Geologists from 7 Arizona state agencies gathered in Phoenix last week to talk about collaboration, cooperation, and sharing of information, on a long list of Earth science issues that are active in the state. About 20 geologists participated. Mimi Diaz, chief of the AZGS Phoenix branch organized the meeting which was hosted by the Dept. of Mines & Mineral Resources. Agencies included AZGS, ADMMR, ADEQ, Parks, ADOT, and ADWR.
Among the topics covered were:
* Carbon dioxide sequestration drilling project
* Solution mining for gas caverns (and subsequent reinjection of brine)
* Potash in Holbrook Basin
* Judging science fairs for K-12
* Earth fissures in general, and Picacho and Heaton in particular
* Expansion of the Morenci copper mine
* Rosemont issues
* Remote sensing research on mine tailings by university grad student
* Impoundments and groundwater quality
* Groundwater recharge for City of Maricopa
* Using GIS to look at subsurface hydro-geology at Kartchner Caverns
* Changes in water wells over time
* Building the Arizona Integrated Seismic Network
* Earth Fissure Education
* Geologic mapping and hazards of Havasu Canyon
* National Geologic and Geophysical Data Preservation Project
* Geoscience Information Network (GIN)
The group plans on meeting on a regular basis as a way to ensure we avoid duplication of effort and keep each other up to speed on developments and needs of each agency.