Podcasts about state water resources control board

Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing's Kristin Platts sit down with Dusty Ference, executive director of the Kings County Farm Bureau, to discuss their ongoing lawsuit against the State Water Resources Control Board. The legal challenge aims to prevent the Tulare Lake Subbasin from being placed on probation, a move that has already helped block costly state intervention and saved growers millions.

In local news today we have the story of a water quality alert that went awry and also a cold case that was recently reopened in Fort Bragg. The water quality alert was issued by the State Water Resources Control Board and the County of Mendocino on Tuesday night. It  created a stir in the coastal village of Mendocino on Wednesday before it was rolled back. New information in the missing persons case of Brittany Jane Adkins prompted the search of a 24-acre property south of Fort Bragg.

Merced Irrigation District GM John Sweigard joined the show to discuss The State Water Resources Control Board's intention to divert billions of gallons of water from Merced and send it to the ocean for the possible benefit fewer than 500 new salmon on the Merced River. March 28th 2025 --- Please Like, Comment and Follow 'The Ray Appleton Show' on all platforms: --- 'The Ray Appleton Show’ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. --- 'The Ray Appleton Show’ Weekdays 11 AM -2 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 KMJ | Website | Facebook | Podcast | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Felicia Marcus is one of the most significant public servants in water, having served on the Board of Public Works for the City of LA, served as Regional Administrator for the EPA in Region 9, COO of the Trust for Public Land and Western Director of the NRDC. As if that wasn't enough, she was also the Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board of California during the business end of the 2011-2017 California drought, which was rather scary and is now taking a “breather” as a Fellow at Stanford's “Water in the West Program”. Felicia is delightful, the speed of her mind matched only by the quality of her communication. We're so lucky to have such extraordinarily dedicated people who choose service when they could be doing a lot of different things, and the water sector is so much better off for it. Please enjoy my conversation with the excellent Felicia Marcus.  Subscribe to The Fundamental Molecule here: https://www.burntislandventures.com/the-fundamental-molecule For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fundamental-molecule/id1714287205 ----------- Felicia Marcus, a powerhouse in water policy, joins Tom today to discuss California's drought response, elevating water's importance, and the role of communication in public service. Felicia shares insights from her career, including her time as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board and at the EPA, highlights the need for more support for water technology innovation, and expresses concerns about the current state of the EPA. Geopolitics of water and AI's implications are discussed, and Felicia offers her invaluable advice for water entrepreneurs. 00:00 - Meet Felicia Marcus 02:06 - Why Water Needs a Bigger Spotlight 03:16 - The Hidden Complexity of Water Infrastructure 06:15 - Why Water Lags Behind Energy in Investment and Innovation 07:16 - California's Water Crisis 10:02 - Lessons from Droughts 12:58 - A Career in Water Policy 16:26 - The Future of LA's Water and Infrastructure Challenges 20:47 - How Politics Shapes Water Policy Decisions 22:09 - Lessons from Managing California's Drought 25:04 - Balancing Environmental Protection and Water Use 26:47 - Why Water Tech Innovation Lags Behind Energy 27:07 - The Operator vs. The Visionary 31:13 - The Power of Communication in Water Policy 36:53 - Stanford Water in the West Program 40:15 - The Role of AI in Water Management 42:52 - Water and Global Geopolitics 45:36 - Cybersecurity Risks in the Water Sector 45:58 - Advice for Water Entrepreneurs Links: Burnt Island Ventures: https://www.burntislandventures.com/ Felicia Marcus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciamarcus/ SM Material Key Takeaways: "Water is a necessity for life and economic development. It's amazing how it's just assumed and taken for granted." "Energy is appreciated because people notice when the lights go out. Water is less understood, less appreciated." "California's drought taught us a lot. The public saved nearly 25% when asked. Education was key." "The disparity in funding between water and energy is a self-inflicted wound in California." "I like helping people move. You can't just say, “Do it.” You have to help them see another way." "Know your audience beyond who you want to sell to. Educate yourself on the context in which you sell."

California's water rules are changing—permanently. Starting January 1, 2025, new regulations from the State Water Resources Control Board will require major water suppliers to cut water delivery significantly by 2040. This isn't just about managing water during droughts anymore—this is about building drought resilience into everyday life. Water agencies across the state will now have to develop community-specific water budgets that account for residential, commercial, and landscape use. The measures include limiting outdoor watering, encouraging water-efficient appliances, and pushing Californians to rethink how we use every drop. And here's the kicker: failure to comply could cost agencies up to $10,000 a day in fines. So what does this mean for all of us? Are these changes a burden—or an opportunity to innovate? In episode 22 of What Matters Water TV + Podcast, we have brought together a panel of experts to explore just that: Chelsea Haines, Regulatory Director with the Association of California Water Agencies, offering a statewide perspective on this massive shift. Kelly Kopp, Professor and Extension Specialist at Utah State University, who's focused on water efficiency research. William Ringland, Public Affairs and Conservation Manager at East Valley Water District, where smaller agencies are stepping up to meet big expectations. Fiona Sanchez, Director of Water Resources at Irvine Ranch Water District, who's at the forefront of implementing large-scale water solutions. Together, we'll unpack the opportunities, the challenges, and the practical steps agencies and communities must take to get this right. The stakes are high, and only time will tell if these changes deliver a sustainable water future without creating financial strain on communities.

About one million Californians face persistent challenges accessing safe, affordable drinking water, particularly in rural and disadvantaged communities. California's SAFER program, led by the State Water Resources Control Board, takes a holistic and proactive approach to address these inequities, providing funding, technical assistance, and regulatory tools to ensure clean water for all. In this episode, Adriana Renteria, Director of the Office of Public Engagement, Equity, and Tribal Affairs, shares insights into her journey from a childhood shaped by water inequities to her leadership in driving solutions.She discusses the SAFER program's unique model, which prioritizes failing water systems through needs assessments, funds community engagement, and enforces solutions like water system consolidation. Adriana highlights the role of tribal partnerships, including innovative collaborations to fill gaps in federal funding and resources. She also emphasizes the importance of rebuilding trust and transparency with communities historically left out of water decision-making. waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. This episode is part of the Color of Water series, a collaboration between waterloop and the Water Hub.

This week, Darcy B. is flying solo while Darcy V. is out of town.  Left to her own devices, Darcy welcomed into the studio Dusty Ference, the Executive Director of the King's County Farm Bureau.  Recently, Dusty and the King's County Farm Bureau made headlines when they successfully were issued a temporary restraining order against the State Water Resources Control Board.  This order prevents the State Board from putting the Tulare Lake Groundwater Subbasin on SGMA Probation. The restraining order remains in effect until Tuesday, August 20, 2024, when the judge will consider issuing a temporary injunction.  To put it in baseball terms, Kings County Farm Bureau hit a homerun the first time at bat, and the State Water Resources Control Board has yet to get to first base. Darcy pitched some difficult questions like how this action is sitting with their neighboring agencies, why they should have more time to comply than anyone else – including her own water agency, how the state determined the proposed fees, what's the potential impact to Tulare communities, and what are they hoping for when all the dust settles.  To find out the answers to these questions and more, listen in! Send us a Text Message.We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

East Orosi hasn't had safe drinking water in over 20 years. The water is full of nitrates, runoff from industrial agriculture, which is harmful to human health. The community has taken action to find a solution, from lobbying at the state capital to working with neighboring towns. And they may finally have one. New California laws, passed in the last five years, have opened up funding to build water infrastructure in small towns like East Orosi. But even as laws and funding develop, implementation has been challenging. We visit East Orosi and talk to Berta Diaz Ochoa about what it's like living without clean drinking water and the solutions on the horizon. This is part one of a two part series. GUESTS: Susana De Anda – Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Community Water Center; Berta Diaz Ochoa -East Orosi community member and organizer; Cristobal Chavez – member of Community Water Center; Janaki Anagha – Director of Advocacy, Community Water Center; Jessi Synder – Director of Community Development, Self Help Enterprises; Andrew Altevogt – Assistant Deputy Director of the State Water Resources Control Board.   The post East Orosi's Struggle for Clean Drinking Water appeared first on KPFA.

East Orosi hasn't had safe drinking water in over 20 years. The water is full of nitrates, runoff from industrial agriculture, which is harmful to human health. The community has taken action to find a solution, from lobbying at the state capital to working with neighboring towns.  And they may finally have one. New California laws, passed in the last five years, have opened up funding to build water infrastructure in small towns like East Orosi. But even as laws and funding develop, implementation has been challenging.  We visit East Orosi and talk to Berta Diaz Ochoa about what it's like living without clean drinking water and the solutions on the horizon. This is part one of a two part series.  Making Contact digs into the story beneath the story—contextualizing the narratives that shape our culture. Featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world. EPISODE FEATURES: This episode features Susana De Anda -Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Community Water Center; Berta Diaz Ochoa -East Orosi community member and organizer;  Cristobal Chavez - member of Community Water Center; Janaki Anagha - Director of Advocacy, Community Water Center; Jessi Synder - Director of Community Development, Self Help Enterprises; Andrew Altevogt, Assistant Deputy Director of the State Water Resources Control Board. MAKING CONTACT: This episode is hosted by Salima Hamirani. It is produced by Anita Johnson, Lucy Kang, Salima Hamirani, and Amy Gastelum. Our executive director is Jina Chung.  MUSIC: This episode includes “Blue” by  Komiku; Monet's Water Lilies; Dark Rainy Day; Water Drops, Sad Slow Piano Background; Mother Womb piano; Guracha Sonidera Cumbia Loops De Bateria Series II Learn More: Community Water Center: https://www.communitywatercenter.org/ Self Help Enterprises: https://www.selfhelpenterprises.org/ State Water Resources Control Board: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/

CCA's Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur outlines a few of the most important wins CCA has secured in the last few months for California's cattle producers and ranching families. In this part one of two episodes hear about CCA's success in:Stopping two very problematic water rights bills that were introduced at the beginning of this Legislative SessionSecuring dollars in the State Budget, amid an extremely difficult budget deficit, to keep the California's Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program alive Keeping the State Water Resources Control Board from adding additional costs to some producers and users for water quality permitting and enforcementText us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

In this very special episode of What Matters Water TV + Podcast, we dive into the production team's favorite moments from the first 19 episodes. Join us as we revisit the cutting-edge water innovations that amazed us, tackle the urgent challenges of climate change affecting our water policies, and share the personal stories of the dedicated people ensuring that water flows from our taps. Meredith Yinger, the producer of What Matters Water TV + Podcast through SheTV, steps in as host for this episode. Charley Wilson, normally the voice guiding us through each episode, joins as a guest alongside Lynn Lipinski, the writer and guest booker for the show. Expect laughs, some funny outtakes, and a unique glimpse behind the scenes. Enjoy their favorite moments with guests like Wade Crowfoot, California's Secretary of Natural Resources, Karla Nemeth, Director of the Department of Water Resources, Joaquin Esquivel, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, and more. Tune in for a celebration of water's wonders, challenges, and the inspiring individuals dedicated to preserving this vital resource. What Matters Water TV + Podcast has had 42 guests on its show so far. Also included in this episode are: Newsha Ajami, Anselmo Collins, Heather Dyer, Tony Estremera, Anatole Falagan, Senator Eduardo Garcia, Martha Guzman, Adel Hagekhalil, Faith Kearns, Joone Lopez, Karla Nemeth, Dave Pedersen, Mark Pestrella, Senator Henry Stern, and Mayor Acquanetta Warren. #cawater #SoCalWater #water #watermanagement #waterpolicy #californiawater #WhatMattersWater #Podcast

New documents from State Water Resources Control Board aim to improve understanding of water rights holders as to their rights and reporting requirements.

Brian Moskal is an environmental attorney that represents clients in environmental litigation and counseling matters with a focus on contaminated sites and water and wastewater issues. He also has experience with insurance recovery in the environmental context. Brian's extensive background helps people navigate the State Water Resources Control Board's Site Cleanup Subaccount Program (SCAP), which provides funding for investigation and remediation of environmentally impacted sites whose owners don't have sufficient funds.

The Scott and Shasta Rivers were once salmon strongholds, but over-allocation of water has made these rivers nearly uninhabitable for Coho and Chinook. The State Water Resources Control Board established emergency regulations that set minimum streamflows during the most recent drought. But those will likely expire soon. Without new permanent instream flows, both rivers could run dry. A coalition of tribal governments, fishermen and environmental nonprofits are asking the State Board for new permanent instream flow dedications. And new legislation, if passed, will strengthen the ability of the state to protect those instream flows. Karuk Vice-Chairman Kenneth Brink, Cody Phillips of the California Coastkeeper Alliance, and Klamath advocate Craig Tucker join the EcoNews to talk about what's needed to save California's salmon. Let Senator McGuire know that you support AB 460 and AB 1337. Support the Show.

In this episode of Seen & Herd, we delve into the latest developments regarding water management in Kings County. Amanda Russell, Communications Consultant for Western United Dairies, hosts WUD CEO Anja Raudabaugh. The two discuss the latest probationary hearing for the Tule Lake sub-basin and the implications of the State Water Resources Control Board's decision. If you have questions about this episode, please contact Anja at anja@wudairies.com.

