The Story Behind the Jersey

The Inspiration – The Colorado River Basin, a captivating landscape that winds through seven U.S. states, extends into Mexico, and spans the ancestral territories of over thirty Indigenous tribes. This arid region serves… MORE ›

Sonoran Institute x Becky Duffy

As I drove into the mountains, I listened to the podcast: Thirst Gap: Learning to Live with Less on the Colorado River. It shares how the Southwest is adapting to water shortages as climate change… MORE ›

Santa Cruz River Research Days Recap 2023 

“I know that a great deal of collaboration that went onto include so many entities – solutions to our environmental problems will only be solved through such collaborative actions. I like facts and… MORE ›

Letter to Water Infrastructure Finance Authority

Last year, in response to former Governor Ducey’s call for action to address Arizona’s water challenges, the Legislature passed bipartisan, multifaceted legislation to tackle a variety of water issues. As enacted, the new… MORE ›

A park in Colorado with a body of water and city buildings in the distance
Growing Water Smart Ready to Meet Basin Challenges 

In August 2022, five of the largest water providers in the Colorado River Basin signed onto a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their commitments to water conservation, efficiency, and reuse in response to intensifying… MORE ›

A Journey Along the Santa Cruz River

For many of its miles, the Santa Cruz River is a dry sandy bed inhabited by tough desert creatures and vegetation. From headwaters in the Sky Islands of southeastern Arizona to its confluence… MORE ›

Sonoran Institute in Planning Matters

Sonoran Institute’s Waverly Klaw was featured in the Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Associations “Planning Matters” August issue. See page 20 for the article “Whose Responsibility is it to Prove a New… MORE ›

One Basin

The Water & Tribes Initiative issues a shared vision statement for the sustainable, resilient use of the Colorado River and its tributaries for people and nature As the Colorado River Basin grapples with… MORE ›

Santa Cruz River Research Days Recap 2022

“The cultural history of the Santa Cruz is a rich, complex, and fascinating one. For starters, the Santa Cruz is the reason we can call Tucson home. And its waters have supported people… MORE ›

Jump in for Arizona!

On Arizona Gives Day and Every Day “Forty-five years ago, I was fortunate to spend two weeks on a four-person raft traveling the Colorado River and hiking the canyons. It was a time… MORE ›

Women Leading Conservation

Diverse leadership and gender equity are essential to innovation and success when it comes to tackling climate change and building healthier communities. Today is International Women’s Day, and we are checking in with… MORE ›

Growing Water Smart Reunion

Bringing past participants together to celebrate collaboration and progress In January, we hosted a Growing Water Smart reunion with our Colorado and Arizona workshop alumni. Over 100 program participants joined the online event… MORE ›

Awards for the Best Plans and Policies

Growing Water Smart Award with APA Colorado We work with the Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Colorado) to recognize exemplary Colorado communities that are integrating water and land use planning… MORE ›

Santa Cruz River Ask Me Anything 

Last month our Santa Cruz River team was invited to do an Ask Me Anything on the Tucson subreddit. The online group is focused on Tucson-specific issues and news and has more than… MORE ›

Women in Resilience Spotlight: Blue Baldwin

Baldwin pilots new program that saves water, improves parks, and addresses climate inequities The woman-led team at the Green Stormwater Infrastructure program at City of Tucson – Tucson Water is getting ready to tackle some big sustainability issues.… MORE ›

Ample, Clean Water for Colorado

On Colorado Gives Day and Every Day “I have lived in Colorado for so long that I can remember hikes when I could kneel down and scoop water out of a stream and… MORE ›

What Sustainability Staff Can Do for Local Government

Sonoran Institute celebrates the crucial steps the City of Longmont has taken—from attending the Growing Water Smart workshop, adding staff focused on sustainability, to making sure their goals match the changing climate. The… MORE ›