Brown Bags
Brown bags are held 12:00 – 1:15 p.m. at the Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell).
Advances in Forecasting Summer Monsoon Precipitation, Simulation of Convective Storm Processes
Date: April 17
Speaker: Chris Castro, Associate Professor, Hydrology / Atmospheric Sciences, UA
In his presentation, Dr. Chris Castro will describe research on the changing occurrence and intensity of monsoon rains. This research focuses on the simulation of severe weather events caused by mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), which account for much of monsoon rainfall in the central and southwestern portions of Arizona, downwind of the Mogollon Rim. Over the past 60 years, there have tended to be fewer strong, organized MCS-type thunderstorms during the monsoon; however, when they do occur, their associated precipitation tends to be more intense. Central/southwestern Arizona appears to be a local hot spot for increasingly intense precipitation and downdraft winds. Dr. Castro is a UA faculty member in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, where his current research focuses on the understanding and prediction of climate through atmospheric modeling and analysis of observations.
Navigating Water Policy in Uncertain Times: New vs. Old Paradigms
Date: April 25
Speaker: Melanie Stansbury, Sr. Advisor and Consultant, Utton Transboundary Resources Center, University of New Mexico
What does water security mean in the 21st Century and how do we reconfigure water policy for a more sustainable future? Although drought and water scarcity have driven conflict throughout history, there are increasing efforts across the U.S. to bring a more collaborative and systems-based approach to water governance. This talk examines the current water policy landscape and the ways in which a clash of paradigms is playing out between the legacy systems of the past and the new paradigm solutions of the future. Case studies of several major water policy efforts at the national level–including legislation and regulatory efforts in the current and past Congress–provide a lens for examining how these tensions are reflected in federal policy making. This talk will also explore the frontier of water policy making in the U.S. and what that may look like going forward in a time of great political, social, and hydrologic change.
Seminar
Waters of the United States (WOTUS) — Evolution of a Quagmire and the Supreme Court
Date: April 24
Time/Location: 11:00 a.m. – noon / ENR2, S107 (1064 E. Lowell St., Tucson)
Speaker: Jim Burling, Esq., Vice President of Litigation and Principal Attorney for Property Rights, Pacific Legal Foundation
Jim Burling has been with Pacific Legal Foundation since 1983 and his cases involve regulatory takings, environmental and land use regulations, eminent domain, and Indian law. In 2001, he successfully argued a leading property rights case, Palazzolo v. Rhode Island, before the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education courses on topics such as the regulation of wetlands, eminent domain, and the “taking” of private property. In 2013, Mr. Burling was awarded the Crystal Eagle Award by the Owners Counsel of America in recognition of his work on behalf of property rights.