Podcasts about watershed sciences

Sarah Null, Professor at Utah State University in the Department in Watershed Sciences, Nell Green Nylon, Senior Research Fellow, and Molly Bruce, Research Fellow at the Center for Law, Energy, & Environment at the UC Berkeley School of Law, join us to talk about their report “Information Needs for Water Markets: Fair and Effective Water Markets Require Adequate Measurement and Reporting of Diversion and Use.” This collaborative effort synthesizes a number of key trends and themes across California, New Mexico, and Utah, impacting the ability to set up and establish water markets. The Report does a great job compiling a large amount of information and stakeholder feedback and distilling it into actionable recommendations. Fantastic effort led by a great group! 

Every year, the great migration sees hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, gazelles, zebras and antelopes migrate from the Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya, in search of water and juicy grass. But rising temperatures and unpredictable weather are changing this epic animal journey dramatically. It's the same for great white sharks, which are being spotted in areas where they'd never normally live.Tanzanian safari guide Neema Amos takes us into the Serengeti to explain why the wildebeest migration is so important. And shark expert Trisha Atwood reveals how these changes affect not just the animals, but our fight against climate change itself.Presenter Sophie Eastaugh is joined by: Neema Amos, Safari Guide in Tanzania Trisha Atwood, Associate Professor of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University Joseph Ogutu, Senior Statistician at University of HohenheimEmail us at theclimatequestion@bbc.comProducers: Sophie Eastaugh and Octavia Woodward Editors: Graihagh Jackson and Tom Bigwood Series Producer: Simon Watts Sound design and mixing: Tom Brignell Production Coordinator: Brenda BrownArchive from the Sir David Attenborough programme, ‘Wildebeest: The Super Herd', BBC Two, 2008This programme was first broadcast in March 2024

With a namesake that matches the vegetation found in marshes where it lives, this California native comes in three different forms and has a very impressive skill: females pack an unbelievable number of extremely large young in their enlarged vascularized ovaries and give live birth. Senior Research Scientist John Durand from the University of California, Davis Center for Watershed Sciences is our guest.

Utah is home to over 800 rock glaciers. These masses of ice covered with rock debris are key to perennial streams and alpine biodiversity, but they are poorly understood. We talk with Scott Hotaling, Assistant Professor in the Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University, who is studying the rare stonefly in order to gain understanding of how alpine streams are faring as glaciers recede under a warming and drying climate.

How wildfires like the Park Fire are threatening California salmon. Two housing measures, Prop 5 and Prop 33, will be on the ballot in November. Finally, the local website “The Lookout” offers context and clarity to wildfire coverage in the region. Park Fire Threatening Spring-Run Salmon The Park Fire is California's fourth-largest wildfire, and has burned over 420,000 acres across Northern California in more than two weeks. The fire is now threatening some of the last refuges of California's iconic spring-run salmon in the Central Valley - a population that has already faced devastating declines in recent years. Carson Jeffres, Senior Research Ecologist at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences joins Insight to talk about the dangers the fire poses to these fish, and whether they can still bounce back. Breaking Down Housing Propositions 5 and 33 California's shortage of affordable housing is an ongoing and well-documented crisis. Now, a pair of measures on the November ballot aim to ease this problem. Prop 5 would lower the threshold for bond borrowing, while Prop 33 would allow for more rent control measures. Sac State Public Policy Professor Robert Wassmer spoke with CapRadio Politics Reporter Megan Myscofski about the potential impact of these two propositions, and some of the challenges they might face ahead of the election. Wildfire Website ‘The Lookout' During the 2021 Dixie Fire, which burned across five counties in Northern California, Zeke Lunder found the amount of fire information available on the internet overwhelming and lacking in context. So he started The Lookout to help. Lunder is a pyrogeographer and the founder of Deer Creek Resources. He has been mapping wildfires and leading a crew for more than 20 years. He joins us to talk about the Park Fire, which is currently burning east of Chico.

Gov. Newsom attends the April snow survey in the Sierra. Also, an investigation into a rise in jail deaths across the state. Finally, a memoir studying hip hop culture “Dancing the Afrofuture: Hula, Hip-Hop and the Dunham Legacy.” April Snow Survey Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to the April 1 snow survey in El Dorado County held by the Department of Water Resources near Echo Summit. For the second year in a row, California's snowpack is above the historical average - this year the snowpack is 110%, which is considered the peak snowpack for the season and critical for water managers as it marks the transition to spring snowmelt into the state's rivers and reservoirs. Jay Lund is a professor emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Vice-Director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and joins us with more on what this means for California's evolving water needs. Investigating California Jail Deaths CalMatters Reporter Nigel Duara discusses his investigation into jail deaths in the state which found that despite Gov. Gavin Newsom's pledge to address a rise in jail deaths early in his administration, fentanyl overdoses and suicides have death rates at historic highs - even though California jails are holding thousands fewer people. Memoir ‘Dancing the Afrofuture' A UC Davis professor's new memoir, titled Dancing the Afrofuture: Hula, Hip-Hop and the Dunham Legacy, chronicles her journey from being a dancer-activist in the Bay Area, to an academic scholar studying hip-hop culture. Author Dr. Halifu Osumare, Professor Emerita of African American & African Studies at UC Davis joins Insight to talk about how this transition from art to academia came to be, and how dance has been a “survival mechanism” for people of African descent to preserve culture and values.  

