Sense of Place
Tucson’s Waterways
Unit 2
Activity 6 Research Project
Students pick a specific development issue in Tucson and in a paper/presentation define
the issue and present a way to address it. Students will do some research on the project
but will rely on much of the information that they gather over the course of the 2 units.
The project uses a structured format to develop an argument by defining an issue,
presenting the facts (past, present and future), and proposing a solution.
Activity 6 Tucson Waterways Research Project:: How is Tucson changing and what are
you going to do about it?
You’ll find a list of project topics below with associated research questions and internet
links to get you started. Once you read the project ideas and choose a project, read the
Research Guidelines carefully before getting started.
Your ultimate goal:
Make a power point presentation that reports all of the information you gather on
your issue. You will present this information to the class and need to convince
them that your issue is important.
You must create at least 3 slides for each of the questions below and for the
individual questions specific to your research topic. Use the web for images to
illustrate you issue. You will be provided several sources you may want to
investigate for images.
Project topics:
Tucson’s climate: human sustainability
Water supply and demand
CAP water
TCE
Sewage
Population: transportation, urban/rural, farming, city limits
Plant and animal habitats
Living with rivers
Water quality
Water rights
Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan
People of Tucson
Water Conservation
Alternative energy sources
How to research your topic:
You must answer the questions that are listed below. Use a separate sheet of
notebook paper to research each question. You will hand in your research notes,
so keep careful track of them.
You’ll be able to find out most of the information from the background material.
Check out the websites we suggest (or other ones you find) for additional
information. If you do use additional websites or books, write the site addresses
or book titles down so we know where you got the information. Some of the
questions require your opinion - you can’t find the answers anywhere except by
thinking yourself. SO THINK.
The questions you must answer:
1. Define your issue and explain why your issue is important.
2. What is the present situation of your issue?
3. What is the history behind your issue?
4. What are the future components to your issue? Are there foreseeable problems
associated with it?
5. How does the issue affect your life?
6. How does your issue affect the DVHS area?
7. What are your proposed solutions to the problem? Justify your solution. Provide
two explanations/reasons that support it. Identify two drawbacks to your solution.
8. What are other opinions on the issue and your proposed solutions? Ask as many
people as you want and report their response. Ask a classmate, a family
member – what does the person you interviewed think about this. Do they care?
If not, explain to them why they should.
9. The additional questions which accompany your research topic. Use a separate
sheet of paper to research each of those questions.
Research Guidelines:
1. Keep all the questions in mind when reviewing the readings. Do not expect to
answer one question completely and then move on to the next. You can work
much more efficiently by gradually completing all the questions.
2. Skim the readings. You do not need to read every detail. Review the information
with an eye for what you want to learn from it. Look for key words, read the
section headings and read the figures. Then if there's something that you need
more details on, investigate further.
3. When you think you have enough information on one topic, move on and focus
on those that you know less about.
4. To answer the research questions first use the information you've gathered from
your class readings and activities. When you've exhausted the information from
your personal experience and from class, go to the links assigned for your
specific research topic.
5. Make sure to report facts and concepts in your own words. If you have questions
about terminology, look it up on the web or in the dictionary. Remember that if
you don't understand something your classmates (who you're reporting to)
probably won't either.
6. Feel free to explore the links provided. There is often more information on a web
site beyond the page where the link takes you. So press "next" or "continue" to
see if the linked web pages contain more information on your topic.
7. If you feel you need more information on a topic, you are free to explore other
websites. A good search engine to use is Google.
The Topics (choose one)
Tucson's climate: human sustainability. How do we adapt? What does climate dictate?
In ways does climate change affect Tucson specifically? When identifying the history
and future of climate change be specific and identify:
1. Ways in which the climate can change.
2. Ways that these changes in climate can affect our lives.
3. What Tucson (individuals and the government) can do to address climate change
and its effects.
Basic Pima County water issues (look at pages 33-36)
Tucson's climate
What happens when cities warm up?
Global warming information
EPA kids' site, global warming etc
EPA general global warming site
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Water supply and demand
People in Tucson depend on water for both personal and industrial purposes. You'll
research the history and future of water use in Tucson, covering how we get water
(supply) and what we use the water for (demand). Make sure you provide the answers to
the following questions in your presentation:
1. What are the water supplies in Tucson? How did Tucson get its water in the
past? How does Tucson get its water now? Why has Tucson had to look to new
water sources?
