Urban Rainwater Harvesters in the Upper Santa Cruz River Basin, Ambos Nogales, Sonora, and Arizona
Organization: Watershed Management Group
Mission: Watershed Management Group (WMG) develops community-based solutions to ensure the long-term prosperity of people and health of the environment. We provide people with the knowledge, skills, and resources for sustainable livelihoods.
Location: In the United States: Nogales, Arizona. In Mexico: Nogales, Sonora.
Communities benefiting directly from the project: Communities from both municipalities, commonly referred to in the region as Ambos Nogales (both Nogales).
Country: United States
Other Organizations Involved: La Diócesis de Nogales, Sonora, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Unidad Nogales and Arizona State University School of Transborder Studies.
@ Joaquin Murrieta
Background
With growing water scarcity and drought, uncertainty of the long-term effects of climate change in this region (e.g., changes in precipitation amounts, patterns, and intensity), lack of vegetation, and heat island effects in urban settings, innovative approaches to manage and utilize local water resources are of high interest and demand with communities in Ambos Nogales. This is particularly true with historically marginalized and underserved communities within these two cities. This project seeks to empower members of these communities by training them in the technical aspects of implementing rainwater harvesting practices and green infrastructure as practical and effective means to manage and utilize stormwater as a resource for a wide variety of applications.
Goals
WMG intends to help increase local capacity for rainwater harvesting and water security in Ambos Nogales and surrounding communities within the transboundary Upper Santa Cruz River Basin.
Main activities
- Deliver 4 multi-day technical trainings on rainwater harvesting design and implementation with local communities.
- Host 8–10 single-day educational and practical workshops at a community scale co-led by Watershed Management Group (WMG), local partners, and trained urban rainwater harvester cohorts to inform and generate interest among the general public about rainwater harvesting practices as an innovative approach to managing and utilizing stormwater as a resource for a wide variety of applications.
- Implement rainwater harvesting systems at four demonstration sites within the urban areas of Ambos Nogales led by urban rainwater harvester cohorts.
- Evaluation and feedback mechanisms will be implemented after each public engagement to help WMG inform and improve community engagement and participation strategies, technical training recruitment and delivery, and rainwater harvesting system implementation.
Expected outcomes
- 60 trained Urban Rainwater Harvesters from local communities.
- 160–200 community members will attend single-day educational and practical workshops on rainwater harvesting concepts and practices as a vehicle for informing the public about rainwater harvesting practices as an innovative approach to managing and utilizing stormwater as a resource for a wide variety of applications.
- Four rainwater harvesting systems will be installed within Ambos Nogales as demonstration sites in culturally and environmentally significant public spaces.
- 80% participation from community members on evaluation and feedback activities to help WMG inform and improve community engagement and participation strategies, technical training recruitment and delivery, and rainwater harvesting system implementation.