Would You Drink Purified Sewage Water? Doug's Dime California has approved first standards for turning sewage into potable water supplies delivered to homes and businesses. The State Water Resources Control Board, in a unanimous vote today, outlined for the first time how water suppliers can treat recycled water and send it directly to taps. Currently recycled water is mixed into aquifers or used for irrigation and other non-drinking purposes. https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/12/california-rules-turn-sewage-into-drinking-water/Support the show: https://www.facebook.com/AM790KFGOSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Las Virgenes General Manager and President of Water ReUse California, Dave Pedersen joins Darcy and Darcy for a frank and raw discussion on direct potable reuse (DPR). In late December, the State Water Resources Control Board approved DPR regulations; these regs will govern water agencies looking to use their wastewater as a new drinking water resource. DPR takes advanced recycled water and treats it even further through technology, innovation, and safeguards to make it potable, or drinkable.  The Darcy's weren't on the same page, believe it or not, and the discussion includes asking Dave some tough questions on safety, cost, and most importantly, public acceptance.We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

California will soon allow water agencies to heavily treat wastewater, converting it into drinking water. The State Water Resources Control Board approved regulations to extensively treat sewage water for human consumption.  Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Congressman Kevin McCarthy officially submitted his letter of resignation on Tuesday, announcing he will step down December 31. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED  Right now, people all over the world are sending friends and family Christmas cards and holiday gifts.  But often overlooked is the one delivering this mail, the mail carrier. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report

State Water Project (SWP) Contractors' General Manager Jennifer Pierre joins Darcy and Darcy this week and Boy!  Did they have a lot to talk about!  Jennifer discusses the Governor's proposal for the Water Quality Control Plan update, the State Water Resources Control Board's (SWRCB) staff proposal which would have huge water costs across the state (2-Million-Acre-Feet of water lost to cities and farms) why it's so important that the (SWRCB) adopts the Voluntary Agreements (dubbed Healthy Rivers and Landscapes).  Jennifer lets them know why support is critical right now, the benefits of having everyone at the table, and the work that went into getting where we are today.  Bottom line - This proposal is so much more than Healthy Rivers! Darcy, Darcy, and Jennifer also discuss initial SWP allocation, disadvantaged communities, and water affordability.We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Introducing "What Matters Water TV + Podcast," your essential destination for all things water in California. In this groundbreaking series, we dive deep into the pivotal conversations and innovations that are shaping the future of water management in the Golden State. Join us as we sit down with some of California's top water leaders, including Adel Hagekhalil, General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District; Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources; E. Joaquin Esquivel, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, and more. They'll provide insights into their roles, the challenges they face, and their visions for a sustainable water future in the nation's most populous state. But What Matters Water TV + Podcast goes beyond the boardroom. We explore the stories of communities, innovators, and everyday Californians whose lives are profoundly impacted by this precious resource. From drought resilience and storage to stormwater capture and groundwater management, we're at the forefront of water policy. Water is not just a resource; it's a reflection of our values and priorities. So whether you're a policy wonk, an environmental enthusiast, or simply someone who cares deeply about California's future, What Matters Water TV + Podcast is your gateway to understanding the most vital liquid in the West. Subscribe now and join us on this captivating journey through California's water landscape.

Introducing "What Matters Water TV + Podcast," your essential destination for all things water in California. In this groundbreaking series, we dive deep into the pivotal conversations and innovations that are shaping the future of water management in the Golden State. Join us as we sit down with some of California's top water leaders, including Adel Hagekhalil, General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District; Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources; E. Joaquin Esquivel, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, and more. They'll provide insights into their roles, the challenges they face, and their visions for a sustainable water future in the nation's most populous state. But What Matters Water TV + Podcast goes beyond the boardroom. We explore the stories of communities, innovators, and everyday Californians whose lives are profoundly impacted by this precious resource. From drought resilience and storage to stormwater capture and groundwater management, we're at the forefront of water policy. Water is not just a resource; it's a reflection of our values and priorities. So whether you're a policy wonk, an environmental enthusiast, or simply someone who cares deeply about California's future, What Matters Water TV + Podcast is your gateway to understanding the most vital liquid in the West. Subscribe now and join us on this captivating journey through California's water landscape.

Darcy and Darcy are on opposite sides once again!  This time they take their respective stands on the State Water Resources Control Board's staff recommendations to make Conservation a Way of Life for all Californians, regardless of water supply or availability. This new effort will put all Urban water agencies on a budget determined by SWRCB staff.  Darcy and Darcy discuss whether these efforts make a difference, if they detract from the water infrastructure investments that need to be made, and if this is how California's economy will not only survive but thrive.We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Brian Moskal is an Environmental attorney that represents clients in environmental litigation and counseling matters with a focus on contaminated sites and water and wastewater issues. He also has experience with insurance recovery in the environmental context. Brian's extensive background helps people navigate the State Water Resources Control Board's Site Cleanup Subaccount Program (SCAP), which provides funding for investigation and remediation of environmentally impacted sites whose owners don't have sufficient funds.

California's State Water Resources Control Board announced a new program referred to by critics as “toilet-to-tap.” And the board is now considering adopting the program before the end of the year. According to a release, the program “would allow for water systems to add wastewater that has been treated to levels meeting or exceeding all drinking water standards to their potable supplies.” They call it “direct potable reuse.” They say it gives a “climate-resilient” water supply. They also note it will help with “reducing the amount of wastewater they release to rivers and the ocean”—since you'll be drinking it instead. In fact, the release says it can turn that sewage into drinking water “in a matter of hours.” In this episode of Crossroads, we'll discuss this topic and others. ⭕️ Stay up-to-date with Josh with the Crossroads NEWSLETTER

In this episode, we interview Laurel Firestone, a member of the State Water Resources Control Board. We learn about the organization and its work to ensure that every person in the state has a right to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water.  We discuss how far we still have to go to meet California's Human Right to Water.Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laurel Firestone to the State Water Resources Control Board in February 2019. Prior to joining the Board, Laurel co-founded and co-directed, from 2006-2019, the Community Water Center, a statewide non-profit environmental justice organization based in California's Central Valley and Central Coast. Her career has focused on building increased diversity, equity, and inclusivity into water decision-making.DisclaimerThe views and opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Save California Salmon or any entities mentioned. Get involvedCalifornia State Water Resources Control Board Attend a Water Board MeetingSAFERReport air, water, toxic substances, pesticides, or solid waste at CalEPA reporting systemReport a suspected Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) at CalEPA HABs systemLearn more about Groundwater contaminants, including PFAs at GAMA GroundwaterLearn more about the location of oil and gas wells visit CalGEM at Geologic Energy Management DivisionLearn more about the CalEPA generally, gather data, or find information resources at CalEPA | California Environmental Protection AgencyFor a directory of California's nine regional water quality control boards (and branch offices) visit the Regional Water Quality Board Directory | California State Water Resources Control BoardFor public documents related to the water board visit the Public Records Center | California State Water Resources Control BoardFor more information on the State Water Board Meetings, including the upcoming calendar and agenda items visit Board Calendar | California State Water Resources Control BoardState Water Resources Control Board Phone Contacts:Office of Public Affairs: (916) 341-5254Office of Legislative Affairs: (916) 341-5251Office of the Ombudsman: (916) 341-5925Drinking Water information: (916) 449-5577Water Quality information: (916) 341-5455Water Rights information: (916) 341-5300Financial Assistance information: (916) 341-5700Episode creditsProducer: Natalie KilmerProduction Support: Kasil Willie, Kendall Crakow, and Regina ChichizolaPodcast Music by Tony Bald, Adam Inguiez, and Danny Snyder

President Biden said Thursday he has “no regrets” about keeping the discovery of mishandled classified documents dating to his vice presidency under wraps until after last year's midterms. After a month of more-than-abundant rainfall and years of drought in Fresno and the central San Joaquin Valley, the city of Fresno hopes to have an opportunity to buy discounted water from Millerton Lake that would otherwise flow down the San Joaquin River and be lost to the Pacific Ocean. Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld found himself with an unusual ally against the council's emergency conditions that allow council members to join the meetings online: Miguel Arias. Save for the single member of the general public who spoke on the matter, the staff of, stakeholders in, and board of California's Water Resource Control Board Wednesday heaped praise on the State Water Resources Control Board's (SWCRB) first ever Racial Equity Action Plan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was just last week when the federal drought monitor declared that California is no longer in a severe drought.  But, that's not to say the drought is over in the state.  Water experts say it will take a number of storms to catch up with years of dry weather.  It's one of the reasons voters in California decided to try and do something about it in the form of water storage. In 2014, voters passed proposition 1 which set aside billions of dollars for more water storage in California.  To see if that money is being used yet, KCBS Radio's Bret Burkhart and Patti Reising spoke with Felicia Marcus, former chair of the State Water Resources Control Board and a visiting fellow at Stanford University's Water in the West Program. 

September 20, 2022 — Erosion is a form of pollution, especially alongside waterways, as pieces of the terrestrial landscape make their way into rivers and streams, damaging fishbearing habitat.Now, several private landowners in Laytonville are working with the Eel River Recovery Project, using EPA money distributed by the State Water Resources Control Board, to remediate over 600 feet of erosion on four creeks that feed into the South Fork of the Eel River. Patrick Higgins, the director of the Eel River Recovery Project, gave an overview on Saturday morning as he led a tour along Cahto Creek. The four projects are “relatively substantial,” he said. “Two on Cahto Creek here, along the Cahto Trail. And one at Mill Creek, above Little Case Creek. And one at Black Oak Ranch along Streeter Creek. And these are all salmonid-bearing streams.” Each site ranges from a hundred feet to about 180 feet long, so Higgins notes that “they're pretty big open sores, where dirt's pouring into the creek. And that's not good for the private land interests, but it's also a form of pollution,” which fills in downstream pools and salmon nests. It can also cause rivers to get shallower, widening and heating up as the cold water comes to the surface. The Eel River Recovery Project sent surveys to all the landowners in the basin, asking them if they had problems with riparian erosion, then chose to work on the four sites that had the highest potential for sediment pollution and the most significance for fish habitat.The work is scheduled to take place between July and October of next year. Mostly, it consists of engineering features that will affect the velocity of the river where its flows have been altered by human activity —  or the lack of it, like building bridges and roads, and allowing conifers to overtop oak forests and absorb groundwater that some scientists believe would otherwise join the river.Dennis Hogan owns property near what he calls the Mulligan Bridge. He's working on improving forest health and remediating a section of riverbank that he says has receded steadily since he moved onto the place in 1989. He's also raising willow and other riparian saplings to plant on the newly engineered riverbank, once the heavy machinery gets out of the way. “The streambed is lower than it used to be, by quite a bit,” he told visitors on Saturday. The nearby bridge has concrete abutments, which could account for narrowing the river channel, causing the water to rush through with great velocity. And Hogan said the rate of erosion seems to have increased since a large oak on the riverbank came down about five years ago. Philip Buehler is the foreman of BioEngineering Associates in Laytonville, which designs riverbank stabilization projects.  On Saturday afternoon, he told a small group of landowners and nature lovers about the forces at work in the creek under Mulligan Bridge. He's taken a lead role in designing the structures that will be installed next year, and will be in charge of the crew that puts them in“What's happening here is really common on creeks,” he said. “You can see we're on a slight outside bend of the creek here on this side. With any outside bend, the water is moving faster over here than it is on the inside…we have all this blackberry and other vegetation that is strengthening that side of the creek. You can see where Dennis has cleared,  just behind the blackberry, it's really sandy, fine sediment. During high flows, when that part of the bank is inundated over there, you're getting slower water velocity in all of that vegetation. The vegetation is absorbing the energy of the flowing creek, and slowing the water down. When it's slowed down, sediment drops out and gets deposited over there. That's what's moving this creek eighty feet this way, is sediment being deposited over there, vegetation growing up over time. Over here (on the eroded side), we have no erosion-resistant vegetation, so it's stronger over there than it is over here.”Buehler took a few moments to talk more about bioengineering at the end of the tour on Streeter Creek at the Hog Farm. That's another erosion site where a section of fencing dangles in midair about ten feet from the edge of the riverbank.  “Bioengineering is a type of technology where we build living structures, generally out of locally harvested willow plants,” he said. “So we build our structures out of rock, live willow, and erosion control fabrics…the gist of it is, the projects are living things. They grow over time, they stabilize the river bank, and they have a lot of benefits for the creek in general.”At Hogan's property, Buehler plans to put in five structures made out of boulders, live willow branches, and root wads to coax the river into creating more deep water pools for young salmonids. “What we want to do here is move the channel, so it's flowing in the middle here, more to that side, rather than against this bank,” he explained. He expects the root wads to create turbulence in the channel as the water flows over them, scouring out a pool downstream, giving the fish a place to spend the summer, “until it rains, and we get a creek here again.”The next day, Laytonville got well over an inch and a half of rain.

As classes resume at the University of Southern California, we are joined by professor Manuel Pastor, who teaches a course called “Los Angeles and the American Dream.” He shares how LA holds a special place in the American narrative — a land of great opportunity but also great disparity. We then speak with Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, about how his upbringing in the Coachella Valley has influenced his strategy on conservation. Get in Touch Want to ask Alex a question? Visit the SoCal in 17 page On Twitter using hashtag #SOCALIN17 or her handle @alexcoheninla In this Episode Find Manuel Pastor on Twitter: @Prof_MPastor Find Joaquin Esquivel on Twitter: @ejesquivel @CaWaterBoards Course Syllabus

Water rights and the California's recent budget allocation to purchase water rights in strategic areas of the state that the State Water Resources Control Board has deemed important is extremely controversial.  Listen in as co-hosts Darcy Villere and Darcy Burke debate both sides.  We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

"We are not going to conserve our way out of this drought." In this episode, host Jon Switalski spoke with the Director of the California Department of Water Resources, Karla Nemeth. We discuss how California found itself in the midst of one of the longest and worst droughts in the last 1200 years. Nemeth also speaks about water recycling, the role climate change has in the drought, and the new emergency water regulations put forth by the State Water Resources Control Board. To learn more about saving water and find a local water supplier go to: https://saveourwater.com/ Note: This episode was recorded on June 1st, 2022. For any questions or inquiries please reach out to podcasts@rebuildsocal.org

Marisa and Guy Marzorati discuss the rush to political responses after Sunday's mass shooting in Sacramento and the flood of spending in special legislative elections. Then, E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, joins to discuss his childhood in the Coachella Valley and family roots in agriculture, his path into government and the challenges and opportunities facing the state amid a historic drought.

