The Flagstaff Chapter of the Arizona Hydrological Society (AHS) 2020 AHS Undergraduate Mentor Scholarship was awarded to Northern Arizona University student, Max Evans.
As part of the student responsibilities of the mentor scholarships, award winners must submit a short article to the AHS monthly newsletter describing their school experience in 2020, including how COVID-19 influenced their experience. Please take the time to read Max’s report.
School Experience of 2020
Submitted by Max Evans
Over the course of the AHS Avery Mentorship program I had the opportunity to attend four different water related meetings. I asked my mentor to help me fill the gap in my experience and learn more about water policy and management practices to go along with my educational background in hydrogeology. Together, we were able to attend meetings with the Coconino Plateau Watershed Partnership (CPWP), the Northern Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (NAMWUA), the Flagstaff Water Commission, and the AHS Flagstaff Chapter.
Through these meetings I had the opportunity to learn about water policy and management practices at local, state, and federal levels. Through the CPWP meeting, I learned about some of ADWR’s management practices including Irrigated Non-Expansion Areas and Active Management Areas, and some of the policy limitations. During the NAMWUA meeting I was able to observe discussions about potential Non-Indian Agriculture, CAP water use for rural Northern Arizona communities, and the impacts of the Governor’s Water Augmentation, Innovation, and Conservation Council. The Flagstaff Water Commission meeting gave me the opportunity to learn about wastewater management practices and ongoing percolation tests in the Rio De Flag to enhance groundwater recharge. Lastly, in the local AHS Flagstaff Chapter meeting I learned about groundwater issues facing Hawaii and other Pacific Islands through a talk by John Hoffman.
One of the most beneficial parts of the mentorship were the long conversations I had following each meeting with my mentor, Don Bills, where I was able to ask lots of questions and hear about his experiences. Despite each and every meeting being in a virtual format, I was able to learn even more than I was hoping for from the mentorship. Thank you to the AHS Flagstaff Chapter and the entire AHS community for providing this opportunity, and Don Bills for spending hours on the phone with me. I’ll carry the knowledge and experience I gained from this mentorship with me for many years as I pursue a career as a hydrogeologist.