Gary Woodard invited to speak at Arizona City and County Managers Association Conference

Gary Woodard, a Senior Water Policy & Economics consultant at M&A, will present an invited talk at the Arizona City and County Managers Association Conference on February 4 in Sedona. His presentation will address a unique type of “trickle-down” effect: how actions in neighboring states and even foreign countries can impact water resources here in Arizona.

Drought in California, Nevada’s third straw in Lake Mead, appliance efficiency standards in Colorado, California, and Texas, proposals in Utah and New Mexico to develop their shares of interstate waters — these are just some of the events in neighboring states that affect Arizona’s water resources. Even remote markets — such as growing Chinese demand for pecans and dairy products and Saudi’s consumption of hay — are having impacts. Factors such as these are inherently difficult to forecast or plan for.

Woodard’s talk will explore not only how Arizona municipalities may be affected by distant actors but also the implications for water resource policy and planning.