A third straight drought year poses major challenges for California's environment, cities and farms. While cooperation, collaboration and innovation are needed in the short term, many feel a major part of the long-term water solution is additional storage. A remote area on the west side of the Sacramento Valley could be a big part of the solution. Sites Reservoir has been debated for decades, and getting this critical addition to water infrastructure appears more likely than ever. One major development in getting this project completed is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month formally invited the Sites Project Authority to apply for a $2.2 billion low-interest loan through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, which would bring the project significantly closer to construction and completion.  Jerry Brown “This really is a game changer,” said Sites Project Authority General Manager Jerry Brown. “Additive to the other sources of funds that we have, a prior loan from USDA and Proposition 1 funds from the state and federal sources, really rounds out our financing picture to a great extent. This puts us on a to track where we are now in a position to fund construction of the project, which is really exciting!” Brown said there are several steps needed, including applying for a new water right to the State Water Resources Control Board. There are other permits needed from the state and federal government. If all goes as hoped, ground will be broken in 2024 and the new reservoir will be in place in 2030.  He said if Sites were in place prior to the wet years of 2017 and 2019, it would have been completely full at 1.5 million acre feet to start 2020, and would have been able to provide about 400,000 acre feet of water for the state's cities, farm and environment.  Brown said while Sites will provide significant benefits for urban and agricultural customers, it's commitment for environmental water will set it apart from all other projects. “I don't think there's ever been a project like Sites that will provide the kind of assets and benefits for environmental purposes.” As the drought will provide significant impacts to the Sacramento Valley and state in the months ahead, hopefully getting Sites Reservoir built will provide major help in the future; especially vital considering our volatile climate.  Episode Transcript Jim Morris: After a promising start to the rainy season, California has gone extremely dry. The lack of water provides serious widespread challenges. As our climate volatility grows, the need for a more reliable water supply is even more vital. For a growing number of people, that's where Sites Reservoir comes into play. Jim Morris: Welcome to Ingrained, the California Rice Podcast. I'm your host, Jim Morris, proud to have worked with California farmers and ranchers for more than 30 years to help tell their stories. A lack of rain and snow has extended the drought for a third year, creating the likelihood of widespread pain. One hopeful sign for the future would be carrying out a project that's been discussed and debated for decades, Sites Reservoir. Jerry Brown is general manager of the Sites Project Authority. Jerry, let's start with key updates on the project. First, can you relay the big news from the US Environmental Protection Agency, what happened, and how important is this news? Jerry Brown: This really is a game changer. What happened was the Environmental Protection Agency is making an invitation to the Sites Reservoir Project to apply for what's called a WIFIA loan, Water Infrastructure And Finance Investment Act. And what that is, is a mechanism by which the federal government makes a loan available to a project like Sites. In this case, it's in an amount of about 49 percent of the project cost, which for Sites is roughly $2.2 billion. So it's a $2.2 billion loan that has been offered to the Sites Reservoir Project, and, additive to the other sources of funds that we have, a prior loan from USDA, the Proposition One money from the state, and the federal sources really rounds out our financing picture to a great extent and puts us on a track to where we are now in a position to fund the construction of the project, so that's pretty exciting. Jim Morris: Let's talk about that construction. Realistically, and perhaps optimistically, what is your timeframe that you're looking at? Jerry Brown: The loan doesn't really necessarily accelerate the project. There's still several steps that we have to take to get to the point where we can start construction. Probably most notable is the upcoming application that we're making for our water right. We are going to be seeking a new water right for the Sites Project, and that will be submitted within the next month. And, with that, it will kick off about an 18 to 24 month period that the State Water Resources Control Board takes to evaluate our application and make a final determination as to the water right that will be established for the project. Beyond that, there are some very critical permits that we need to secure through the Fish and Wildlife Service of both the state and the federal government. Those are under way. We've made an application recently for one of those, and there's a couple more to do, and we expect those to occur within the next 18 to 24 months, as well. So those critical activities will lead up to the point in time when we will be able to have the assets in place to then secure the loan with the federal government through WIFIA. Once that occurs, we'll be able to initiate construction fairly shortly after that. So, hopefully, by mid to late 2024, we'll start construction. And it's about a six-year period, which would put us at operational completion in about 2030. Jim Morris: If Sites were in place now, how much of a difference would it make? Jerry Brown: Because largely of the 2017, 2019 wet years, if we would've had Sites in place then, Sites would've started the 2020 year completely full at a million and a half acre feet. We estimated last year, had we had Sites in place, we would've had about a million acre feet of water in the reservoir for the farms and cities and environment. With the use that was projected last year, we would probably have about 400,000 acre feet available this year, which is still a very substantial amount, especially considering the very low conditions at our upstream reservoirs, Shasta, Oroville, Folsom. Jim Morris: We have three distinct segments in California, and they sometimes intertwine, the environment, cities, and farms. How would each of these benefit if Sites is built? Jerry Brown: The one piece of this, while I believe the benefits for the cities and farms are very important and necessary to make the project work, is the environmental element. I don't think there's ever been a project like Sites that will provide the kind of assets and benefits for environmental purposes. We're still figuring the final participation by the federal government, but, on a high end, there could be up to around 40 percent of the project, the Sites Project, that would be dedicated for environmental purposes. And that is huge, because never before has the state or the federal government owned and operated an asset like Sites, that will have both storage and water supply for the environment in the driest of years. And with that, we recently entered into some collaboration with some environmental groups to evaluate how we can optimize the use of this environmental storage to provide the optimum benefit for all the different environmental objectives that are out there. So we're super excited about that. And the board is very committed to this as a component of the project. I think one other thing to note, one of the criticisms about the Proposition One investment in environmental purposes is that maybe it's going to be somewhat of a bait and switch where we say we're going to do something, and then, when times get tough, it's not going to happen. But I can tell you with a hundred percent confidence that this board and this project is going to seek to have an ironclad contract with the environment, with the State of California, to the point where, as long as there's a California, there will be an environmental component to the Sites Reservoir. Jim Morris: When you look at rice, we have shown that you can grow a crop that's very helpful for our cuisine and incredible for our economy, but then we also have the Pacific Flyway Benefits, and looks like salmon will be benefiting from rice farming as well. So does it need to be an or conversation, or can Sites be part of a greater and picture that help our water overall in California? Jerry Brown: I've been involved in California water for decades. And we are at a stage where it seems like we are at odds a lot in terms of what kind of strategy to take to improve our situation. There's the or camp, which seems to be of a mindset that we can extend and optimize what we have. That we don't need to do much of anything, but we just need to conserve and recycle, and that will take care of all of our issues. That is a strategy, but I believe that what we're seeing today and the stresses that are occurring in our natural and developed systems, which are significant, we're seeing the results of that just an or strategy. There is an element to extending our supplies that we have, but there's also the and part of this, which is we need to build new facilities and find smart ways to extend the resources that we have to provide for the changing climate, the growing population, and all the needs of California, including the environment. And we think Sites Reservoir is a great tool that will allow us to do the and. Jim Morris: I've lived in the Sacramento Valley my entire life. And, I have to say, it's a big concern when we look at what the drought is doing to our region. So let's talk about some optimism. If not now, when would this ever happen? What kind of momentum do you see for this project, and what kind of optimism do you have at this time that this is going to get done and help our state? Jerry Brown: We are at a critical juncture where the Sites Reservoir and other storage projects, whether it be groundwater, storage, or surface storage, recycled water, conservation, desalination, all of these things are necessary to secure our future. And with SGMA, with the stresses that our existing resources are under, we have to invest. And I think more and more people are recognizing that. Somebody asked me this the other day, "What is different today than maybe 10 or 20 years ago in terms of the possibilities for Sites Reservoir?" And I think a big part of it is the recognition of the changing climate and the effect that that's having on the availability of our water supplies. And, I think, people see the sensibilities of essentially providing additional storage of water, so that as we get more of our precipitation in the form of rain instead of snow, that we have someplace that is reserving this supply, diverting it during the wettest periods, when that can be done safely, and saving it for the dry periods when we really need it most, all of us. Jim Morris: I appreciate Jerry Brown taking time to visit on this key project. As the year progresses, we will keep you updated on developments with Sites Reservoir, as well as drought impacts in the Sacramento Valley. You can find out much more at podcast.calrice.org. We appreciate your comments, questions, and reviews. Thanks for listening.

Hear Amy Kronson, Senior Environmental Scientist at State Water Resources Control Board discuss recent industrial stormwater compliance regulatory updates as well as trends and impacts related to the California Industrial Stormwater General Permit (IGP). Also, don't miss our discussion about the latest info on TMDLs requirements and what's to come in the new IGP.This is a great opportunity to hear a regulator's perspective on stormwater enforcement, common risks to avoid in 2022, and how you can prepare for any upcoming changes. 

Don't wait! The State Water Resources Control Board recently changed the due date for water measurement and use reporting. The deadline for 2022 is April 1. Noah Lopez of the Rancher Technical Assistance Program joins Katie to talk about the due date change and highlights other issues producers can gain assistance on through RTAP. Episode resources:To watch the SB 88 Water Measurement & Reporting Webinar that Noah talks about in the episode follow this link: https://youtu.be/rl-74RABEgE. Reach out to the RTAP team at 916-406-6902 or rtap@wrstrat.com. Learn more about RTAP at https://www.calcattlemenfoundation.org/rtap. 

Today we welcome California Senator Melissa Hurtado of the 14th Senate District which covers parts of the southern Central Valley between Fresno and Bakersfield. She joins us to discuss the water, bureaucracy, and California's future. Her bill, SB 1219, would establish a blue-ribbon commission to eliminate the State Water Resources Control Board and fundamentally change how California and its agencies deal with water, including planning for less water due to climate change and hardening water resources against things like cyberattacks. . SacTown Talks is a podcast about California politics, policy and culture. We feature interviews with California political leaders, and analysis by experts and insiders focusing on the Capitol. Like, share, and subscribe to learn more!

Hear how the State of California is coping with the current severe drought and impacts of climate change from two of its top leaders: E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board and Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. This candid and informative conversation also includes discussion of personal leadership style, how big data is helping improve California water quality, and more. Esquivel has regulatory responsibility for protecting the water quality, balancing competing demands on the state's water resources, and attempts to resolve decades-long water disputes. Nemeth is responsible for managing and protecting California's water resources, working with other agencies in order to benefit the state's people and to protect, restore and enhance the natural and human environs. Esquivel and Nemeth discuss drought resiliency, reconciling California's water past with an inclusive future, and share personal stories about how they got their start in water policy and why they are passionate about it.

Get the latest agriculture news in today's Farm City Newsday, hosted by Brian German. Today's show features reports on the latest fee increases from the State Water Resources Control Board, ongoing efforts to improve global food security, and the latest FDA report on pesticide residue levels. Tune in to the show for these news stories, interviews, features, and more.

The Carmel River has been the Monterey Peninsula's primary source of water for more than a century. That will come to an end on Jan. 1, 2022. The State Water Resources Control Board has ordered the area's private water utility, California American Water (Cal Am), to reduce its draws from the river by two-thirds of what it pumped a decade ago.