How a Supreme Court case on the abortion medication mifepristone could impact California. Also, California's strategy to recover long declining salmon populations. Finally, the best way to view the upcoming April eclipse.  Supreme Court Abortion Pill Case This morning, the Supreme Court heard arguments for another case challenging the right to abortion. FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine challenges the use of mifepristone, a medication typically used in a two-combination dose to terminate a pregnancy (the other medication used is misoprostol). Medication abortions account for roughly two thirds of all abortions in the country - and this ruling can affect all states, regardless of what protections are in place. But there is more at stake than abortion - this case could impact the FDA's regulatory power to approve all drugs and evaluate their safety. Leslie Gielow Jacobs is an Anthony Kennedy Professor of Law at McGeorge School of Law and joins us with a breakdown of today's oral arguments.  California's Salmon Strategy California's salmon population has been in decline for decades, largely due to human activity and climate change. To help reverse these trends, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the “California “Salmon Strategy” earlier this year - bringing together governments, conservation groups and tribal communities to revive the salmon numbers by removing dams, restoring habitats, and modernizing hatcheries, among other strategies. Carson Jeffres is a Senior Researcher at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and discusses the current salmon population counts, as well as why there is still hope for a strong future for this iconic species. Best Way to See Upcoming Eclipse On April 8, Californians can view a partial solar eclipse. To get the obvious out of the way, at no point is it safe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse. However, with special glasses or telescopes fitted with the right equipment, we can experience this firsthand. Vinita Domier is a coordinator of the Davis Astronomy Club - and calls herself an eclipse chaser. Vinita joins us with more on this celestial phenomena. 

Rob first came across the work of Dr. Jacob Katz in the book Upstream by Langdon Cook. The chapter was titled “Make Way for the Floodplain Fatties”. Cook detailed research by CalTrout that showed salmon grew larger when feeding in flooded rice fields along the Sacramento Delta. Jacob Katz holds a PH.D. in ecology at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. He currently directs CalTrout's Central California region where his work focuses on redesigning California's antiquated water infrastructure. The Nigiri Project mission is to “Scientifically demonstrate that productivity created by shallow inundation of floodplains is foundational to supporting self-sustaining populations of fish and wildlife in the Central Valley.” Rob and Dr. Katz discuss all things salmon living in an altered environment along the California coast. They talk everything from conservation, geology, and tacos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Notes:  https://wetflyswing.com/500 Presented By: Mavrk Fly Fishing, Dette Flies, Trxstle, Jackson Hole Fly Company In this milestone episode, we talk about the Klamath Dam Removal journey with Ann Willis. Ann shares her incredible conservation journey, starting from a 6-day white water raft trip. We explore the unique characteristics of the Klamath River, the catalyst for conservation efforts following a devastating fish kill, and the ambitious goals set by American Rivers for dam removal across the nation. Klamath Dam Removal Show Notes with Ann Willis 02:47 - Ann's journey into conservation began with a 6-day rafting trip on the Middle Fork Salmon River, leading her to work as a white-water raft guide for several years. After realizing the need for a more sustainable career, she delved into river science for 15 years and ultimately led her own research program at the U.C. Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. Ann Willis guiding a raft down the Grand Canyon. Photo credit: Amy Quinton 10:00 - Ann introduces the unique characteristics of the Klamath River. The Klamath River was a highly productive ecosystem until around 1918, when the construction of hydroelectric dams began. Among those dams were Copco No. 1, Copco No. 2, Iron Gate, and JC Boyle. 18:42 - In the early 2000s, a significant event that catalyzed conservation efforts in the Klamath River was a massive fish kill. During a drought, water shortages and poor water quality caused by the dams led to a devastating sight of dead fish floating for miles along the riverbanks. 30:00 - Monitoring efforts in the Klamath River assess stream flow, water quality, and the presence and distribution of aquatic life like insects and fish. 35:00 - The removal of dams can have a positive impact on climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with reservoirs. Additionally, it encourages the shift towards more sustainable and emissions-friendly energy sources like solar and wind power. About American Rivers  38:00 - In light of American Rivers' 50th Anniversary, Ann gives advice to those advocating for the removal of the Snake River dams. Hells Canyon on the Snake River, ID. The Snake River is one of the next large dam removal campaigns to improve river health for people and the environment. Photo credit: Ann Willis 46:00 - Ann acknowledges the lack of diversity in conservation organizations. She added that there are also Eurocentric notions that need to be reevaluated, like the idea that these natural spaces are resources for us to profit from or benefit from rather than steward and enhance. 49:00 - American Rivers was founded in the 1970s, a period predating the establishment of significant environmental regulations such as the Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency. 49:30 There was a notable incident where the Cuyahoga River in Ohio caught fire due to extreme pollution. We talked about this in an episode with Alex Czayka. 51:00 - American Rivers has set ambitious goals to address dams across the country that have reached the end of their practical lifespan. Their vision includes the removal of 30,000 dams by 2050. 59:24 - People interested in the dam removal can reach out to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. Show Notes:  https://wetflyswing.com/500

A winter of unusually heavy rain and snow elevated California's mountain snowpack to levels not seen in years. But now that temperatures are rising, the state is bracing for “The Big Melt” that could cause massive flooding. Close to a third of the state's water supply comes from the snowpack that accumulates in the winter and melts in the summer. California's water infrastructure was designed to capture and store snowmelt and prevent floods, but with climate change intensifying water levels to extreme highs and lows, the system is pushed to its limits. We'll talk about how prepared the Golden State is for an influx of water and what communities can expect. Guests: Dr. Noah Diffenbaugh, senior fellow, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment - where his research focuses on climate and earth system dynamics. Hayley Smith, reporter focusing on extreme weather, Los Angeles Times Nicholas Pinter, chair in applied geosciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Davis; associate director, Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California Davis

KVMR Intern News Producer Julia Ggem covers this month's Mental Health and Substance Use Advisory Board Meeting. Ggem speaks with Phebe Bell, Nevada County's Behavioral Health Director, about operating challenges, the Turning Point program, and other topics discussed in the meeting. KVMR Science Correspondent Al Stahler speaks with Carson Jeffries about his work tackling flooding caused by California's severe winter storms. Jeffries is the field and lab director at the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis.  And The California Report gives us a look at a futuristic community being built in Southern California.

