The Results Are In… Celebrate the Winners of the 2024 WRRC Photo Contest!
The Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) wrapped up another incredible year of its annual photo contest. Once again, photographers from across the state wowed us with their creativity and perspective. Each year, this contest provides an opportunity for photographers of all levels to share their unique perspectives on water – whether through the beauty of nature, the importance of agriculture, the necessity for conservation, or the everyday ways water touches our lives.
Contest Theme
The 2024 theme, Water in Arizona, invited photographers to interpret the role of water broadly, encouraging submissions that ranged from stunning landscapes and resilient wildlife to creative glimpses of how people and pets interact with water. In addition to the main categories – People/Pets, Nature/Wildlife, and The Built Environment – WRRC introduced a new Special Category: Borders, inspired by the theme of the 2025 Annual Conference, Shared Borders, Shared Waters: Working Together in Times of Scarcity.
Celebration of Water
As always, the WRRC team was deeply impressed by the quality and diversity of the submissions. From awe-inspiring desert rivers to thoughtful portrayals of daily water use, the photos helped tell a larger story about the role of water in Arizona and beyond. These images continue to enhance WRRC’s publications, outreach materials, and communications – proving that a powerful photo can make a lasting impact.
Each year, this contest becomes more than just a friendly competition – it becomes a celebration of water. The WRRC is truly grateful to every photographer who contributed their work over the years. Whether captured by a professional or an amateur, each image reflected the creativity, care, and passion that water inspires in our communities.
See the 2024 WRRC winning photos, honorable mentions, and past year galleries here.
Stay tuned for details about upcoming contests and get ready to share your vision of water with the world. We invite everyone with a passion for water to participate.
Learn more about last year’s contest in our November “Calling All Photographers” blog.
Hero image: Grateful received an Honorable Mention for Best in Show. Photo by Chris Bresciani, taken in Phoenix, AZ.
Water – Use It Wisely is proud to feature guest bloggers who write about topics related to water and water conservation. The author of this blog, John Polle, is a Media Specialist at the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC).
The WRRC is a Cooperative Extension center and a research unit in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It is the designated state water resources research center established under the 1964 Federal Water Resources Research Act. The WRRC conducts water policy research and analysis, and its information transfer activities include publications, conferences, lectures, and seminars. Water news and information are provided to the academic community, water professionals, elected and appointed officials, students and the public.