For Mendocino County Public Broadcasting, this is the KZYX News for Monday, Sept. 20. I'm Sonia Waraich.Prescribed burns aren't happening on Forest Service land right now and it's unclear when that's going to change, but it needs to be sooner rather than later according to the people who study the intersection of forests and fires.Last month, the chief of the U.S. Forest Service sent a letter to forest managers saying prescribed burns are effectively banned on Forest Service land because firefighting resources across the country are too strained. Prescribed burns will only be considered for approval if the regional forester and chief's office sign off on it. And that's only if the region is at a preparedness level of 2 or less. An organization called the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group assigns those preparedness levels to regions and the country as a whole based on factors like the number of large fires happening at that moment and the availability of firefighting resources. Right now, the country and northern California are at a 5, on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest. Firefighting resources are basically at capacity.But that decision didn't go over too well with fire and forest scientists. Forty of them signed a letter asking Chief Randy Moore to bring decision-making on prescribed burns back to the forest and district levels. They say that makes more sense since conditions in some regions are ideal for prescribed burns right now and the window of time available for setting those fires is small. Moore has yet to respond to that letter.“Just because prescribed fires aren't actively happening doesn't mean that the Forest Service employees are not trying to get that on the landscape.”Angela Chongpinitchai is Mendocino National Forest's forest fires planner and fuels specialist and she may be difficult to hear at times because she was calling in from the front lines of the Dixie Fire. She says she can't address the letter or speak for the chief, but says neither she nor the agency are strangers to the benefits of prescribed fires.“It increases resiliency to pathogens and pests, it increases biodiversity of both plants and wildlife, it creates more desirable wildlife habitat in those mosaic patches and it maximizes carbon sequestration in the trees.”Chongpinitchai says prescribed burns are still a priority for the Forest Service and it hasn't stopped working toward expanding the use of prescribed fires on its land.Last year Gov. Newsom and the Forest Service entered into the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of California's Forest and Rangelands. Even though it's not binding, the Forest Service and state agree to reducing wildfire risk on 500,000 acres of land each per year. Some of that risk reduction includes ramping up prescribed burns.“Prescribed fire is something that's great and it's something that we try to promote. It's much more challenging than I think folks understand. Even firefighters may not understand how hard it is to get a prescribed burn planned and implemented.”The Mendocino National Forest has been working on getting prescribed fires started on 650,000 acres of the forest since August 2019. Right now the forestwide prescribed fire project is going through the environmental assessment process. The project will also need clearance from agencies like the California Air Resources Board and State Water Resources Control Board. “This project specifically for the Mendocino is going to allow us more flexibility to have more windows of opportunity to get more prescribed fire acres accomplished each year. It doesn't mean we haven't been doing it, it's just not at the level and scale that needs to be done to treat the acres of forest out west.”Even after the assessments and the clearances, Chongpinitchai says prescribed burns can only happen within small windows of time, which is what the fire and forest scientists wrote in their letter. That window isn't open yet for the Mendocino National Forest. Chongpinitchai says they need to wait for fuel moisture to increase, for winds to die down and possibly for the temperature to decrease, too. The variability of the landscape also has to be factored in since the two recent fires that swept through Mendocino National Forest altered the forest ecosystems.“So with this project, we will have different goals depending on where we're implementing it in the forest. So it could be something like cleaning up the fuels that are left from these catastrophic wildfires or it could be going in for the first time and introducing fire to a green area that has not had fire, but needs fire.”In the meantime, the Forest Service has been implementing other fuels reduction projects that will complement the prescribed burns.“It's situationally dependent. Some areas will benefit from something like mastication or any other removal of fuel buildup and other places, you're using prescribed fire hand-in-hand with those types of fuels treatments.”For the KZYX News, I'm Sonia Waraich, a Report For America corps member. For all our local stories, with photos and more, visit KZYX.org. You can also subscribe to the KZYX News podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

In today's show, Sabrina Halvorson reports on the State Water Resources Control Board meeting on water curtailment. Supporting the People who Support Agriculture Thank you to our sponsors who make it possible to get you your daily news. Please feel free to visit their websites.   Agromillora – https://www.agromillora.com/ California Citrus Mutual – https://www.cacitrusmutual.com/ The California Walnut Board – https://walnuts.org/ Soil and Crop – https://mysoilandcrop.com/  For advertising inquiries, please contact us at 559-352-4456 or jay@jcsmarketinginc.com

In today's show, the State Water Resources Control Board issued curtailment orders Monday to all 861 water right holders in the Upper Russian River. The orders make it illegal to draw or divert water from the Upper Russian River, except as needed to ensure human health and safety.  We also hear about a warning from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation against the use of pesticides labeled as W.O.W Whack Out Weeds! and EcoMight-Pro distributed by EcoMIGHT, as lab tests show that these products labeled as organic, natural and glyphosate-free do in fact contain potentially hazardous chemicals. Today's feature interview is with Fresno County farmer Nick Rocca, who has a passion for keeping people farming in California. Supporting the People who Support Agriculture Thank you to our sponsors who make it possible to get you your daily news. Please feel free to visit their websites.   Agromillora – https://www.agromillora.com/ California Citrus Mutual – https://www.cacitrusmutual.com/ The California Walnut Board – https://walnuts.org/ Soil and Crop – https://mysoilandcrop.com/  For advertising inquiries, please contact us at 559-352-4456 or jay@jcsmarketinginc.com

California's ongoing drought and predicted heatwave is causing overly warm and low level waters and threatening to kill off the entire populations of already endangered species like the chinook salmon. Negotiations between the State Water Resources Control Board and the federal Bureau of Reclamation approved a plan for managing water levels. However, experts predict that releasing water into the irrigation system this early will disrupt salmon spawning season and could kill as many as 88% of the salmon in the river. These complications coincide with the increase in a parasite that's also killing off the fish. We discuss the impact of poor water conditions and increasing heat and hear what creative options are on the table to save the salmon.

July 12, 2021 — Barge water is out, and water storage is in. With shortages rapidly approaching a critical point in most parts of the county, water storage ideas are getting a lot of traction. At one point, bringing water into Noyo Harbor on a barge was an idea that had some currency. But at Thursday night's virtual drought task force meeting, Alex Huang, of the State Water Resources Control Board, explained that this idea would not be feasible. Josh Metz, the program manager for the Mendocino County Water Agency, sketched out a plan to bring water from Willits to Fort Bragg on the train, though it's not clear at this point if the water or the infrastructure is available. Water trucks have not gotten much love during the crafting of the cannabis cultivation ordinance. But water trucks hauling potable water are tightly regulated by the state. There are five licensed potable water haulers in the county. Supervisor John Haschak said the Board of Supervisors and County Counsel are working on ways to control water trucks locally. But for the moment, storing the increasingly scarce resource is top of mind. Tomorrow the board will consider an urgency ordinance that would allow people across the county to install temporary water storage tanks on their parcels without discretionary or environmental review as long as the county is in a declared local emergency. On the South Coast, Randy Burke, the Director of works at the Sea Ranch Water Company, said he's working with the State Division of Drinking Water and Department of Water Resources to get a grant for a project he hopes will eventually make it possible to store 220,000 gallons, and thus “take the pressure off the north Gualala watershed,” as he reported to the task force. At a recent meeting in Anderson Valley, several attendees brought up the possibility of a moratorium on vineyards. McGourty, who grows wine grapes, said they bring in tax revenue: for every ton of chardonnay, he offered by way of example, growers get about $1200, which he said generates almost $900 of taxes. Meanwhile, in the Russian River watershed, Janet Pauli continues to advocate for enough local funding to raise Coyote Valley Dam and keep more water closer to home. The lake is managed by the Sonoma County Water Agency, because Sonoma County put in a great deal more money at the dam's inception than Mendocino County did. “Locally, we have to take this responsibility or our water responsibility on ourselves,” she said. “And we probably need to do it while the drought is still fresh in everybody's mind, because...if we have another three or four really wet years, everyone will forget.”

We focus on drought today, with audio from Governor Gavin Newsom's news conference, Thursday. We also cover this week's State Water Resources Control Board meeting. Supporting the People who Support Agriculture Thank you to our sponsors who make it possible to get you your daily news. Please feel free to visit their websites.   Agromillora – https://www.agromillora.com/ California Citrus Mutual – https://www.cacitrusmutual.com/ The California Walnut Board – https://walnuts.org/ Soil and Crop – https://mysoilandcrop.com/  For advertising inquiries, please contact us at 559-352-4456 or jay@jcsmarketinginc.com

Learn how curtailments in the Upper Russian River watershed could impact farmers throughout the state.  Emily & Tricia discuss proposed curtailments and how the state budget could assist with numerous water projects important to agriculture. To participate in the hearing at the State Water Resources Control Board, please visit this link to view the agenda: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/board_info/agendas/2021/jun/06_15_21_agenda_links.pdf  

June 11, 2021 — With the drought declaration that started in the dry bed of Lake Mendocino, the county has revived its water agency with $50,000 and the hope of further grant funding to come up with water security plans and ways to pay for them. The agency is headed up by Josh Metz, a senior advisor with a firm called Regional Government Services. Helistmmmed the main areas for the agency, starting with identifying the gravest needs, assessing the economic and health impacts of the drought, and working closely with the Resource Conservation District and local government to identify key projects. The State Water Resources Control Board is meeting Tuesday to consider proposed emergency regulations. If adopted, these would establish when to curtail diversions from the Russian River, according to a system of water availability and water rights. Phil WIlliams, a water attorney who works with the City of Ukiah, says the city has pre and post 1914 water rights. The emergency regulations have not yet been approved, but they are causing a level of controversy that is entirely expected.

In today's show, Taylor Chalstrom has today's Tech Thursday feature with Chris Loge, Director of Product Managment with Semios. They discuss technology and mating disruption for navel orangeworm. We also have a drought update from the State Water Resources Control Board meeting. Supporting the People who Support Agriculture Thank you to our sponsors who make it possible to get you your daily news. Please feel free to visit their websites.   Agromillora – https://www.agromillora.com/ California Citrus Mutual – https://www.cacitrusmutual.com/ The California Walnut Board – https://walnuts.org/ Soil and Crop – https://mysoilandcrop.com/ WRT – http://wrtag.com/promax/   For advertising inquiries, please contact us at 559-352-4456 or jay@jcsmarketinginc.com

For todays show, we're focusing on drought. The state assembly committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife held a hearing this week on the drought. We hear from Jeanine Jones, Interstate Resources Manager at California Department of Water Resources; Erik Ekdahl, Deputy Director of the Division of Water Rights at the State Water Resources Control Board; Darrin Polhemus, Deputy Director, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board; and Rachel Ehlers, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst with the Legislative Analyst's Office. Supporting the People who Support Agriculture Thank you to our sponsors who make it possible to get you your daily news. Please feel free to visit their websites.   Agromillora – https://www.agromillora.com/ California Citrus Mutual – https://www.cacitrusmutual.com/ The California Walnut Board – https://walnuts.org/ Soil and Crop – https://mysoilandcrop.com/ WRT – http://wrtag.com/promax/   For advertising inquiries, please contact us at 559-352-4456 or jay@jcsmarketinginc.com