As another atmospheric river batters California, the state finds itself in the midst of weather whiplash: Parts of the state are flooding even while California remains in a drought emergency. As of early Monday, despite historic amounts of rain, most of the state's reservoirs had not reached capacity and experts say this current system of rainstorms does not guarantee an end to the drought. In 2022, the year began with a similar set of storms to be followed by an unusually warm and dry winter that melted off the snowpack early. We'll talk about the impact the storms are having on our aging water system and what we can learn about how to avoid flooding and capture more water from extreme weather events like this as they become more frequent with climate change. Guests: Erica Gies, independent journalist; author, "Water Always Wins;" National Geographic explorer" - Gies wrote the recent New York Times essay "California Could Capture Its Destructive Floodwaters to Fight Drought" Karla Nemeth, director, California Department of Water Resources Jay Lund, vice-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis - Lund is also a professor of civil and environmental engineering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we have the opportunity to speak with Dr. Janice Brahney, an accomplished environmental researcher. Dr. Brahney is an assistant professor at Utah State University's Watershed Sciences department. She joins us today to discuss her work with watersheds, integrated biological systems, and the issue of microplastics.  Dr. Brahney has always been fascinated by freshwater ecology, and this interest expanded into researching the impact air quality has on water quality. Through this work, she has developed three major themes in her research: understanding what is being transported through the atmosphere to remote ecosystems, understanding how the recession of glaciers is affecting freshwater systems, and the cause, effect, and mitigation of water quality impairment.  Offer: This Podcast is Sponsored by Lost Empire Herbs. Right now, Lost Empire Herb's bestselling Pine Pollen is now available for just one penny, plus shipping and handling. Go to www.GeniusPollen.com to find out more and grab yourself a bag today. No hidden charges, no trial offer, no shenanigans. Just a low cost way to try Lost Empire Herbs' top product for next to nothing. If you're looking for 100% natural hormonal support for men and women YOU'VE GOT TO TRY THIS.. Click play to learn more about: How plastics move through the atmosphere, and why plastic deposition rates have increased in remote areas.  Applications of geochemistry to aquatic ecology. Evidence that shows how microplastics can travel thousands of miles. Why agricultural soils can have a higher concentration of plastics than natural soils.  Humans have significantly appropriated the natural landscape, and Dr. Brahney is committed to finding out what the impacts and solutions to this may be…  To connect with Dr. Brahney's research for yourself, click here! Episode also available on Apple Podcast: http://apple.co/30PvU9C

As California's drought conditions worsen, the state is looking for more answers beyond just asking residents to conserve.  There's now renewed debate about whether or not to build the Sites Reservoir, a massive reservoir project in the western Sacramento River Valley. Guest: Ann Willis, Senior Staff Researcher, Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis California's Reparations Task Force released its first report on Wednesday. The report has preliminary recommendations including the establishment of an Office of African American/Freedmen Affairs to address past and potential future harms, and to assist people in filing eligibility claims. Reporter: Lakshmi Sarah, KQED  State officials are warning people seeking abortion services about potential misleading information offered by so-called crisis pregnancy centers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert about these facilities. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report UCLA researchers have analyzed the autopsies of people who died in L.A. County jails over ten years. They found that more than half of deaths classified as natural had evidence of physical harm on the bodies. Reporter: Emily Elena Dugdale, KPCC

