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Water levels in Lake Powell, seen here in May 2021, are dipping dangerously low. The federal government has proposed an unprecedented plan to cut back on water supplies for Arizona, Nevada and California. The measure aims to keep water levels high enough to generate hydropower at the Glen Canyon Dam.

The Buzz: Looking back on 2022

Newsworthy interviews and topics that we addressed this year.
The revived "heritage" stretch of the Santa Cruz River now flows north of Starr Pass/22nd Street all the way to Congress Street.

Insects find a new home on Santa Cruz River

It has been two years since a new species has moved to the area.
The Central Tucson Groundwater Treatment System, located near Davis Monthan Air Force Base, removes PFAS contaminates from the aquifer below the area.

The Buzz: Dealing with Arizona's PFAS problem

Why are the chemical class also known as forever chemicals so dangerous, and what's being done to fix the problem?
A vacant lot is used as a place to stack and assemble sandbags for use by residents whose properties are at risk of flooding.

The Buzz: A strong monsoon brings road closures and floods

Why does some infrastructure get overwhelmed by above-average summer rain?

Adia Barnes on Teamwork and Motherhood.

Also on Arizona Spotlight:Can new technology save water on farms? Plus Chris Dashiell remembers Peter Bogdanovich, and a short story read by author Michelle Ross.
Outside the Tucson Water building in downtown Tucson.

$1.7M in Air Force funds go to Central Tucson PFAS project

Efforts to address the water contaminates via the project began in 2020.
Mated pair of Great Plains toads (Anaxyrus cognatus) in the floodplain of the Santa Cruz River.

The Desert Blooms in a Bountiful Monsoon.

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Why the music of the rock group Fanny is rocking a whole new generation!
Soldier Canyon in the Catalina Mountains.

Measuring the Monsoon.

Also on Arizona Spotlight: 'Tis the season for mushroom hunters on Mount Lemmon; and "Gloria: A Life" returns to The Invisible Theatre.
The sun shines harshly behind a saguaro cactus.

Low saguaro reproduction numbers at national park in Tucson

Drought cycle that dates to the mid-1990s thought to be responsible

PFAS contamination draws local, national cleanup efforts

The so-called “forever chemicals” accumulate in bodies and can have numerous health impacts.
Since late June 2019, Tucson Water has been recharging treated wastewater into the dry channel of the Santa Cruz River, creating a riparian oasis.

Checking in on the health of the Santa Cruz River

Upgrades to the county’s wastewater treatment continue to improve the vitality of the river and the wildlife it supports.
John Farley, director of fire test operations at the Naval Research Laboratory, tests the effectiveness of aqueous film-forming foam by spraying it on a gasoline fire. The test took place at the laboratory in Chesapeake Beach, Md. Oct. 25, 2019.

State works to clean up chemical pollutants in Tucson water supply

ADEQ is addressing PFAS contamination of Tucson backup groundwater wells.
The crew of the whaling vessel Pequod, portrayed by Ryan Parker Knox, Christopher Pankratz, Aaron Shand and Eduardo Rodriguez, in The Rogue Theatre's stage adaptation of "Moby Dick".

The great white whale, sighted in Tucson!

Also on Arizona Spotlight: A conversation with ecologist Brad Lancaster; and the series "Youth Crossing Gender Borders" begins.
Water creeps along the Santa Cruz riverbed on the release day of a project aiming to create a perennial flow in a section of the river near downtown, June 24, 2019.

Santa Cruz River project means coordination between water infrastructure managers

New water released into the Santa Cruz River means the city and county are working together on issues like flooding and wastewater.
Water flows north of Cushing Street in the Santa Cruz River, midway through the first week of a project aiming to create a perennial flow in a section of the river, June 27, 2019.

Initial flow for Santa Cruz River project goes beyond expectations

The project pumping reclaimed water into a section of river near downtown saw water reach farther downriver than predicted.
Tucson Water

Tucson Water Filters Out Firefighting Chemicals

The director said the solution used existing filters to reduce perfluorinated compounds.

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