Congratulations to Brian Tyler Thompson, the 2025 Halpenny Intern Scholar!
Congratulations to Brian Thompson, the 2025 Leonard Halpenny Intern Scholar, selected by the Arizona Hydrological Society-Tucson Chapter!
Brian is a senior completing his final year of study in the HAS undergraduate program (emphasis in environmental hydrology and water resources).
He has been working with HAS Professor Jennifer Mcintosh on the Cienega Creek Watershed Project, a longstanding project to collect and analyze water quality samples in Cienega Creek Natural Preserve, southeast of Tucson, and Davidson Canyon watershed, an ephemeral tributary.
They are currently investigating changes, particularly in heavy metal concentrations, because Copper World, a Hudbay mining company, is being permitted and established on the ridgeline in the Davidson Canyon catchment.
Brian is sampling and analyzing baseflow and stormflow to contribute to a water quality dataset before the copper mine is established in the upper catchment
Brian began work on the project in the summer of 2024 and will continue through that work through the end of this summer. He commented that some of the sampling sites are very remote, and, in the summer, it's hot and dry in the field, so work can be demanding. "But all that hot and difficult work is important because Cienega Creek is really beautiful and worth monitoring and maintaining."
Brian noted that the mentorship and networking opportunities that come with the Halpenny internship will directly contribute to his career goal of becoming a hydrologist focused on advocating for sustainable water management solutions. In fact, he believes that future water challenges will only be solved with innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Image: Brian Tyler Thompson
"The Halpenny Internship is cool because it gives me the opportunity to work with four different professional entities. I'm hoping to have a more concise view of my career goals on the other side of it."
Congratulations, Brian!
We hope you have an enjoyable and successful internship experience this summer!
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The Leonard Halpenny Intern Scholarship
Leonard Halpenny (1915–2000) was a pioneer in the science of hydrology in Arizona. Originally employed part-time with the USGS as a “hydrographer” while in college, he became a full-time USGS employee in Texas in 1938. In 1939, the USGS transferred him to Arizona to participate in groundwater depletion studies statewide. This work led to the publication of Ground Water Resources of the Santa Cruz Basin. He became the District Chief in 1951. After leaving the USGS in the late 1950s, he established Water Development Corporation, a consulting firm. In 1958, he served as a member of the CAP litigation team in San Francisco. In the 1970s, Leonard lobbied for passage of the Subdivision Rules of 1972, which prevented the construction of residential subdivisions without proof of water supply. He also influenced the initial recognition of effluent water as a resource in Arizona. Leonard not only served as Special Master from 1973–1978 on Caeppert v. U.S. (the landmark case defining federal water rights in the U.S.) but he also testified in the Gila River adjudication on the distinction between groundwater and surface water. In 1995, he was awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award by Arizona Hydrological Society. He used the monetary award to initiate this scholarship in 1996. Past participating organizations who have hosted Halpenny Intern Scholars include Tucson Water, Clear Creek Associates, the USGS, Montgomery & Associates, and NV5.