Since fundamental changes were made to the way rice straw is managed following harvest in the early 1990s,  Sacramento Valley rice country has steadily grown as a vital rest and refuel stop for millions of birds.  Local rice fields not only provide habitat for nearly 230 wildlife species, the value of rice fields for the environment is proving to be even greater during drought years, because there is less water on the landscape and fewer habitat options. What's next for the environmental crop? If promising research by the Rice Commission and UC Davis pays off, Sacramento Valley rice fields may one day help dwindling salmon runs. The third year of field work for the salmon project has just completed, and the last of the baby salmon raised on Steve Neader's Sutter County rice farm have been released and are heading out to the ocean. Through sophisticated tagging, their journey will be studied. The ultimate hope is that rice fields specifically managed for this purpose will provide an even greater role in preserving and enhancing the California environment. “I'm extremely optimistic about it,” remarked Andrew Rypel, one of the study leaders and professors in the Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology at UC Davis. “All of the data we have collected points to the fact these fields are going to be helpful for, not just salmon, but lots of native fishes.” There were new elements in the latest year of the project that will ultimately help researchers adapt the habitat management strategy and understand prospects for future success.  “This is the first time we've ever done the project on full size rice fields, with about 125 acres devoted to testing the practice at scale, “ said  Paul Buttner, Environmental Affairs Manager of the California Rice Commission. “One of the things we needed to make sure is that we could allow the fish to move freely through all of the checks in the field and out of the field when they want to, which is called volitional passage. We put in specialized boards with holes and notches to allow the fish to move through the system entirely.” Buttner stressed the importance of partnerships to make this multi-million dollar project successful, including the scientific research from UC Davis and other technical partners. “It would not be possible without funding, that comes first and foremost from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service,” he said. “They provided over half of the funding for the project. All of the funding they provide has to be matched with private sector contributions, both financial and in-kind. Syngenta and State Water Contractors have really stepped up with major contributions, and we have a long list of other sustaining contributors as well.  The full sponsorship list can be seen at http://salmon.calrice.org/#Sponsors.” As the salmon left the rice fields to start their journey to the ocean, it was a somewhat emotional time for researcher Alexandra Wampler of UC Davis. “I'm very excited,” Wampler said. “I can't wait to track their migration to the ocean. We have a very dense receiver array, so we should be able to track each step they take, and it's going to be very exciting.” It will take a while longer to determine the viability of the project, but those involved remain optimistic that, perhaps one day, Sacramento Valley rice fields will add a significant new area to their environmental benefits. “I think that rice fields have the same opportunities for the salmon as they did for waterfowl,” said Carson Jeffres, research ecologist at UC Davis. “It's a little bit different. It takes different opportunities because fish can't fly, so you have to make it available for them, as opposed to having it just available for them to fly to. There's those same possibilities that we have, and I think that we've really turned a big corner in doing that, and we're starting to see those benefits being realized on the landscape right now.” Episode Transcript Jim Morris: The environment holds special importance in California, and salmon represent one of the most beleaguered species in what now is year three of a major drought. There is a ray of hope in the form of a partnership being lived out in the rice fields of the Sacramento Valley. Jim Morris: Welcome to Ingrained, the California Rice podcast. I'm your host, Jim Morris, proud to have worked with the state's farmers and ranchers for more than three decades to help tell their stories. Environmental stewardship among the rice industry is unparalleled. Not only do Sacramento Valley rice fields serve as a vital part of the Pacific flyway migration of millions of ducks, geese, shorebirds, and other species, those same fields offer great promise to help salmon. Jim Morris: I'm at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, where researchers play a pivotal role in exploring how local rice fields might help salmon. I'm speaking with research ecologist, Carson Jeffres. First of all, Carson, salmon in California have been struggling. What are some of the factors that have led to that decline in their population? Carson Jeffres: They face multiple threats, both in the freshwater environment where we've experienced drought for multiple years. We're on our second major drought in the last 10 years, which is probably much more of a long term drought. Water and fresh water environments is limited, but also there's other factors from thymine deficiency coming back from the ocean. It's just one thing after another that they've experienced over the last, probably, a hundred years. Now, we're starting to see the culmination of climate change and management really affect the populations. Jim Morris: Rice fields may help in two different areas. Can you comment on those? Also, your degree of optimism that these two areas may significantly help. Carson Jeffres: There's two ways that those, what we think of as historic floodplains, which are not rice fields, can benefit the salmon. One of them is that, unlike birds, fish can't get to the dry side of the levee, but we can take the food that grows on the dry side of the levee and the rice fields and pump it into the river for the fish that are out migrating to the ocean. The other way that rice fields are used for salmon during their out migration, is that in the flood bypasses. In particular, is that when we have flood events, many of those habitats are rice fields now, and fish can use them during their out migration. If we manage those habitats well, we can benefit salmon during their out migration on those habitats, and the food that we grow that they consume, and they get big, and then they head out to the ocean. Jim Morris: In a larger picture, reactivating the floodplains of the Sacramento Valley, do you see multiple benefits from that, not only just for salmon? Carson Jeffres: Many species rely on these habitats, from waterbirds, the waterfowl, there's the waiting birds, there's fish, there's groundwater recharge. There's lots of benefits from having floodplains activated in the Central Valley. For human uses, for wildlife, it's really a win-win to see those habitats inundated. Jim Morris: Fish food, and rice fields, how nutrient rich is that, and how optimistic are you that can make a difference? Carson Jeffres: Fish food is really interesting in that what happens is as the rice double breaks down, when it's flooded, is it's basically carbon that's being released in the water. Carbon is the currency of energy in the floodplain. When carbon is released, microbes eat it, and zooplankton can eat it, and that's creating food for the salmon. It's really that ability to create that carbon out and make it usable for the animals in the system. That's what happens when you flood during the non-growing season. Jim Morris: How important is it to consider the long term in this process? I imagine the salmon population probably won't rebound immediately, but steps need to be taken to help this important part of our environment. Carson Jeffres: This is a problem that's been constructed over the last 150 years, since the Gold Rush. We shouldn't expect that we're going to fix it in one, or two, or five years. This is a long term idea that we need to change. The decisions that we're making now are something that will affect the future. Understanding that we have climate changing, being able to be plastic with our decision making, and our management, is really important. Jim Morris: Rice fields have helped a lot with the Pacific