2. How does Tucson use its water? How much does it need? How are these needs
changing?
3. Does Tucson's water supply match the water demand? Will this change? What
do we need to do about it? What can we change, the supply or the demand?
Today's water suppliers
History of Tucson water supply and demand
Tucson water supplies
Water uses (demand) in Tucson
Considering sustainability in Tucson
Conservation water casa, brochures on conservation tips
Electrical plant water use
History of Pima County Water use
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
CAP water
In addition to defining CAP water and reviewing its past, present and future role in the
Tucson's water supplies be sure to cover the following in your presentation:
1. Pros and cons associated with CAP water.
2. What complaints did Tucson citizens have when CAP water was initially
introduced?
3. How have these concerns since been addressed?
Water quality in CAP water
Quality issues related to CAP
CAP water overview
Problems with pipes and CAP water
Basic Pima County water issues (look at pages 11-17 specifically)
WRRC Chp 2 pp 9-13
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
TCE
The presence of TCE and other toxins in South Tucson groundwater is a serious issue
that involves the interplay of groundwater, human health and local politics. You are well
equipped to report on this important topic. In addition to reviewing the history of TCE
contamination in South Tucson be sure to report on the following in your presentation:
1. Health hazards associated with TCE.
2. Other groundwater contaminants that should concern Tucson citizens.
3. Precautions that Tucson government agencies, private companies and
individuals should take in order to avoid future groundwater contamination.
Pharmaceuticals in water supply
TCE overview
Safe water drinking act
Public health assessment of Tucson Airport area
Tucson Airport Remediation
Poplar trees for TCE remediation
TCE health hazards: fact sheet
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Sewage
When you flush the toilet or dump something down the drain, where does it go?
Wastewater management is an important issue in Tucson because wastewater is part of
the answer to Tucson's water shortage. Make sure you include the following in your
presentation:
1. What is wastewater? Where does it go? And how is it treated?
2. What are the different kinds of wastewater? How can they be re-used?
3. What are the pros and cons of implementing the various kinds of wastewater reuse?
4. Suggest a list of concrete ways in which you think wastewater should be used in
Tucson and defend your stance given the pros and cons.
Wastewater treatment in Tucson
More on wastewater treatment in Tucson
Treated effluent
Effluent and reclaimed water
Basic Pima County water issues (look at pages 21-26 specifically)
WRRC Chp 2 pp 14-15(16)
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Population: transportation, urban/rural, farming, city limits
We all know that Tucson's population is growing rapidly. Your task is to report on the
state of population growth in Tucson and its implications. Make sure to cover the
following in your presentation:
1. Facts on population growth in Tucson
2. Your own observations on population growth. How can you tell that there are
more people?
3. The effects on population growth on the quality of life in Tucson (past, present
and future).
4. Sustainability: How many more people can Tucson support? What changes does
Tucson need to make in order to sustain the population in the future?
Effect of landuse and urban sprawl on rivers
NWF population and environment
Interactive Population growth site (look at "The world today", "Towards a stabilization?"
and "Questions for the future"
Information of population grown and its effects
Population facts by state
Tucson population compared to the rest of AZ and US
2000 Tucson census info
Considering sustainability in Tucson
Basic Pima County water issues (look at pages 33-36 specifically)
WRRC Chp 2 pp 7-11
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Plant and animal habitats
For this topic you'll research local plants and animals. The success of plant and animal
habitats are often good indicators of how climate change, population growth and
development effect our local environments.
1. What are the plant and animal habitats around Tucson? Do you think they have
changed over the past 100 years?
2. List the plants and animals do you find around DVHS or your house. Include
drawings or photographs.
3. What specific factors affect the success of plant and animal habitats? Think
about what plants and animals need and then think about the human factors that
affect these needs (good or bad).
Riparian habitats in Tucson
Desert questions and answers from the Sonoran Desert Museum
Sonoran Desert habitats
Tucson Wildlife Rehabilitation Council
Santa Cruz River Habitat Project
Catalogue of plants in the Tucson Mountains
Water management for species preservation
Call for preservation of endangered riparian bird
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
River formation and control
Tucson's rivers are unique for several reasons, primarily because 1) they do not flow
year round and 2) they are deeply incised. Make sure you cover the following points as
you report on Tucson's rivers:
1. Why do Tucson's rivers only flow part-time? When do Tucson's rivers flow?
2. Identify some of the big floods in Tucson's history. How did these floods affect
Tucson?
