THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATION ABOUT HYDROGEOLOGY IN CULTURALLY SENSITIVE ARID AREAS

The importance of science communication in regards to water protection in the Southwest region of the United States is crucial to the survival of water resources in the area. Managing water resources in the Arizona Strip, an arid region in northwest Arizona, United States, has been a struggle for years. The National Park Service (NPS) is looking for ways to effectively communicate water conservation practices to various communities with different priorities and opinions about the uses of water. Part of this includes highlighting agricultural practices that require low culinary water and prioritizing low water consumption technology.

This poster focuses on water conservation efforts explored at Pipe Spring National Monument. The decline of the spring flow at the monument that holds historical and cultural significance has been a concern since the initial hydrogeological study conducted in the 1970s. Countless reports since then, have drawn a connection between our local water use and the decline in spring flow. One step Pipe Spring has taken to educate the public about water conservation, is to first effectively educate them about the geological processes that occurred during the Sevier Orogeny and Laramide Orogeny that allowed the area to become a welcome oasis in an arid region. The topic of water conservation becomes a delicate subject matter as tribal sovereignty, public lands, and religious freedom debate about the best uses of the springs that are fed from the local aquifer. The importance of science communication and cultural understanding allows for various communities in the area to understand how the geology of the area has allowed this unique source of water to come about and and why we must protect it.