Flyway and are essentially surrogate wetlands in California. Do you feel that they might be able to play a similar role down the road for salmon? Carson Jeffres: I think that rice fields have the same opportunities for the salmon as they did for the waterfowll. It's a little bit different. It takes different opportunities, because fish can't fly. You have to make it available for them, as opposed to having it just available for them to fly to. There's those same possibilities that we have. I think that we've really turned a big corner in doing that. We're starting to see those benefits being realized on the landscape now. Jim Morris: Andrew Rypel is a professor and the Peter Moyle and California Trout chair in cold water fish ecology at UC Davis. Andrew, this is year three of field work of the pilot salmon project between UC Davis and the Rice Commission. At first glance, it may sound like a wild concept, but good things are happening. Can you provide an overview on the project? Andrew Rypel: What we're trying to do this year is to really scale out some of the lessons we've learned from previous years, such that we're working on production scale rice fields, working with growers, using the infrastructure that they already have in place, and trying to do things to help fish, to help salmon, using that infrastructure. Jim Morris: Let's talk about that infrastructure. How suitable is a rice field to raise salmon? Andrew Rypel: Well, we think it's very productive habitat. When you look at the river habitat that salmon have been using in recent years, it's functionally equivalent of a food desert. What this is really about is activating the floodplain, activating the food factory that already grows food for people, but now might grow food for fish, and grow salmon to be big and healthy. Jim Morris: To have this work, you really do need quantifiable data, and of course, good results. How are those achieved? Andrew Rypel: Using sound science. What we're really trying to do here is get down in the weeds, get down in detail with the kinds of questions that managers and agencies are really interested in here. Trying to understand how well salmon move through the infrastructure, through the modified rice ports that we have, how well they survive in the fields, how well they egress out to the river, out to the bypass, out to the ocean, these sorts of really nitty gritty science questions that are hard to do, but we need to really advance the practice. Jim Morris: What level of optimism do you have that this will ultimately work and help the salmon population? Andrew Rypel: I'm extremely optimistic about it. Everything we've collected so far, all the data we've collected, points to the fact that these fields are going to be helpful for not just salmon, but lots of native fishes, but the key is to really do the hard work, do the science, to work with the agencies that manage these fisheries, and these stocks, to address their questions, to do things in a partnership-oriented method, and to move the practice forward. Jim Morris: When you talk about native fish, I have seen some of your writings on that. That's an area of passion for you. It sounds exciting that maybe salmon are just the first part and there could be other species that could be helped by rice fields. Is that one of your hopes? Andrew Rypel: Absolutely. Many of the native fishes in the Central Valley are adapted evolutionarily for floodplains. Though we only have 5 percent of the natural floodplains left, we have 500,000 acres of these rice fields. We think they can be used smarter to help lots of native fishes, including salmon, but including a lot of other are kinds of native species, things like Sacramento black fish, and Sacramento perch, and maybe even smelt, who knows, but a lot of these species evolved to exploit the food rich areas of these floodplain areas, which rice fields can still provide. Jim Morris: Oftentimes, when you have fish and farming, particularly in California, can be rather adversarial. What's different about this arrangement as far as you see? Andrew Rypel: Fish and farms have been pitted against each other for a really long time in California. But to me, that's becoming somewhat of an old trope, and something that we need to get past. This is a great example of an interesting project where fish conservationists, growers, can work in collaboration to really help the resource, while still helping make food for people. That's the kind of thinking that we need in California. That's the kind of thinking we need in the world. This is just one example of how a project like that can come together. Jim Morris: Paul Buttner is environmental affairs manager with the California Rice Commission. Paul, it hasn't been easy at all times, but after three years of field work, what are your thoughts about the potential viability of this project? Paul Buttner: Well, Jim, I'm very encouraged about the possibilities for this project. As you know, what we're really trying to accomplish is to do for fish, what we've done for birds, for many, many years, that is develop habitats that's ideal for them. Of course, there's a lot more challenges with the fish side than the bird side. Of course, the birds fly over the habitat. They see it, they come down, they use it. With fish, it's all about the plumbing. It's how do we get the fish there? How do we get them off of the fields? These are the types of questions that we're really trying to answer. Jim Morris: What were some of the new areas that you were working in this year? Paul Buttner: Well, first of all, this is the first time we've ever done the project on full size rice fields, 125 acres or so, with five or six checks. One of the things we needed to make sure is that we could allow the fish to move freely through all of those checks, and out the field when they want to. It's called volitional passage. We put in specialized boards with holes and notches, allowing the fish to move through the system entirely. Jim Morris: Carrying this out takes a lot of coordination, creativity, and partnerships. Let's talk about the latter. How vital are partnerships to make this effort a success? Paul Buttner: Yeah, this is a very significant project. We're in phase two. Both phases are pretty expensive. They cost about $1.2 million apiece. Tremendous amount of science being done by UC Davis, and our other technical partners. It's a really significant endeavor and it would not be possible without funding that comes first and foremost from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Services, which has provided over half of the funding for this project. Of course, all of the funding they provide has to be matched with private sector contributions, both financial and in kind, and Syngenta and State Water Contractors have really stepped up with major contributions, and then we have a long list of other sustaining contributors as well. Jim Morris: We've come to the final day of the third year of field work for the salmon project. Alex Wampler of UC Davis, you've been here through the start. What are your thoughts as the fish are going to head from the rice fields out to the ocean? Alex Wampler: I'm very excited. I can't wait to track their migration to the ocean. I suspect the fish will make it out in about 14 days. We have a very dense receiver array, so we should be able to track each step they take. It's going to be very exciting. Jim Morris: Is it at all emotional? You're kind of in a different area. You're working with living things. We sure hope that the salmon will ultimately be helped by all of this. Alex Wampler: Oh, yes. It's very emotional. I care about these fish deeply. I've hand raised them since they were eggs, in November. I suspect that they will do very well out at sea. It feels great to know that our efforts, and our research, are going immediately to species survival and helping these endemic and endangered species have a great chance while working within human boundaries. Jim Morris: Hopefully, those same rice fields that provide major benefits for wildlife, especially during drought years, will also play a valuable role in restoring salmon, an icon of the California environment. Jim Morris: That will wrap up this episode. Thank you to Andrew Rypel, Carson Jeffres, Paul Buttner, and Alex Wampler for their comments about this promising project. You can find out more at podcast.calrice.org. Please subscribe and leave us a review. Thanks for listening.