The coming weeks will be busy in the Sacramento Valley, as highly-skilled pilots plant this year’s rice crop. Farmers are no stranger to challenges, and this year is no different. Below-par rain and snowfall have led to water cutbacks of at least 25 percent valley wide, which will lead to an as yet undetermined drop in rice plantings. “There are a lot of fields that won’t be planted on my farm and throughout the state because of a lack of water,” said Sean Doherty, rice grower in Dunningan. “That’s what you do in years like this. You cut back and work with what you have.” Less rice planted has repercussions beyond farms and mills. Rice is an integral part of the Sacramento Valley, providing more than $5 billion to the economy and 25,000 jobs. Rural communities that depend on farming will be impacted, as well as the environment – fewer rice fields planted means less habitat for hundreds of wildlife species.  “Every year, we’re concerned about species that are already listed as threatened, endangered or species of concern,” said Meghan Hertel, Director of Land and Water Conservation at Audubon California. “Unfortunately, in a drought, it’s not just the species of concern that we’re worried about – the ones with the low populations – we’re also worried about common birds.” A recent study from Cornell University study estimates a plunge of the overall bird population by three billion over the last 50 years. She said rice fields are vital for wildlife, especially in a dry year like this one. “Every year, rice fields are important for habitat,” she said. “That’s because, in the Sacramento Valley, we’ve lost 90 to 95 percent of our natural habitat, so much of the ground that birds and other wildlife are using is actually in active rice production. We call it surrogate habitat for birds and wildlife, and in some cases it’s providing two-thirds of the diet of wintering waterfowl.” She said this dry year will mean birds will have to congregate on the fewer acres where water is on the landscape, which means less available food for wildlife. Hertel said there is excellent collaboration in the Sacramento Valley, to support farms and the environment. “Partnerships, communication and collaboration are key. Working together, we can make the best of what we do have.” Collaboration is also a key to helping the state’s struggling salmon population. Jacob Katz, Lead Scientist at Cal Trout has been working with rice farmers and water districts for years now, and said tremendous progress has been made to help salmon. He said rice fields can be used to mimic the incredibly productive wetland habitats that were in the Sacramento Valley before it was developed. “It means slowing water down across the floodplain,” he remarked. “It means spreading it out, creating the puddles that typified the floodplain wetlands before development of the valley, that’s similar to the surrogate wetlands that rice fields are managed as.  What we’ve found is those fields fill up with fish food, with bugs. It only takes three weeks or so to go from a dry field to a shallow, wetland-like environment, and three weeks later it’s teeming with bugs, with fish food. We’ve been working with farmers, water suppliers and reclamation districts to grow the food on these fields, but then to actively drain it back to the river where fish can access it in dry years like this. That’s a really important piece.” “There’s extraordinary room for optimism,” he added. “We’ve shown that the Sacramento Valley can be resilient, can produce benefits for both people and for the environment. Look at the bird response over the last 30 years, as rice growers and water suppliers came together to offer our feathered friends some semblance of the habitat that they evolved in, that they were adapted to. And those birds recognized those flooded rice fields as wetlands…. We can do the same thing for salmon. We have every evidence to suggest that that’s true. That if we hit every link in the salmon’s life history, if we connect their juvenile and adult life phases, we can have a phenomenal response from our fish populations.” Water management is always a balancing act, but the job is especially challenging this year. Thad Bettner is General Manager of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, the largest water district in the Sacramento Valley, spanning 175,000 acres, including rural communities, many rice farms and three federal wildlife refuges.  He is navigating through several subjects, including potential voluntary agreements and water transfers. He said longer term additional water storage would pay major dividends in future dry years. “Water storage would be huge,” he said. “We are looking at Sites Reservoir… we believe the time is now for that. One of the great things about Sites Reservoir is it’s downstream from Shasta Reservoir, so it provides this midstream benefit of being able to regulate the system and really manage for multiple benefits—water supply, meeting the needs of the environment and carryover storage. Sites would help meet all of those goals.” Jim Morris: May in the Sacramento Valley involves an interesting sight - high speed, low flying airplanes planting America's next crop of sushi rice. In fact, I have an airplane heading my way right now! And there is excitement with a new season, but this year is not without its challenges. Welcome to Ingrained the California Rice Podcast. I'm your host, Jim Morris. Proud to have worked with California farmers and ranchers for more than 30 years to help tell their stories. I'm in Sutter County, watching precision GPS guided planting, and it is an amazing site. Even with the benefits rice has to our cuisine, economy and environment, we are not immune from impacts of a dry year. Jim Morris: There will be many things to keep an eye on during this dry year. One of them is the environment. And here in the Sacramento Valley, we're on the Pacific Flyway, so virtually every trip through this area, there are wonderful sites. I was at a farm this morning and they had a bald eagle sighting. So, that's great. However, this dry year won't be easy, not just for the cities and farms, but there are certainly pressure on our diverse ecosystem. Meghan Hertel is director of land and water conservation at Audubon California. And Meghan, as we have this dry year unfold, what are some of your concerns for wildlife? Meghan Hertel: Water is essential, not just for human life, but also for wildlife. And here in California, we have a really interesting water cycle. So the rain falls in fall and winter, and it creates water in the ground, it feeds the habitat and it feeds the wetlands and the rice fields that birds are using. And then most of our waterfall is in the form of snowpack. And that snowpack is released throughout the year and used for our farms and cities, and also to create river flows and to serve the habitats throughout the year. And this year we didn't get rain and we don't have much snowpack. And that means impacts to our habitat and to our wildlife. Jim Morris: Are there particular species you'll keep a watch on as the year unfolds that you're especially concerned about? Meghan Hertel: Every year we're concerned about species that are already listed as threatened or endangered or species of concern. So great examples of this are the salmon, least bell's vireo, from the bird example, or yellow billed cuckoo. Also, the giant garter snake, which we find frequently throughout the Sacramento Valley associated with rice fields and wetlands. But unfortunately in a drought, it's not just the species of concerns we're worried about, the ones with the low populations. We're also worried about common birds. So, Cornell University, last year released a study that showed in the last 50 years we've lost three billion birds, and it's not just the rare ones, it's actually the common birds. So in a year like this, where there'll be less habitat on the ground and less food for birds, we worry about those common birds as well. Jim Morris: How important are rice fields in the equation, particularly when you're looking at a year when there's not going to be a lot of water naturally on the landscape? Meghan Hertel: Well, every year rice fields are important for habitat and that's because in the Sacramento Valley we've lost 90 to 95 percent of our natural habitat. So, much of the ground that birds and other wildlife are using is actually in active rice production. We call it surrogate habitat for birds and wildlife. And in some cases, it's providing two-thirds of the diet of wintering waterfowl. So that's a big amount. Unfortunately in a year like this, we are seeing cutbacks, not just in race, but also in our wetlands. The water system that serves our rice serves our remaining wetlands as well. And so as we see the reduction of habitat, that means birds are going to have to concentrate in fewer areas and they're going to have less food. Jim Morris: One of the ways I hope that is helpful, are these great partnerships between organizations like yourself, rice growers, and other interested parties in the Sacramento Valley. Comment a little bit, please on those partnerships and how valuable they are, particularly in a year like this. Meghan Hertel: Absolutely. Partnerships, communication and collaboration are key. When there are not enough resources, particularly water, that's so important to all of us, to go around, we need to sit down and talk about how we use the limited amount of water that we've got. And that means using science to understand the trade-offs and then maximizing what water we have to reach multiple benefits. And so that's supporting farms, but also saving some water to support habitat, or looking for ways to put water out on the agricultural landscape that both grows food and also supports habitat. The choices won't always be easy, and we certainly are all going to feel a pinch this year and see cutbacks, but by working together, we can make the best of what we do have. Meghan Hertel: One of the things we learned during the last drought, is that it's very important to work together, to come up with scientifically sound collaborative solutions, to put water on the landscape when and where birds needed. A great example of this is the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, which is a partnership between Audubon, the Nature Conservancy and Point Blue Conservation Science. We've been working with rice growers and water districts for almost a decade. And when the last drought hit, we were able to put special practices out, putting water on rice fields in spring and early fall to support migratory shorebirds. And there were days where it was the only water on the landscape for birds. And this just shows the importance of collaboration in hard times like drought. Jim Morris: The farm we're at here in Sutter County, is dry, they're working the fields, but it will have rice in it. And this is one of the places that I have seen cattle egrets in their marvelous breeding plumage. It is exciting to see the wildlife. And one of my favorite times is nesting season of shorebirds. Tell me a little bit about that. Obviously there will be a little pressure with less land available, but it is a marvelous sight to see the avocets, stilts, et cetera. So what are your thoughts when you see shorebird nesting? Meghan Hertel: It really gives me hope. It shows that, when we are able to provide habitat here, that nature responds and it wants to have a fighting chance. What we do on the landscape will decide the future of the Central Valley, both for people and birds. And the nesting is a perfect example. So when they are able to find suitable places to nest, that means future generations of birds will be here, and that's a hopeful sign. Jim Morris: It's a very busy time here in the Sacramento Valley rice country with planting underway. I'm with Sean Doherty, a third generation family farmer headquartered here in Dunnigan, near the Yolo Colusa County line. And he farms in Yolo Colusa and Sutter counties with his wife, Melissa, their three kids and famous rice dogs Skeeter and Miss Vegas. So, Sean, what's happening on the farm right now? Sean Doherty: Mainly right now, we are focusing on just putting water on the ground and getting the rice fields ready for water. We are not hurrying like we do in normal years, just because we're just not planning a lot of fields because we don't have the water for them. And so, consequently, we're just getting it done and we're not rushing and we're not working overtime, we're just watching our costs and trying to get this crop in as best we can. There's a lot of fields that aren't getting planted this year across the state, not just on my farm. Jim Morris: When the water goes on to the rice fields and then seeding occurs, people may drive by and they see that water out there, but they may not fully understand the efficiency and the care that's involved in that water. Can you comment a little bit about that? Sean Doherty: That's what we're doing today in these fields right now, in a lot of them as we are going out there and running these GPS controlled drag buckets and leveling our fields to level. And so when we flood it, that way we can cover the soil with as little water as possible. You're talking less than ankle deep. If you don't sink in the mud, just an inch or two skim across these fields is all we need. Jim Morris: You mentioned the muddy conditions out there and I've had a shoe or two lost in a rice field when I didn't wear the right mud boots. So how important is that kind of condition for growing rice and using water efficiently? Sean Doherty: It's bathtub out there. I mean, it holds water like no other soil. You just fill up the soil profile and it doesn't go anywhere. It doesn't go percolate deep underground into the aquifer. In most places, it takes forever to do that. It's just because our ground is heavy, heavy clay, and it's the same type of ground when it gets wet and you try and walk on it and you get 10 pounds of mud on each boot, that's the type of ground that we're growing our crop of rice in. And it's the best ground there is for growing rice because we don't lose the water deep. It just, you're filling up a shallow bowl, like a milk saucer, if you will, with a skim of water and then you're flying your rice seed onto that. And that's what we're working with. So it's really efficient for using that water. And there's a whole lot of multiple efficiencies that we're using across the state here to make the most of our water. Sean Doherty: In my particular irrigation district, where I farm a fair bit of rice, is RD-108. And we have a recirculation system in this district where we can take water from the bottom of the district, and with two pumps, with two lifts, we can take water three quarters of the way back up to the top of the district and we reuse it again. And it allows us to a much more flexibility in these really dry years and to take less water off the river and leave more for the Delta outflows and for fish and for the environment when we operate this recirculation  system. It's not something that you can do year in year out, because you'll have degrading factors with using multiple uses of recycled water, but in these really dry, critically dry years, this is something that we can do to benefit the environment as well. Jim Morris: I'm continually impressed with the diversity of creatures that are out this way. And you've been great to send me photos. And we had a game camera up that captured a lot of the nighttime activity. So you live and work in this environment. Tell me a little bit about the wildlife and some of the things that you see. Sean Doherty: Just this morning, a big flock of pelicans riding the wind, giant garter snakes are the hardest animal to get a picture of, because as soon as you see them on the side of the road or side of the ditch bank and you stop to take their picture, they're gone, they are so fast. Gopher snakes, all kinds of reptiles aplenty. Beavers, otters, wild turkeys, along the riparian corridors alongside where we get our water and where we deliver water out to the fields, pheasants, ducks, shorebirds, herons, cranes, you name it. There's muskrats. I really like being out here and being a rice grower, just because you can see all of that. And I'm happy to provide that for the animals and make a living doing it as well. Jim Morris: And it is going to be a challenge for wildlife too. So, how important are the rice fields this year? Because there's even less opportunities for birds and all the other species that you talked about. It is very helpful to have that rice ecosystem in place. Sean Doherty: I'm worried about having water for the waterfowl this fall and winter coming back into the Valley. And if we don't have the water to put on these fields and these ducks and geese and swans and all the raptors that prey upon those on the flyway, if the habitat doesn't return, I'm worried about what happens to them and the lasting damage it could cause. We have to figure something out, because you can't have the primary wintering habitat for the Pacific Flyway not show up one year. If I'm going to stress about anything more so than the farm, it's what's to happen to the flyway. Jim Morris: I'm in Willows speaking with Thad Bettner, general manager of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, the largest water district in the Sacramento Valley,  covering about 175,000 acres. A significant part of that is rice ground. And GCID recently celebrated their 100th anniversary. And in the time I've known Thad, he's not one to stand still very long, especially in a year like this. So how does your work change during a dry year like this one that we're facing? Thad Bettner: Jim like you said, there's no time to stand still. These years are certainly one of the craziest ones that we face. There's just a lot of work that we have to do both externally and internally, obviously just from an external side, really looking at the drought conditions, how they're affecting the state. We look at things like Shasta Reservoir, status of fisheries, our operations, and then we look internally about, well, what choices are landowners making? How do we serve the multiple needs that we have within our district, from crop needs to environmental needs, to making sure we're being good stewards of the groundwater. So, in a year like this, there's just a lot of decisions that need to be taken into account. And a lot of those decisions happen daily. So it's not just, you can make a decision, expect the rest of the year to play out, but we have to make those decisions on a daily basis. Thad Bettner: We have about 175,000 acres, included in that is the three federal refuges. So working with them and their needs for water and getting water to them on a secure basis is a really important, but then all of our growers who need water from us, we need to make sure they have the information to make the decisions that they want to make this year. In these types of years, we know land is going to have to be idled because we just don't have enough water. So we want to make sure they have the tools to figure out how much land can they farm, what crops do they want to grow this year? How much water do they have to grow those crops? And then, we're also anticipating water transfers actually, which help us with operations and benefit the fishery. Thad Bettner: So, do they want to participate in water transfer? So trying to get all that information out to them so they can make that decision is really important. And then obviously, the decisions they make affects decisions that we then make. And so, it is sort of a process where we have to kind of do a constant level of feedback with them, just to make sure they're up to speed on decisions that we're making and they're making. Jim Morris: Water transfers, as you mentioned very likely this year, how helpful are they in terms of overall water management, including for the environment? Thad Bettner: Well, first look, water transfers are tough. Certainly, there's economic issues resulting from that, there's jobs that may be affected, there are some impacts that water transfers cause. And so I think we want to make sure we're careful in how we consider them as a potential solution to some of our problems. And one of the unique things that water transfers off offer for us as a district, and I think for our customers, is that when we're trying to benefit salmon and particularly this case, winter-run salmon, the thing that we can do with water transfers is, landowners, when they fallow their field, they don't take that water. And what happens is we take that water and we actually leave it behind Shasta Reservoir through the season. And then we move that transfer water in the fall. Thad Bettner: And one of the big benefits that we get is it actually increases the amount of water stored behind Shasta, where it also increases the amount of cold water that’s store behind Shasta. And then that asset can be used to provide cold water downstream to the river, to protect winter-run salmon as they spawn. So, it helps her eggs incubate and then it helps out migrating juveniles. So it really has a huge benefit to the system overall. So, in these types of really tight years, water transfers provide that benefit of being sort of a reasonable balance of protecting fish and then making sure the balance of our lands within the district continue to be farmed. Jim Morris: Another way you protect fish is your amazing fish screen. I believe it's the largest of its kind in the world. Can you comment about that? Thad Bettner: In high school, I used to be able to run a quarter mile in a minute. And so, if you could run that fast, you could basically cover the length of our fish screen. So it is a pretty big feature. I have to say predecessors before me got that project done, it's been in existence now for almost 25 years and it's been just a solid asset for the district. I think one of the interesting things is, as that project came about, there just wasn't a lot of knowledge known about fish screens, how to build them, how to make sure that they would provide a benefit to the species. So, I think our fish screen was kind of one of the first of its kind and really was a test case and a testbed for a lot of decisions that fishery managers had never needed to make before. Thad Bettner: And I think one of the exciting things is, one, that it's been a successful project. And then two, a lot of the other fish screen projects that are built on the Sacramento River, and I think other places in the country, have actually utilized a lot of the information that was gleaned from the actual construction of our project. And as well, some of the adaptive management. It was built, I think they got probably 85 percent of it right, but there was some about 15 percent of things that we've tweaked along the way to make it a better operating facility and continue to provide better protection for fish. And I think those lessons learned have helped other projects again, like in our area and other parts of the United States. Jim Morris: Besides fish, there's also a really vibrant environment in the Sacramento Valley with the Pacific Flyway. How important is it to maintain that environment? Thad Bettner: We take seriously a lot of managing the trade-offs and decisions that we have to make. And certainly continuing to protect the Pacific Flyway and the needs of birds moving up and down this part of the Western US, is important. And the Sac Valley plays a huge part of that. So we talked about fallowing earlier. We don't take lightly the fact that when we fallow lands, a good chunk of that is rice. And so, that's the food that these overwintering birds are relying upon. And so really our goal is to make sure that we leave as much land in production. So, while we're doing transfers, some land's coming out, but really the goal is to keep the maximum that we can to provide that food base for the Pacific Flyway. Thad Bettner: So, when we do years like this, we make sure acreage is spread around. So birds have places to fly. We coordinate with the local refuges and ask them, "Hey, where do you want lands? Where would it be okay to fallow lands or idle lands in here, versus what lands would you want to be in production?" Just because we know that every night you see birds fly off the refuge, they go out and they forage out in the rice lands. And during the day they fly back to the refuge. So the managers know how these birds are moving back and forth locally. So we really tried to make sure as we do some of the fallowing, we're focusing on the needs of the Pacific Flyway and what those birds need. Jim Morris: Our environment is impressive in the Sacramento Valley. I saw two bald eagles this morning in Willows, and we also offer significant habitat for the threatened giant garter snake. So, so glad that this effort is continuing. And in a dry year like this voluntary agreements have come up as a topic of discussion. Can you comment about what they are and how they may help? Thad Bettner: Voluntary agreements is really what we believe is the right solution for the State Water Resources Control Board update of the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan. And the board has really been looking at what they've called their unimpaired flow approach, which is, "Hey, we'll just take a percent of the flow in the river, we'll leave it in the river. And that'll fix a lot of the fishery problems that we have." And we just don't believe it's that simple of a solution to fix. It's a lot more complicated in terms of timing of flow, we need a lot more habitat that we currently don't have. And then we need a solid base of funding to get a lot of these projects done. So we've put together voluntary agreements as a proposal, and as an alternative, and we think our preferred alternative to that unimpaired flow approach, in 2020 the state had put out a proposal, what they believed was a voluntary agreement package. Thad Bettner: And then unfortunately we got COVID, a month and a half later we had fires, and fortunately no floods this year, so we're in drought. But I think we had about everything else pop-up that sort of just distracted us from getting back in the room and trying to get voluntary agreements done. So starting in about August, we got together with the water user community, and we really worked on our own version of what we thought was the right package to move forward and kind of had been working on that and telling the state we're ready to meet with them and kind of waiting for them to get back to us. Thad Bettner: And then oddly enough, right in the midst of a lot of this drought, decision making that we need to do, the state called us week and half ago and said, "Hey, we're ready to start meeting and let's get going on this." So, now as we speak, we're actually starting the conversations back up with the state to see if we can get a voluntary agreement package moving again. And obviously, we're hoping not to do this in the midst of a drought because it just means that we're trying to tackle other problems too, but we're trying to add this to our plate and see if we can't get this done. Jim Morris: Sleep is overrated this year, I guess. So we have the short-term issues that we're talking about, voluntary agreements, water transfers, obviously always maximizing efficiency. Looking longer term, how helpful would additional water storage be and who would benefit from that? Thad Bettner: Water storage would be huge. I think obviously we're looking at Sites Reservoir, one, it sits next to us. We've been involved in this project for decades. So we believe kind of the time is now for that. And I think one of the great things about Sites Reservoir is, it's downstream of Shasta Reservoir. So it kind of provides this middle, midstream benefit and being able to regulate the system and really manage for multiple benefits. So, we've talked about water supply, meeting needs of the environment, carryover storage. So looking at not just this year, but next year. Sites would really help meet all of those goals. So we really think it provides a lot of benefit. And, in a year like this where we're challenged with temperature and flows for a winter-run, Sites Reservoir would help integrating the system and provide those benefits too. Jim Morris: I'm in Knights Landing, one of the areas that's a hotbed for some interesting and promising research to help salmon, not only a key part of our environment, but a key indicator of water issues in our state. Jacob Katz is lead scientist at Cal Trout, an important partner in preserving and enhancing salmon in California. Jacob has a PhD in Ecology from UC Davis. And I have to say, perhaps a greatest opening line, short of “Call me Ishmael,” your bio starts with, “Jacob was born with gills.” That is so cool. And Jacob, pivoting to the dry year we're having, there are some concerns. And what are your thoughts for our Sacramento Valley as we head into a dry year? Jacob Katz: A dry year like this is a tough year to be a salmon. We've got used to the fact that it's our flood years happen maybe every two, maybe four lucky, three out of every 10 years, that prop up our salmon populations. And it's years like this one that are really rough because the Sac River and the other tribs are down low in their levees and those rivers are just real tough places to be a fish, when there's very little habitat, when the water is low and clear and tends to be warm pretty early. So yeah, this is exactly the kind of conditions where we really have to think out of the box, out of the levees, to get those fish as much food and habitat as we can. Jim Morris: How can you do that? Jacob Katz: Well, the field that we're standing in here, Jim, is one that River Garden Farms has been letting us trial some ideas with over the last four or five years. They've been a great partner as have a lot of the other growers in this region on the west side of the river, as well as over on the Sutter side, a lot of folks have been getting together to look at how we can use farm fields to mimic the incredibly productive wetland habitats that were here before the development of the Sac Valley for farms for our rural communities. So what's that mean? It means slowing water down across the floodplain, it means spreading it out. It means really creating the puddles that typified the floodplain wetlands before development of the Valley. Jacob Katz: That's similar to the surrogate wetlands that rice fields are managed as, but what we found is those fields fill up with fish food, with bugs. It only takes three weeks or so to do that, to go from a dry field to a shallow wetland like environment. And three weeks later, it's teeming with bugs, which are essentially fish food. But unlike the ducks and the geese, which have rebounded because of their use of these surrogate wetland habitats, the fish don't have wings. They can't access that fish food out here on the floodplain. And so we've been working with farmers and water suppliers and reclamation districts to grow the food on these fields, but then to actively drain it back to the river where fish can access it in dry years like this. That's a really important piece. Jim Morris: The very field that we're in. I have seen you and your colleague, Jacob Montgomery in there with beakers and the fish food, the zooplankton is absolutely unbelievable. You don't have to guess, you can actually see how much there is in there that could really help the fish. And how important is that this year when it's so dry out there? Jacob Katz: You can just ask the fish, the fish that we have reared in these fields, they swim around with their eyes closed and their mouth open. We call it floating filet if you're a salmon, they are just... They're gorging on the protein production from these fields. These fields are really mimicking the incredible productive capacity of wetlands. Sunlight is being captured by plants, those plants then are broken down by microbes in the shallow water that's out here in a flooded field. Those nutrients then are taken up by bacteria. The bacteria are grazed upon by zooplankton, by small bugs, and those small bugs then are the foundation of the food web for fish. That's how the Valley makes salmon, how it once made salmon. Jacob Katz: And so in a dry year like this, when there's very little out of bank flow in the river, when most of the river flow is stuck within those levees, it's critically important that we reconnect this energy source with the river, that we reconnect the floodplain food web, the energy that comes off these flooded fields back with the river. And that's exactly the program that we've been doing right here with RD-108 and River Garden, where we've been pumping this fish food-rich water back into the river and seeing how fast salmon grow on that Jim Morris: RD-108 meaning, Reclamation District 108, which is about 30 miles north of Sacramento, and a very key player in terms of making things happen to help the environment. And it's going to be a difficult year, but is there reason for optimism when you look at some of the partnerships that have been formed here? Jacob Katz: Oh, there's extraordinary room for optimism. It's already right here. We've shown that the Sac Valley can be resilient, can produce benefits for both people and for the environment. Look at the bird response over the last 30 years, as rice growers and as water suppliers came together to offer our feathered friends some semblance of the habitat that they evolved in, that they were adapted to. And those birds recognized those flooded rice fields as wetlands. And, in the midst of all of this doom and gloom, you hear about the environment. We're here in the Sac Valley, in the midst of this amazing recovery of waterfowl and waterbird populations, where when I was a kid in the Valley 30 years ago, not only was the sky black with smoke, but the birds were at all-time lows. And now, year in and year out, we get these really great counts. Jacob Katz: The work that I've been talking about really can do the same thing for salmon. We have every evidence to suggest that that's true, that if we hit every link in the salmon's life history, in that chain, if we connect their juvenile and their adult life phases, we can have a phenomenal response from our fish populations. We've seen that in Butte Creek, and we can see it again in the Sacramento River, even in dry years like this, if we can re-imagine and re-operate our water and flood infrastructure to mimic natural processes to get this incredible food resource that is now stuck on the dry side of the levees, in these dry years we see that we can make it out here and move it back to the river where the fish can take advantage of it, where they can grow big and strong and have a chance even in dry years like this one. Jim Morris: That wraps up this episode, but we will keep you posted as the year progresses. Thank you to Meghan Hertel, Sean Doherty, Thad Bettner, and Jacob Katz for their time and expertise. We appreciate you listening and we value your comments. You can go to podcast.calrice.org to find out more.

