Reimagining the Colorado River in the context of Water Management in Arizona | Lecture by Kathy Jacobs

A School of Landscape Architecture and Planning Event for the CAPLA Lecture Series

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View of the Colorado river from the bottom of the Grand Canyon: two small rafts can be seen on the water in the distance and high cliffs rise in the background

When

12:30 – 1:20 p.m., Nov. 20, 2025

The Colorado River is the backbone of water management in the southwest, serving seven states and Mexico. Ongoing drought conditions that are linked to climate change threaten Colorado River water deliveries to Arizona, but also provide an opportunity to rethink the allocation of water rights and to focus on a more sustainable approach to management. Arizona's water management system, especially within the central, urbanized areas of the state, are dependent on finding a solution to water conflicts between the states. This talk will summarize our "Colorado River Conversations" efforts and provide an update on current conditions.

Zoom Registration 

In person attendees are welcome to bring their own lunch.

About Kathy Jacobs

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Image of Katharine Jacobs

Kathy Jacobs is a professor of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona and Director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions (CCASS) within the Arizona Institute for Resilience (AIR). She was the executive director of the Arizona Water Institute from 2006-2009. From 2009 – 2013, Jacobs worked in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the White House and served as director of the Third National Climate Assessment. She worked 23 years for the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), including 15 as the appointed director of the Tucson Active Management Area (AMA). She has served on ten National Academy panels, and currently chairs one focused on water-energy issues. Jacobs has an MLA from UC Berkeley.

Header image courtesy Kathy Jacobs.

Contacts

Nataliya Apanovich

  

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