For all of the high-tech advancements California is famous for, one part of the state's infrastructure – providing enough water for its environment, cities and farms – is lacking. It has been more than four decades since the last major water storage facility was built in the Golden State, and our total population has nearly doubled since that time. Proposed for the west side of the Sacramento Valley, Sites Reservoir provides an opportunity to dramatically boost water storage capability, which would help safeguard the state during drought, like what we are currently enduring. Sites would provide up to 1.5 million acre-feet of additional water storage, with a dedicated supply of water for environmental uses,  including a significant amount of water for our state's wildlife refuges, particularly in dry years, to support the ducks, geese and other wildlife who greatly rely on our system of refuges to survive and thrive. The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is not taking a position on Sites. They do have an interesting concept to help the environment, should the project be completed – an environmental water budget. “This approach to water for the environment would have really big advantages,” said PPIC Senior Fellow Jeff Mount. “Right now, the way we manage everything, it's all set on minimum in-stream flow and water quality standards. It's kind of like a hydrologic flatline- it doesn't change enough.  We're suggesting that the most efficient and effective use of water has to have some flexibility in that use – especially if you want to mete it up with investments in physical habitat.  That's why we're promoting an ecosystem water budget managed by a trustee of some kind –a restoration administrator like on the San Joaquin River. This is probably the best way to go. It's nimble. It sets the environment as a partner, working with the people who are managing the operations of storage all the time. And there's certainty. The key bottom line is the flexibility this would bring.” Sites would also provide more water for urban needs, something very appealing to many, including General Manager Valerie Pryor of Zone 7 Water Agency, which serves the East Bay Area. “Our community places a lot of value on increasing water storage and especially the Sites Reservoir,” Pryor remarked. “Our board and community are excited about this prospect. Seventy percent of our water comes from the State Water Project, and that supply is increasingly less reliable. Also, we are not all the way to build out, so we do expect to add population over the next 30 years, so we need additional water supply – both to make up for decreasing reliability and also for growth. The Sites Reservoir really helps with that equation.” This enthusiastic support, plus increased momentum from favorable state and federal reviews of the project, are welcome developments for those trying to get this reservoir built – including the top person tasked for this job. “I am 100 percent confident that Sites Reservoir will be built,” remarked Jerry Brown, General Manager of the Sites Project Authority. “It must be built. The thing that we are striving for, and I believe is a need in order to proceed, is that we must do this together.” Episode Transcript Kai Tawa: We had a really good start to the water year with that atmospheric river event in late October. A lot of the valley got somewhere between 4 to 8 inches of rain. Quite historic, really. Jim Morris: Meteorologist Kai Tawa of Western Weather Group in Chico commenting on the positive start of the water year, building hope that the drought might be broken. Kai Tawa: From there our luck really continued going into December with some more atmospheric river storms with things looking good. Jim Morris: Unfortunately, 2022 has been underwhelming for rain and snow. Kai Tawa: We know it was certainly one of the driest January's recorded throughout northern California, and now we're going into February here. The medium to long-range models are pretty confident that we're going to remain quite dry. Jim Morris: Today, we take a look at California's water shortage and how long-term planning can help the state survive and thrive. 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 the past 32 years to help tell their stories. As if the pandemic wasn't enough, this year has started with little rain and snow fueling concerns that once winter is all over we may be in another dry year. That would be painful for our environment, cities, and farms. It's been more than 40 years since the last major water storage facility has been built in our state and our population nearly doubled over that time. Many are eyeing Sites Reservoir as a big part of a more stable water future. Proposed for the west of the Sacramento Valley in Colusa and Glenn counties, Sites would provide a major boost to the amount of water that can be stored during wet years to help during the dry ones. Jerry Brown is general manager of the Sites project authority, and Jerry, it would be good to get caught up on how the project is proceeding. I understand there's important news from the California Water Commission, so can you tell us a little bit about some of the latest developments with the Sites project. Jerry Brown: Just last month, the state made a feasibility determination for the project, which they went through a very extensive review process of several elements of the project and came to the determination that the project continues to be feasible and investible from the state's perspective under the Prop 1 storage program. That compliments the earlier decision by the federal government for a similar feasibility determination, and between those two that represents anywhere from 30 to 40% of the project. Beyond those investors, there's the local agencies, and they are going through a process right now to evaluate their continued participation in the project, and we're getting really good and positive responses from the local agencies. Collectively we're looking really strong as far as where we are, and the funding levels to proceed with the project, and have a lot of momentum to move forward with some great work in the coming years. Jim Morris: Those who are unfamiliar with Sites, this would be an off stream reservoir fed by excess water from rainstorms. Is that right? Jerry Brown: That's right, Jim. Sites is not your old dam. It is a reservoir that is set off the Sacramento River, but does receive water diverted out of the river, but only taken during the highest flow periods in the river, pretty much the very wet times like 2017, 2019 would be the timeframes, that would store the water in the reservoir during those periods until we need it in the drier times when we would release it back into the river for meeting demands of our participants or directly serving demands within the area of the reservoir. It's really an insurance policy for those drier times which we're seeing more often and more severely. It's something that we need in order to prepare ourselves for our future. Jim Morris: Past years, we've certainly seen, we've had tremendous amounts of rainfall and we haven't been fully able to capture all of it. Is it feasible to think if we have an incredibly wet year, that Sites can fill rather rapidly? Jerry Brown: If you look at averages and the analysis that we've done, we're expecting that we could fill the reservoir in anywhere from five to seven years. But from my experience in my prior life as the general manager of Contra Costa, we were able to fill Los Vaqueros on first spill in one year, and we had originally anticipated a five to seven year fill period as well. That's a question that a lot of people ask me is how long is it going to take to fill, and it couldn't be anywhere from one year to, on average, five to seven years. Jim Morris: The environment is talked about a lot in California and for good reason, it's vital, of course. The diminished salmon