1999 Conference
The international San Pedro conference, "Divided Waters-Common Ground/Aguas
Divididas-Áreas Comunes," held in November 1999, explored cooperative
research and management of binational resources in the Upper San Pedro River
Basin of Sonora and Arizona. The Udall Center was part of a binational team
of conference organizers assisting the Semi-Arid Land-Surface Atmosphere (SALSA)
program with designing and running the conference.
The San Pedro conference was unique in three ways. First, it occurred in both
Mexico and the United States. An open house and first day of sessions was
held in Cananea, Sonora, on November 7th and 8th. November 9th was a field
day, with stops along the San Perdro River on both sides of the border. A
second open house and day of sessions took place in Bisbee, Arizona, on the
U.S. side of the basin on November 9th and 10th. Second, the conference was
organized to facilitate communication across the U.S.-Mexico border by encouraging
registration from both Mexican nationals and U.S. citizens, and by providing
transportation and funding to those who would otherwise be unable to attend.
Third, although the conference was organized primarily to highlight Mexican
and U.S. scientific research on the basin, the conference organizers chose
not to make researchers the primary presenters at the conference. Instead,
local water users, water managers, and decisionmakers were asked to discuss
their information needs, where they get technical information, how they have
used scientific research, and what they would like to see done differently
in future scientific studies.
Afternoon sessions were dedicated to facilitated multi-stakeholder dialogues
on current water management and policy issues in the basin. A number of common
themes emerged in many of the sessions; these are summarized below.
Identify and apply state-of-the-art water conservation
practices. Breakout group participants said all users, including industry,
municipalities, residents, and especially farmers who irrigate, should apply
state-of-the-art conservation practices.
Improve binational coordination. Several groups
suggested that conferences such as this one should occur regularly, perhaps
annually. A couple of groups discussed opportunities for student, researcher,
and agency exchange programs. There was considerable interest in creating
a binational watershed management plan and a binational organization to oversee
it, perhaps taking the Upper San Pedro Partnership as a starting point.
Improve access to information. Although the
groups were asked to identify additional science and research needs in the
basin, in most cases they said that there is less a need for new science than
for improved access to existing information and data sharing. Information
should be made accessible to and understandable by local users, they said.
There was substantial interest in a bilingual information clearinghouse.
Include local community issues and needs. Several
breakout groups said community members and resource users should help design
and implement research, management, and policy agendas. Research and policy
should take into account local customs and cultures. Scientists and decisionmakers
should listen to and learn from locals.
The complete conference
proceedings will soon be available on the SALSA Web site.