This is an excerpt of the April 19, 2021 edition of What's Up With Water. Circle of Blue looks at a report on California’s drinking water systems showing that hundreds are below health standards, and hundreds more are at risk. In 2018, when California lawmakers were debating a funding package for clean drinking water, one of things they didn’t know was the extent of the need. The State Water Resources Control Board has released the 2021 Drinking Water Needs Assessment report, so now regulators have a detailed picture of where things stand: how many small water systems are failing or at the brink of failure and what it would cost to bring them up to par. The California needs assessment found over 300 public water systems that consistently fail to provide drinking water that meets state and federal standards. Add to this some 600 public water systems that are at risk of failing. There are also roughly 600 state small systems, those that serve fewer than 25 people, that are at high risk of failing to meet health standards because of their location in aquifers with a high risk of contaminated groundwater.

As the state works to speed up delivery of the coronavirus vaccine, Governor Gavin Newsom says California will shift its priorities for who’s at the top of the list, and put people over 65 in line to get shots first. Reporter: Molly Peterson, KQED  California renters who faced the prospect of mass evictions at the end of this month might not have to worry in the short term. That after the state's top lawmakers and Governor Newsom reached a tentative agreement to extend an eviction moratorium through June.  Reporter: Molly Solomon, KQED Governor Newsom lifted regional stay-at-home orders yesterday in favor of county-by-county restrictions. The changes mean hair and nail salons can reopen, and allows outdoor dining in many places. Local officials could choose to impose stricter rules.  Guest: Anne Rimoin, Professor of Epidemiology, UCLA Fresno County officials say they want to prioritize farmworkers for vaccination, but the county is facing a challenge, they are ready to vaccinate 30,000 people every week, but don't have the supply to do so.  Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED A new economic forecast says things are improving for the Los Angeles area, fed by optimism around the coronavirus vaccines. From construction, to healthcare, to retail, companies are hiring. But some sectors of the local economy are months away from recovery Reporter: Benjamin Gottlieb, KCRW Nine school districts in California are starting rapid COVID-19 testing of their students and staff. It’s a pilot program that could allow more schools in the state to reopen safely.  Reporter: Julia McEvoy, KQED  A lot of people are struggling to pay their rent, mortgage and other bills because of the pandemic. 1.6 million California households are behind on their water bills according to a recent survey from the State Water Resources Control Board. Reporter: Nina Sparling, KQED    

This is an excerpt of the November 16, 2020 episode of What's Up With Water. This week Circle of Blue reports on California’s efforts to better understand the pandemic’s impact on water utilities and their customers. Last week, California regulators sent a survey to 150 of the state’s largest water providers. It’s an effort to assess the financial fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. The virus has caused economic slowdowns, and the State Water Resources Control Board wants to know how this affects water services – from the financial health of utilities who provide the water, to the households who may be unable to pay for it.

Felicia Marcus has been making waves in California water management and regulation for more than three decades. She most recently served as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, with responsibility for drinking water, water quality, and water rights. Prior to that, as Regional Administrator of the U.S. EPA Region IX she was responsible for the range of environmental issues under EPA’s jurisdiction. Earlier, Marcus headed the Los Angeles Department of Public Works dealing with wastewater, water and solid waste recycling, stormwater management, and other environmental issues. She is currently the Landreth Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program. In addition, she is active on numerous volunteer boards, including the Daugherty Global Water for Food Institute and the Sustainable Conservation Advisory Board, and has received many awards for her work and approach. Learn more about Felicia Marcus and her work with farmers in California on water issues in this podcast in episode three.

Senate Bill 88 (SB88) is a game-changer for California Ag water. It requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt new Water Diversion Measurement and reporting regulations for surface water diversions. Water users have been required to report diversions since 1966, but these regulatory changes added requirements and increased penalties. These regulations require using a device to measure and record the amount of water used and diverted. It is also required to have online reporting of water used, and diverted. In this webinar you will learn: The regulations and requirements of SB88, along with how Jain can help make sure you comply. How to select a measuring device. Installation of the measuring device. How to use Jain software, to automate the reporting process. Measurement frequency requirements. Potential financial assistance programs. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn how to avoid fines from one of the best water managers in the valley. I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. Special Guest: Steven Soares.

Emily and Tricia discuss potential changes to the cap & trade program and the latest information regarding the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in today's episode of Capitol Farm Connection.  As the Legislature considers changes to the statewide budget, a new climate proposal is being considered that would add additional costs for businesses and residents in California.  On the SGMA front, the Department of Water Resources provided an update to the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the Groundwater Sustainability Plans.  Learn how Ag Council is engaging on behalf of the agricultural community on these issues. 