runs come up a lot, and at the rice commission, we're working with UC Davis on a pilot project raising salmon and rice fields. There's also promising work where fish food is being produced in rice fields and then returned to the river to help salmon. Jerry, what would Sites do to help this area? Jerry Brown: There's two aspects to Sites that I think need to be understood. First, the state is an investor in the project, and as such, they are receiving benefits for the environment. There will be a dedicated storage space and amount of water that is provided for the state to manage for the benefit of the environment, including the salmon, and including the delta smell, for example, is another species that could be helped with the project. What they will be able to do is storing this water in the wet years for use in the dry years. In these dry times like we've been seeing and the effects that we're seeing on the salmon, this water could help the salmon survive these periods, so that's number one. Number two, being where we are on the Sacramento River and where we are located relative to Shasta and Orville and Folsom Lake, there are opportunities to coordinate the site's operations in a manner that could provide for greater cold water in those reservoirs. Cold water can, especially in the dryer years, can enhance our ability to help the salmon survive in the river. Jim Morris: Yeah, keeping that water temperature at a certain level is critical for the survival of the salmon. Projects like this take time. What is a realistic timeframe to get Sites completed? Jerry Brown: Our current working estimate of our schedule is that we will be operational and complete by 2030, so within this decade, the project will be built. Jim Morris: To help that process, I think it sounds like good news that you have now an engineering and construction manager starting soon as well. Can you comment on that? Jerry Brown: A very important component of our upcoming work is to advance the engineering to a level that will give us more confidence in the cost estimate for the project. That's something the investors really need in order to proceed. With that ramp up of work, we need some additional oversight and some additional capabilities, and so we've hired a gentleman by the name of JP Robinette, who has actually worked on the project for a couple years and has a lot of experience and great capabilities to help us advance this part of the work. One of the other aspects of JP's background is that he grew up in an area in southern Oregon similar to where we're trying to build the project, so he has a real sense of the local community's needs and will be able to bring that to the project. Jim Morris: I could speak with you a hundred times, and I have to ask you this every time out. Sites is a very polarizing topic for many people. Some people love it and they understand the value of it, other people are negative and they feel it would never get done. What level of confidence do you have, Jerry, that Sites is going to be built? Jerry Brown: I am 100% confident that Sites Reservoir will be built. It must be built. The thing that we are striving for, and I believe is a need in order to proceed, is that we must do this together. There is, as you said, polarizing effects from surface storage project of this nature, but I think we've reached a point in our development of the project where we've been able to address many of the areas of concern that people have had. We've reached a point where we are at a spot where it makes sense. We can do this safely and protective of the species and all of the other concerns and considerations that go into building something like this, but we must do this and we must do it together. Jim Morris: Speaking of that, can you comment a little bit about the level of support that you're seeing locally, broader terms as well? We have very different sections of water in California environment, urban, agriculture. What level of support are you seeing for the project? Jerry Brown: Probably the one area that stands out most for me is the local support. We would not be able to do this project without that support. We're seeing that in other big projects across the state where local support just doesn't exist, and there's a lot of difficulty moving forward. It's because of that local support that we're able to move forward, recognizing that our board is made up of the local community leaders. That is important to everyone on the project, not just the folks that are in this area, but other folks that are to be served by the project that are located outside of this area. I think that aspect of it makes it unique and also makes it possible. Jim Morris: An important part of the water supply equation is meeting urban needs. Climate change and several other factors have put pressure on that supply. Valerie Prior is general manager of Zone 7 Water Agency, and Valerie, can you tell me a little bit about your agency, the region you cover, and who you serve? Valerie Prior: We are largely a water supply wholesaler, and we serve the East Bay area. We serve the cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton and portions of San Ramon. We are a state water project contractor, and we deliver state water project water through four retail agencies. Those agencies are the ones that serve water to homes and businesses. In zone seven, we actually also serve 10 to 15% of our water supply directly to agriculture. Those water supplies go to largely to the Livermore valley wine growing region, which is an important economic center for our community. Our local water supplies include some local groundwater, some local runoff, and then the retailers provide recycled water as well. I'd also like to mention that we are the groundwater sustainability agency for the region, and we recharge a groundwater basin with that state water project water that I mentioned, and we've been sustainably managing the basin for several decades now. Jim Morris: You have a lot of different clientele, a lot of different ways to get the water. As we're in another dry period unfortunately, there are short-term ways to make that water go farther, conservation, innovation included, but still long-term answers needed in California. How much value do you put on increasing water storage specifically with the Sites Reservoir? Valerie Prior: Our community places a lot of value on increasing water storage and especially the Sites Reservoir about which our board and our community's very excited. I mentioned that 70% of our water comes from the state water project and that water supply is increasingly less reliable. Also, we are not all the way to build out, so we do expect to add population over the next 30 years, and so we need additional water supply both to make for decreasing reliability and also for growth. The Sites Reservoir really helps us with that part of the equation. It compliments the state water project, so our thought process is in wet years we take state water project water, and in wet years we could store water in Sites Reservoir. Then in dry years, we'd be calling on the storage and the Sites Reservoir to meet our community's needs. Jim Morris: Sites Reservoir is proposed for a very agricultural area and the Sacramento valley, but just to be clear, this project would help urban areas as well. Valerie Prior: Very much. We are an urban area, and we're very interested in this project. One of the many things that's very exciting about the Sites Reservoir is that it meets environmental needs, agricultural needs, and urban needs. It's very nice to be participating in a project where all those needs come together to work on the project. Jim Morris: Any in-depth discussion of water in California would benefit from covering the environmental side of things. Jeff Mount is senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California's Water Policy Center. He's an emeritus professor of