3. How have humans altered Tucson's rivers?
Flooding in Tucson
Flooding strategies
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Water quality
Water is a precious and scarce resource in Tucson's arid climate. We depend on clean
water to live. In this report you'll investigate the issues of water quality that affect how
gets from its source to your faucet. Be sure to cover the following in your presentation to
the class:
1. List the components that are used to judge water quality.
2. How do we ensure water quality? How is water treated?
3. What is the water quality difference between Tucson groundwater and CAP
water? How is this difference being addressed?
4. How do you think water quality has changed over the past 100 years since
people have more densely inhabited Tucson? How do you think it will change in
the future?
Providing safe water
Safe water drinking act
Artificial recharge and water quality
WRRC Chp 2: 14-16
Salty groundwater
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Water rights
Who owns water? We find water in underground in aquifers and flowing on the surface in
rivers, but who has the right to use it? In this presentation you'll report on how water
rights work in Tucson. Be sure to include your responses to the following questions in
your presentation:
1. What are water rights? How do you think water rights should work? Who should
be allowed to access and/or regulate the water in aquifers beneath private land
or on flowing on the surface in rivers?
2. How is the issue of water rights related to population growth? Do you need a
system of water rights when there are only a few people living in an area? If a
population grows should its water allotment grow too?
History of water supplies in Tucson
Indian water rights overview
Indian groundwater claim
Indian rights
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan
You're going to report on the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. Be sure to address the
following:
1. Why is the Plan important? What's the main goal?
2. What are the pros and cons of the Plan?
Since there's a lot to cover in the plan, pick one element to research in detail. You can
focus on any of the following aspects, clearly define whatever you choose: riparians
zones, ecotourism, biodiveristy, ranch land, historical and cultural implications or the
parks and reserves.
Considering sustainability in Tucson
National Geographic report
Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan homepage
SDCP explanation (newsletter accessed from SDCP homepage)
Sonoran Desert conservation agenda in Mexico (in Spanish)
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
People of Tucson
Tucson is an area rich in diversity. You are going to investigate the different peoples that
have lived in Tucson through time and how their cultures interact with the Tucson
landscape.
1. What peoples live or have lived in the Tucson Basin through time? List each
major group and try and find dates for when they lived here.
2. For each group, how are environmental issues addressed? How does each
culture "use" the land? Does the use have a positive impact on the environment?
Give specific examples.
3. Discuss how the Hokoham peoples managed their water resources.
Cultural adaptations
The Hohokam - Desert Museum site
The Hohokam - UA Press site
Mexican American culture
Anglos
List of Tucson human impact publications
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Water Conservation
Water in Tucson is in short supply. Your job is to present practical ways that Tucson can
limit its water consumption and prevent severe water shortages in the near future. Make
sure you cover the following in your report:
Explain why we need to conserve water by reporting how much water is available and
how much water Tucson uses. How have Tucson's water demands changed through
time and how will they change in the future?
1. List ways that Tucson can conserve water. Include the costs and benefits to each
approach.
2. Rank the water conservation methods by the amount of water they conserve.
3. Rank the methods by their convenience.
4. List the methods that you will support with your own actions, and defend your
choices.
Individual water use strategies
Water rates and conservation
Ways to conserve from Water Casa
Considering sustainability in Tucson
Basic Pima County water issues, ways of addressing the problem of water shortage
(look at pages 26-33 specifically)
Gray water site (filter through it to see what's useful)
Wetlands and wastewater
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999
Alternative energy: solar power
Renewable energy: sun, wind and water
Solar energy is a kind of renewable energy. Respond to the following in your
presentation:
1. What is renewable energy? Why do we need it? List the different kinds of
renewable energy and briefly describe how they work.
2. Describe the pros and cons of implementing solar energy.
3. State your opinion on solar energy in Tucson. If you think Tucson should be
using it, explain why and propose specific ways in which Tucson should
implement it, balancing the pros against the cons.
Information on renewable energy
Information on solar energy
Energy saving tips from the Arizona Dept of commerce
Pictures of solar sites in Arizona
Solar power FAQs
TEP interactive Sunsite Funsite
DOE solar information
Basic Pima County water issues
Glossary of water terms
Tucson Regional Water Council: "Myths and Facts"
Game that tests your green knowledge
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Michael Brower and
Warren Leon, 1999