The Sonoran Institute and the Babbitt Center for Land & Water Policy are excitedly preparing for the upcoming 2026 Arizona Growing Water Smart Workshop!

Arizona is navigating significant uncertainty around water availability, requiring local jurisdictions to fundamentally rethink water use and to assume new leadership roles. Historically, planning for water resources and land use have been conducted separately. Yet, where and how we build impacts the quantity of water needed and the quality of water in the natural environment.

Communities can “grow water smart” by collaborating to identify and implement strategies that address their local and regional water challenges.

What makes this workshop unique?

Time: A rare opportunity for local leaders to focus – away from competing priorities – on the connection between water and land use with a cross-departmental and cross-sector team.
Structure: The majority of the workshop is spent in team work sessions. Each team receives nearly 12 hours of professional facilitation from staff at some of the state’s leading organizations to integrate water and land use.
Flexibility: Team work sessions are flexible to the unique needs of your community, while plenary sessions are catered to regional contexts.
Network: Learn from peer communities about shared water challenges and strategies. Upon workshop completion, join a Peer Network of Growing Water Smart program alumni across the Colorado River Basin.
Action: Leave with a team action plan developed by consensus, ready for implementation following the workshop.

Please note, applications are now closed.