.
Their final stop in Arizona was to the Grand Canyon National Park. Park staff welcomed the group and hosted a discussion focused on water management issues specific to the park's operations. Participating park staff included Louis Rowe, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, Todd Stoeberl, Chief of Interpretation & Resource Education, Treacy Stone, Chief of Facility Management & Engineering, and Dave Worthington, Chief of Science and Resource Management.
Global Ties Arizona is a community-based member of Global Ties U.S. and implements the International Visitor Leadership Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State for central and northern Arizona. Special thanks to our national partner for the program “Improved Water Management, Distribution, and Pricing in Water-Scarce Environments”: Cultural Vistas.