Most recently, Felicia Marcus was chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, responsible for drinking water, water quality and water rights. Importantly, she led the state board through California's worst drought in modern history. As regional administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 9, she was responsible for environmental issues under the EPA's jurisdiction. In the the nonprofit world, Marcus was the western director for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Trust for Public Land. In her prior work, she was a private and nonprofit sector attorney and organizer in Los Angeles. She has a law degree from New York University and an AB in East Asian studies from Harvard University. Marcus is also known as a devoted whale watcher. Join us to discuss her important environmental work and her outstanding commitment and dedication for the planet, the environment, the present and the future. MLF ORGANIZER Ann Clark NOTES MLF: Environment & Natural Resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Felicia Marcus sits at the helm of the agency that controls California’s most contested resource—water. In her role as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, Marcus oversees statewide policy, settles water rights disagreements, and hears appeals of local regional water quality decisions, and is responsible for both water quality and water rights across the state. Her career has spanned top-ranking positions at the City of Los Angeles and the Natural Resources Defense Council, as well as serving as administrator for Region 9 of the US EPA. In this episode, Felicia tells us about her life and career, offers advice for those interested in working on environment and water, and shares her perspectives on this critically important issue.

The water battles in California are heating up. Approximately one thousand protestors, made up of farmers and other irrigation interests, rallied at the State Capitol this past week, in opposition to the latest proposal by the State Water Resources Control Board to divert water from farms and cities, in order to aid the salmon population. We have that report. Like a zombie rising from the dead, WOTUS, that's the very controversial Waters of the United States rules, have sprung back to life in California and many other states, due to a judge's ruling. Virulent Newscastle Disease has increased its spread on California's chicken population. We'll tell you where, and offer tips for its control. All that, crop reports, and more…on this week's KSTE Farm Hour.

The water battles in California are heating up. Approximately one thousand protestors, made up of farmers and other irrigation interests, rallied at the State Capitol this past week, in opposition to the latest proposal by the State Water Resources Control Board to divert water from farms and cities, in order to aid the salmon population. We have that report. Like a zombie rising from the dead, WOTUS, that’s the very controversial Waters of the United States rules, have sprung back to life in California and many other states, due to a judge’s ruling. Virulent Newscastle Disease has increased its spread on California’s chicken population. We’ll tell you where, and offer tips for its control. All that, crop reports, and more…on this week’s KSTE Farm Hour.

