Amigo de Rio Report from FOSCR President Emeritus – Chief Scientific/Technical Advisor Ben Lomeli

    Ben’s recent activities on behalf of the river have included:

    • National representation as board member of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
    • Coordination with Patagonia Area Resource Alliance
    • Calabazas Alliance coordination on Community Protections & Benefits Agreement with South 32 & PFAS Bus Tour in Santa Cruz County and Conference in Tucson June 2026
    • University of Arizona Emerging Leaders Program – Field trip and Graduation Ceremony
    • Water Leadership Institute Field trip
    • Santa Cruz County Growing Water Smart Coalition for Sonoran Institute
    • Sonoran Institute River Restoration Plan & Economic Study
    • Santa Cruz County Comprehensive Plan – appointed to Technical Advisory Committee for Water and Supply
    • Site visits to Santa Cruz River and Oso Wash with five new Santa Cruz County interns overseen by Colin Bishop
    • Oso Wash problem coordination with Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
    • Coalition Member of Urban National Wildlife Refuge
    • South 32 Mine Final Environmental Impact Statement and Community Protections and Benefits Agreement
    • Driver and guide (with Bob Proctor of Friends of Sonoita Creek) on June 7th PFAS tour in Santa Cruz County
    • Participant at PFAS conference sponsored by University of Arizona (for one week in June)
    • Oso Wash site visits, reports, coordination, and advocacy.
    • River Watch Flow End monitoring and spreadsheet
    • ADEQ 40th Anniversary
    • Rural Groundwater Resilience Steering Committee
    • University of Arizona Ag Extension Technical Advisory Committee
    • Attend Water Resource Research Center Presentation (by Sharon Megdal) at Santa Cruz County Board Of Supervisors
    • Attend Arizona Department of Water Resources Presentation at Santa Cruz County Board Of Supervisors
    • Frequent contact with International Boundary and Water Commission to inquire about next South Eastern Arizona Citizen’s Forum meeting schedule
    • Frequent inquiries on status of delayed study on Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Study
    • Frequent inquiries on status of delayed study on NAD Bank Study on Los Alisos Treatment Plant flows (and how they affect the flows in the Santa Cruz River)
    • Interviewed by Nogales International Interview on Nogales Wash and Santa Cruz River by reporter Alessandro DeZubeldria