Ali Nazar interviews PhD Christine Boyle, Founder and CEO of Valor Water, a startup that provides monitoring infrastructure to help water utilities better manage supplyTRANSCRIPTSpeaker 1:You're listening toK , a l x Berkeley 90.7 FM, university of California and listener supported radio. And this is method to the madness of public affairs program coming at you from the basement of arrows hall talking to innovators all across the bay area. I'm your host Deleon Huizar and today we're fortunate enough to have Christine Boyle with us from valor water analytics. Hi Christine. Speaker 2:Hi Ali. Nice to be here. Thanks for having me. Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks for coming in. And um, we're excited to have you here and uh, you're [00:00:30] coming to us to talk about water. [inaudible] Speaker 2:I am, it's a, it's a hot topic here in the bay area in California this year. Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. Your timing is good. So, um, and you're coming out, I think from a little bit of a different angle, you're talking a little bit less about from the kind of consumer side and more from the municipality side. Is that right? Speaker 2:That's right. Um, Speaker 1:so before we get into, I want to, I'll ask you just kind of on a high level, what's the problem statement? You're creating an organization to solve this problem. What is the problem [00:01:00] as you see it? Speaker 2:So, um, in a nutshell, um, essentially the u s water municipalities and utilities have been providing great water, clean, affordable water across the United States for a long time and they're very good at it. But things are changing. Climate is changing. Um, plumbing is changing, populations are changing. And, and along with that that utilities are kind of needing to change their game [00:01:30] a little bit too in order to respond to these changes. One thing we look at a lot is called we call the conservation conundrum. That is with people using less water, what's going to happen to kind of the revenue side of, of, of uh, utilities and keeping water affordable for everyone while people are using less water and that's actually affecting utilities bottom line. So, um, that, you know, that idea of conservation we know is a good, but it's a little tricky when you're in the business of [00:02:00] selling water and trying to keep it Speaker 1:affordable for people. That's really interesting. So is it, if from a statistical perspective, is it pretty clear that the water usage is, is shrinking? Speaker 2:It is across the country, um, water or you call, you know, from an economic perspective, you call it water demand, water demand, uh, is declining even as populations grow. We've seen it in places as far as from Seattle to Atlanta to New York, North Carolina, California, [00:02:30] uh, the average water use per household is going down, which is good. Speaker 1:Yeah. That's what we want. Yeah. So you're, you're kind of thinking past that in saying, okay, that's going to happen. That's right. And how do we make sure that water is still easily accessible and affordable to everybody? Speaker 2:That's right. Um, and so we provide solutions to water utilities in a number of ways to help them, um, find out who's saving water, who isn't, who might need some assistance in terms [00:03:00] of keeping water affordable, um, and how to sort of target things. And I know Obama used to say, let's do it with a, with a scalpel instead of a machete, kind of to make things a little bit more targeted to specific groups so we can help keep delivering that clean, fresh, nice water that everyone wants to come out of their tap when they turn that tap on. Speaker 1:Yeah. And it's amazing if you've ever traveled internationally, you really realize how much for granted we take having clean water come out of our taps [00:03:30] whenever we want it. Speaker 2:I know it's, it's really, I mean, when you think of American water utilities and the fact that you can turn that tap on without a second thought and know, you know, almost to a 100% level that that water's going to be clean and, um, that you can drink it, you can bathe in it. Um, strangely you use that same water to, you know, water your grass, which is a little odd. Um, but it's, I mean, American water utilities are just some of the best in [00:04:00] the world. And so the idea is to keep them strong even as things are, things are shifting. Speaker 1:Yeah. Interesting. Okay. So, um, that's the problem statements. [inaudible] statements, keep them strong. Yeah. Keep the infrastructure strong. So I think with that background, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you kind of came to this problem. Speaker 2:Um, that is a good question. Well, I studied water. That's how I started. Um, I was, you know, as a kind of more of a younger person. I traveled [00:04:30] the world and like you said, I traveled internationally and I saw um, places where water was really scarce and water was dirty and um, people weren't able to turn on their tap and get water. In fact, that would probably be what was making them sick a lot of the time. Um, so after some, some travels, especially a lot, I spent a lot of time in China, um, since some time in, in South Asia. Uh, came back to graduate school and stayed to study water. Um, [00:05:00] and um, I studied at University of North Carolina. I got a doctorate there and um, worked with many water utilities and was, you know, first of all just really impressed with, with what water utilities were doing. Speaker 2:But I also saw that there were a lot of things that utilities didn't know. And a lot of this was around, um, having a closer look at what, what their customers were doing. And I knew that because I, you know, I also am from Seattle and I knew amazon.com for example, knows exactly what [00:05:30] their customers do. They know, they can know, for example, after you click around on the website, if you're, if you want your Diana Ross CD or you want a power saw, like they're able to tell you what kind of customer you are and to target different types of things to you. And I thought, wouldn't it be interesting if we could kind of build a set of tools so that what our utilities would know, are you an irrigater? Are you a large family? Are you a renter? Um, and be able to kind of pinpoint, um, programs and different types of, uh, messaging [00:06:00] and in a similar way. Um, so I studied that for a long time. North Carolina really enjoyed my time there and then eventually got the call to, uh, come west and came back this way. Speaker 1:Okay. So, um, that something that you just said to too makes me wonder, and we're listening to Christine Boyle, who's the founder and president of valor water analytics, a, um, a, a startup out of San Francisco, right. Based in San Francisco. That's correct. [00:06:30] Um, and so one of the things you just said, and this is method to the madness by the way, on KALX Berkeley. I'm Eileen Huizar and, and I want to talk about, you said inefficiency or you, you inferred that if the, if the utilities want, they're trying to understand more about the their user. That's right. Cause they're, cause they're using water incorrectly. They need to educate them. Is that, is that the problem that you're trying to get at? Speaker 2:Yeah. Um, I mean it depends what the utilities goals are. Every utility is different. And, you know, there's so much [00:07:00] talk right now, the big, you know, Governor Brown came out on Tuesday with his announcements about the drought and there's been a lot of, um, people kind of pointing fingers around the state and saying, you know, hey, look at the coastal regions. They're not decreasing their water use. Um, look at this region. They're not decreasing their water use. And when it, when it comes down to is if you have a great supply, you can use all that water you want. So, um, utilities are only constrained by their supply. So you [00:07:30] can't, there's no kind of like one size fits all rule. Um, we do see that with populations growing and especially in places here like here in California, that efficiency overall is a good thing. And even if you have supply today, you don't always know that what your supply is going to be like tomorrow. So con conservation and efficiency in that way are kind of, um, securing, uh, future. Um, but that being said, I mean, people love their gardens. People love watering their lawns [00:08:00] and if you have supply and if you're willing to pay for that, there can be an efficient use there. But Hey, you gotta pay. Speaker 1:Yeah. Well I guess what I'm asking is, um, the, uh, the Amazon's use case for the analytics is very clear cause they want to sell me more stuff. Yeah. What is the utilities use case for the analytics? Like how, like, like besides just knowing how much water I spend, why would they care whether I'm a family or an irrigator or whatever. Speaker 2:Often it's, it's often, [00:08:30] you know, it can be for different reasons. One is they might, you might be a group that they're trying to protect. Um, like for example, when a utility raises its rates, um, and, and is trying to kind of drive efficiency through its rates, they might end up hurting large families. And that's typically in a pretty vocal voice, um, amongst kind of customer groups. Uh, because those large families, you know, they're doing the and taken five showers a day and such. So they're not necessarily inefficient [00:09:00] users, but they're getting hit with the rate that is meant to target inefficient user. So it's, it's the idea is to kind of, um, the idea behind the analytics and what we call kind of this like business intelligence is to, um, be able to target programming and pricing. And for renters, for example, we're in Berkeley and I lived in a college town for a long time too. Renters often are beholden to the plumbing and leakiness of whatever their landlords do. [00:09:30] Um, so if you know where the renders are, you might be able to, you know, kind of give those landlords low flow toilet rebates and things like that so that the renter, the landlord is gonna help, um, kind of, or the utility in the landlord ultimately will help that, that student, that Grad student, um, behave more efficiency efficiently and have a lower bill. Speaker 1:Gotcha. So it's kind of the, the thought of the knowledge with the knowledge comes the power. They can innovate and they can figure out different angles [00:10:00] to optimize the infrastructure. Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right. And it's so it's not, you know, it's not to sell more water for sure, but it's to, um, you know, kind of approach things in a more, every group is different. Let's, let's all kind of have a, a case that works for us in terms of how we use water Speaker 1:now. Um, was there, uh, was there some incident with water on your trip that made you, did you get sick from water or something and what turned on the water love? Speaker 2:Wow. I have gotten sick from it. [00:10:30] Um, let's see. Well, you know, I think that water's really interesting. I mean, there's so many different aspects of it. You see it, the artists love to draw water. Uh, you know, there's sort of the religious and spiritual aspects of water. Um, there's the environmental aspect of water. But what really drew me into the water was water as kind of a human right and something that I thought like, all people should have access to clean and affordable water and, and, you know, have crossed [00:11:00] this world. They, they just don't. And that a way to kind of empower people to, you know, like take care of their families and have jobs and do good in the world is making sure that they don't get sick. And, and I did get sick from water. I mean, I didn't, I haven't had, um, like typhoid or cholera, knock on wood, but I certainly have lots of friends that have and know lots of people that have, and I've seen that it's just sort of a needless, um, impediment for people to, to live their lives. [00:11:30] Um, and so it, it inspired me, this sort of this, this human right to water in a human right to clean water. Um, that's kind of led me on this long journey and it's been a lot of fun. Speaker 1:Yeah. So you, you, um, the journey kind of began with the phd, it sounds like, so you're now you're Dr. Christine Boyle and that's, that sounds really cool. And you decided to start a company. Yeah. So how did, how did you get to that point of if of attacking water from [00:12:00] this perspective of, of starting a company to all of it? Speaker 2:Um, you know, I, I love being a graduate student and I, and I enjoy kind of the scholarly contributions. Um, so a couple of things happen. One is that, you know, I, I kind of have a bit of impatience about myself that I kind of, I really liked kind of the action and putting, implementing ideas and seeing things. Um, kind of on the ground, bring around the good that I, [00:12:30] that I was kind of seeking in the, to, you know, for my career. Um, academia does that in a, in a more slow paced way. Um, but I can say this to all the students that might be listening to is that I was lucky as a student to, uh, work on a really cool research project. Um, and that research project was this, you know, customer sales analysis that I did at University of North Carolina and with a great team there, environmental finance center. And when I saw that we had created something that we could [00:13:00] kind of scale and bring to, um, to the world, to the market, that was kind of too exciting for me, um, to turn, to turn back from. So I just, you know, I was like, you know, to take a your homework project, your, your Grad school project and then like turn it into bring it to market was just an opportunity that I just saw was like ripe at that moment. Speaker 1:Okay. So the, the genesis of valor water analytics was your research project or your, your graduate project? Speaker 2:It was a graduate project. Yeah, absolutely. And I, so I have a licensing [00:13:30] agreement with the University of North Carolina. Speaker 1:Okay, great. Uh Huh. To do this, to continue to do this work. Okay. So you came out as this um, doctoral student with this really great idea and then how did you go from there? I'm sure there's some graduate students of the year is just like, wow, she started a business. How do you go from there to moving across the country and actually starting a business and tell us a little bit about what is, what is the business, what does it do? So the business, yes. Speaker 2:Um, so we take a water utility customer [00:14:00] data, like, like billing data, de-identified. So everyone's protected. We don't, no one's looking at account numbers or anything, but we clean it and then we present it to utilities as you know, kind of a dashboard of sorts. Um, so they can look in at things like their revenue profile and what their different kinds of customer segmentation profiles look like. And um, even as much as like what, what is our, the financial impacts of drought, um, what are the financial impacts of conservation and how, how does that affect your future [00:14:30] planning? So it's served up as a, um, as a dashboard that they can click on and, um, is updated. And on the back end is the technology part, which is a lot of, you know, the database management and data cleaning and the analytics that we write. You know, for everyone who's in a social sciences or natural sciences, we r which is a great programming language. Um, so that was the part that as a company we, you know, we needed to get some investors, [00:15:00] we needed to test the market a little bit and see if there was gonna be an appetite for this product and, uh, kind of take it from a research project into something that was a little more, um, salient and kind of ready for the market to kind of, you know, put some more pizazz to it. Speaker 1:Yeah. So, and we're, we're speaking with Christine Boyle, the founder and CEO of valor water analytics, which is a water startup in the San Francisco, [00:15:30] in the, in the city of San Francisco. Uh, here on method to the madness on KALX Berkeley 90.7 FM. I'm your host. Tellin is r and d. Tell us a little bit about your investors and how you raise money. It's, um, yeah, it's a hard thing to do, especially for someone who's an academic, it's know something that you probably hadn't done before. How did that, how did that go down? Speaker 2:So, um, you know, I started how a lot of people start is kind of went to friends and family and I had a little, uh, we call like bootstrapping [00:16:00] in the lingo. Um, so started with a little pocket of money and got a demo ready that enough. You know, it's kind of like you need money to build your thing, but you can't build your thing until you have money. It's uh, it's, it's tough, especially when you're kind of new, you know, new to it all. You're not a kind of a seasoned veteran. Um, so I got a little money to build the demo and did that and we have, we have several contracts in the, in the [00:16:30] um, state of North Carolina that, you know, continued to feed some revenue and then built the demo and just kind of went around and started talking to investors and getting people excited. Um, and Speaker 1:is there a like a, a set of water investors like people very interest. Speaker 2:There's some really neat stuff going on in San Francisco. Let me name two that are really, really neat. First is Tamale, which is the accelerator that valor water analytics is in. There's 2014 summer cohort there at urban ventures [00:17:00] accelerator. And we are part of that group now. They've been incredibly helpful to us. Um, and that's solving urban problems is their, their niche and it's, they're terrific. There's another accelerator that we're affiliated with called imagination two o again, like an accelerator for solving water problems. So they also help connect us to, to investors and investment groups. Um, I got and you know, just to sort of like different things to do to Kinda dive into the deep [00:17:30] end of the pool. I joined the Industry Association and was elected chair of the American Water Works Association, um, financial management committee. So I, you know, really got to have my feet on the ground and um, be able to attend all the conferences and, and you know, like just go for it and kind of transition from being a scholar to more of a entrepreneurial side. Um, so I've been busy Speaker 1:and, uh, so you just jumped in and sounds like is the common, [00:18:00] we have a lot of entrepreneurs on this show, almost all entrepreneurs, and that's the common theme. It's just, it's the passion really for the problem that you're trying to solve. And that's what drives everything else. And, and yeah, you can kind of solve any problem as long as you've got that passion. Speaker 2:Yeah. And, and you kind of believe in your solution. And, and I really, I mean from the, we've worked with 12 utilities across the country now. We've just recently signed our, uh, first contract for northern California, which we're excited about. And like, we've seen the results. [00:18:30] And so that part, you know, keeps you going too. Yeah. Speaker 1:Yeah. So, um, so you went out, you started knocking on investor doors, making presentations, um, and then you've, now it's, and when did you start valor water analytics? Speaker 2:Oh, we incorporated in November, 2013. Speaker 1:Okay. So it's been about eight, nine months. I'm like that eight diamond or a baby. Yeah. And, um, and you said you have 14, Speaker 2:we have 14. Several of them were from working at the university. So [00:19:00] they are kind of like a legacy, a legacy contracts, I would call them. Um, so they, we've used, you know, we've done these analytics with them, but they're, you know, they're, they're kind of legacy contracts as opposed to, you know, kind of moving forward. Uh, and, and the California market. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Speaker 1:You made references some success that you've seen. Is that success in terms of getting new contracts or success in the usage of the product by the utilities? Speaker 2:Um, well [00:19:30] both. I mean, we're excited to kind of have points on the board with the contract, but mostly in the results. I mean, just to chat with the, you know, the CFOs and general managers in like, for example, we, we worked with a, uh, a utility that we're able to show them how much use their water use has changed and how much that, that's, um, kind of impacted their bottom line. And they, there was a drought in, uh, 2007, 2008 in North Carolina and we [00:20:00] saw that in fact a lot of their customers, they had aim for a 20% reduction, but 18% of their customers had reduced by 50%. That's, I mean, that's a lot. That's a big reduction. And although that's good, it also meant that they lost one point $2 million in revenue that year and they were kind of scratching their heads about, okay, how does that impact us moving forward? What do we do with that? Is that kind of a permanent shift downward? And we were able to help them, um, kind of strategize [00:20:30] around setting their conservation marks well re remaining, um, fiscally healthy. Um, so Speaker 1:interesting. Yeah, that's great. So it's really exciting nine months in and you're already got customers and getting feedback and this is a very, such a meaningful thing you're doing. So that's very exciting. It's been fun. Yeah. So again, we're talking to Christine Boyle, the founder and CEO of valor water analytics. And so I want to kind of pivot a little bit. We've been talking about your solution and it's really exciting what's going on with you. [00:21:00] Um, but now as someone who is studied water and has, um, an analytics company about water, so you know, a lot, so I wanna I want to ask about when everybody seems to be concerned about as a supply side of it, you're talking about the demand side, which we can control somewhat, but we can't control the supply side unless we start doing crazy desalination things or whatever. So what's your, as someone who sits in a, in this industry and has a lot of experience and knowledge, um, tell us a little bit about what you see on [00:21:30] the supply side. Speaker 2:So supply, I mean in, I think, you know, we can just kind of talk about an arid climate, a place where supply is constrained like California. Um, there are major huge investments going into securing supply and you know, like kind of like I said at the beginning of my e u you can secure more supply, you can disseminate, but it's very expensive. So I think that the, [00:22:00] the balance that communities need to, to, to come to is, okay, you can, there are supply options, but how do you, how do you do that in a way that's keeps water affordable for your community, um, and doesn't completely mortgage, you know, many generations to come in terms of paying for it. I mean, I was just down in San Diego and they, that is a very impressive water agency, but they've invested, um, over $1 billion in their diesel projects and you know, multiple reservoirs and that, [00:22:30] that works for that community and that's okay. Speaker 2:Um, but it's very expensive and not all in you. You have to kind of assume that there's going to be economic growth and such to pay for that and that's not going to be right for every community. Um, so I think it's, I think it's a tough balance, but I am a huge fan of investments in reclaim recycling. Um, I've been to the Orange County reclaimed facility. I think that is a really great way to move forward. I mean water is a renewable resource [00:23:00] and the more you can leverage it as that, the better. Um, but it's expensive. Speaker 1:Yeah. And it's interesting when I hear you talk about it, it sounds like it's so much dependent upon the local municipalities. Like we have East Bay mud here, right. And they have to do a lot of innovation it sounds like because there's a, a, a solution that's going to be just particular for that particular area. Yeah. Um, so are you, um, seeing widely variant strategies [00:23:30] as you travel around the country and learn different ways people are attacking this? Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I think there are some, some trends. I mean, one thing to keep in mind that's tough is the major cost that many communities are facing right now across the nation is a simple replacing of their infrastructure in terms of like kind of like pipes in the ground. Um, these pipes are mostly laid in the 50 sixties and seventies. They're at their point where they need replacement. Um, and does that [00:24:00] alone has for the, for the nation has a huge price tag. So that is kind of, uh, and that means what you have when you, when you don't have good pipes is you have leaks and you have kind of, again, this kind of inefficient system. So the first thing to do, so community to decide, is it better for them to sort of address those leaky pipes before they invest in new supply? Speaker 2:Because, um, you know, that sort of like the low hanging fruit before you start to do other stuff. So you're totally right though. It's [00:24:30] community by community that you meant matters there a kind of willingness to pay their supply options, their, their infrastructure status. So there is no one size fits all, even neighbor to neighbor. So it's, it's, it's remarkable. It's Kinda like, it doesn't make sense to put solar panels on your house if you haven't sealed the building envelope. Yes, true. Yeah. Yeah. It, you know, you want to kind of capture efficiencies when you can and, and being first thing about being efficient [00:25:00] in water is like not to lose water through a leaky toilet or leaky pipes or what have you. Um, kind of continuing that, um, vein for our listeners out there who we are in a drought here in California in a drought. Speaker 2:Can you just remind us of some of the tactics we can all take as consumers to continue the conservation, um, kind of inertia or whatever your momentum sounds like it's happening, but what can we do to make [00:25:30] a better use of the water we have? Oh, that's a great question. Um, well we are in a drought and you know, Eh, it takes the contribution of everyone. I mean, you know, the governor and the State Water Resources Control Board are just put in a law where you can't use what I would call kind of thing. I think people should think about discretionary water use. I mean, this was about spraying your sidewalks. Like it's in a drought. You gotta use a broom, you know, um, you know, when it comes to watering your [00:26:00] lawn, that's discretionary. You know, if you don't need to use it, be mindful of not, you know, not using it in a place where we don't know if we're going to have water for kind of basic uses. Speaker 2:Um, you know, maybe, so that's where we're starting and we're not at a point where, you know, everyone has to take navy showers, but you know, at least at this point it's very important to just limit discretionary water use. Be careful about what, you know, we at my house, we have um, buckets in our showers that we collect water to [00:26:30] take care of our garden and our plants. Um, you can keep a bucket in your kitchen sink and use that water as long as it's not soapy, um, for your garden. So things like that where it's simple kind of easy things that, that, you know, are just going to, um, help help everyone, um, keep kind of beat this drought. Speaker 1:Okay. Yeah, that, that's great advice. And from your opinion, I'm, I mean, I grew up in California, I remember drought, like big droughts before. Yeah. How much [00:27:00] of this is, is related to climate change? Do you think? Or is it just this, we always have dropped patterns. We've absence history, I would think. Speaker 2:Yeah. And this, this drought seems to be severe. I mean, and Joe is interesting because you can measure it in different ways. You can measure drought as a kind of like a hydrologic pattern and this one hydrologically is serious and long. Um, Joe can also be kind of an economic trout where simply, um, your supply doesn't meet demand [00:27:30] and, and, uh, California is a growing state, you know, populations are growing. So in that way, kind of the population pressures are making the impacts of the drought. Um, more serious. Uh, so in terms of climate change, it's hard. I mean it's not my area, but I think that this idea of wider swings in weather of both flood and drought patterns, it's hard to deny that we're seeing these wider swings. And, um, part of my job and my company's job is to help [00:28:00] water utilities kind of build their resilience to these larger swings among other types of changes, um, happening, uh, in our country. Speaker 1:Okay. Well, and you did, you talked about your company and this is Christine Boyle, the founder and CEO of Valor, valor water analytics. And I always like to end the show by asking the question of an entrepreneur like yourself. Yeah. If everything broke totally right for your company five years from now, what would it look like? Speaker 2:Um, that's a good [00:28:30] question. Uh, so w what we want is, you know, what we're selling to utilities, this idea of kind of business intelligence for water utilities and new tools to understand customers and enter in the, um, relationship between customers, revenue and sales. It's a new concept. So it's gonna take a little while to, but what we want is we want, we want to sell the concept, we want utilities to begin thinking this way because, you know, I honestly think that this is going to help strengthen their position [00:29:00] to, again, kind of provide clean and affordable water. So, uh, at some point we would like to partner with kind of larger organizations that are servicing utilities. Um, what are you telling? Is there thousands of water utilities? Um, so, you know, to, to kind of, to reach all those communities is a, is a big job. And eventually we'll, we'll partner with kind of larger organizations that are already kind of, uh, in these places in these communities to help. [00:29:30] Um, but I would love to see, you know, we need to sell the concept first and prove ourselves. So in five years, hopefully we'll have done that and really be kind of integrated into, um, utility operation. Speaker 1:Okay. Exciting. Let's, you know, there's so many different types of innovation and this is one that I think people don't really understand how important is these are infrastructure investments that need to be made in the country to make us resilient and be able to withstand whatever is going to come our way. So thank you for the, the idea [00:30:00] and for coming on the show today. Really appreciate it. And if people want to learn more, how would they get in touch with you? Speaker 2:Uh, you can, uh, reach me probably via email is the best, uh, christine@valorwater.com or look@valorwater.com and reach out to us. I like talking to everyone. I love talking to students. So, um, for the students in particular, um, my heart goes out to you for all your hard work and dedication and, um, always feel free to reach out. Speaker 1:Okay. Well, thank you. Thanks for coming on the show [00:30:30] today. Christine, you've been listening to methods to the madness on k a l, Berkeley. My name is r, thanks for listening and have a great Friday. Everybody. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Representatives from Waterkeepers and the State Water Resources Control Board discuss water quality in California, including a controversial decision to allow pesticide discharges from farmland into surface water. The post Terra Verde – January 30, 2004 appeared first on KPFA.