earth and planetary sciences. I also understand you're a geomorphologist. Never heard that before. Can you tell me what that is Jeff? Jeff Mount: It's the people who study the surface of the earth and the processes that shape it. Jim Morris: Very good. I learned something already, so that's awesome. You also were founding director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis, and that has been critical for the rice commission and rice growers and a lot of interesting environmental work. I'd like to start by asking you about that. What are your thoughts about rice farming in California? How it's changed, how birds and now salmon are being aided by those rice fields. Jeff Mount: Yeah, this is one of the classic examples of multi benefit uses. Twenty years ago rice was vilified as this big water hog, and then we started to discover it was extremely important for wildlife, the Pacific flyway being the classic example. Then in these last 10, 15 years, we really have caught on to the value of those rice fields as food production factories for salmon. This is actually pretty exciting. I don't know of another crop that you can point to that has anything quite like that. Jim Morris: One of the major priorities in the state is making sure the environment is protected. I believe your institute is reviewing a concept that may help and may involve the site's project. Can you explain what that might look like? Jeff Mount: For some years now we've been saying the problem is we treat the environment like a constraint all the time, rather than a priority or better yet a partner. What we're proposing is we think about the environment as a partner in managing water. One of the ideas we've been promoting is the notion of setting aside a block of water for the environment that can be managed, kind of like a water right. Flexibly it can be managed that way. The advantage such an approach is it's great for the people on the other end who are looking for certainty, how much waters go into the environment, and it's a guarantee that the environment will get a certain amount of water. Now, the novel idea is how to do it with reservoirs. An environmental water budget in a reservoir, that's a set aside of water that can be flexibly managed for the environment. Jeff Mount: If the Sites project is built, it is my understanding there's a proposal to do just such a thing, to set aside a portion of that storage for the environment. This has really big advantages. Right now, the way we manage everything, it's all set on minimum instream flow and water quality standards. It's like what you'd call a hydrologic flat line. It doesn't change enough, yet the biota that evolved here all depended on a lot of variability. We're suggesting that the most efficient and effective use of water has to have some flexibility in that use, especially if you want to mate it up with investments in physical habitat. That's why we're promoting this idea of an ecosystem water budget managed by a trustee of some kind, a restoration administrator like on the San Joaquin River, is probably the best way to go because it's nimble. Jeff Mount: It sets the environment as a partner, that is the environment's in there working with the people who are managing the operations of storage all the time, and there's certainty, and a key bottom line, I can't stress this enough, is flexibility. Hey, a storm is coming next week. Maybe we should hold onto our environmental water, and when the storm comes, we should let some of it go to move salmon farther down the system, or put salmon out onto the flood plain, for example, or, hey, the spring, we really need a little extra flow, a little boost in the river this spring so that water that we've stored, that belongs to the environment, can be released to help push the salmon out to sea, or we need a pulse flow to help bring cues for salmon to come up. Jeff Mount: Those are examples. The problem is the way we do it now it's just, you got to let out this set amount of water and have this quality all the time. The argument would be give some flexibility so we can be adaptive and responsive and nimble just like somebody who has a water right or somebody who owns water. Jim Morris: When you look at water, it's incredibly contentious in California. We never seem to have enough. How important is it to have divergent interest coming together for a common goal? Jeff Mount: At PPIC, we have been crystal clear on this for seven years now. Almost every year we say the same thing. Litigation is not the solution. It's expensive. It takes forever, decades to resolve. Meanwhile, nothing gets done for the environment. There's no benefit for the environment. The real progress comes through negotiated solutions. We call them comprehensive solutions. People call them voluntary agreements, whatever you want to call it. But when you have multiple people at the table, multiple interests at the table, so that they're interests are represented, and they're people of goodwill and good faith who are willing to give something up to get something. That something that they get is durable instead of every five years you're back in court trying to deal with these things. We strongly advocate for people negotiating solutions to water problems rather than the usual approach, which is litigation. Jim Morris: It seems like that there is a little more cooperation in this region than perhaps some other areas of the state. What are your thoughts about that? Jeff Mount: At PPIC we've been saying for sometimes perhaps the most environmentally progressive groups in the farm community are in the Sacramento Valley. It helps that you have lots more water in the Sacramento Valley, one can't ignore that, and you have crops in the Sacramento Valley, which are ideal for working with the environment. I mean, in particular, the fall wet up for the Pacific flyway and the ability to start thinking about using these agricultural fields for raising fish and restoring that most essential element of access to the flood plain. What's been particular is that I don't know how to put it. I'll put it simply, people are a little more friendly to these ideas in the Sacramento Valley than they are in other places and that's great. That's the first step, by the way, to getting toward those negotiated solutions where people of goodwill are willing to give up something in order to get to where they want to be. Jeff Mount: I've just been impressed over the years, the evolution in the Sacramento Valley and the willingness of landowners to be involved. The fact of the matter is let's be direct on this. Most farmers are stewards of the land, and so they consider themselves stewards of the environment also. For some reason, they seem more stewardish in the Sacramento Valley, and I have no explanation for that, but they just are. Jim Morris: That will wrap up this episode, although we will, of course, have updates as the year progresses about the water outlook and impacts to our region and state. Thank you to Kai Tawa, Jerry Brown, Valerie Prior, and Jeff Mount for their time and expertise. You can go to podcast.calrice.org to find out more and listen to other episodes and subscribe. Thanks for listening.

Rep. Brad Wilson, Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, is convening a Great Salt Lake Summit, and ahead of that summit we'll be talking to Lynne De Freitas, Executive Director of Friends of the Great Salt Lake; Wayne Wurtsbaugh, USU Emeritus Professor of Watershed Sciences; and Marcelle Shoop, Director of the National Audubon Society's Saline Lakes Program.

Why Scott Peterson is being resentenced to life without parole, a new report is warning about the possible disappearance of the Sierra snowpack, how climate change is taught in American primary and secondary schools, and alternative music picks for those tired of standard holiday music. Today's Guests KCRA-TV News Anchor Edie Lambert, who covered the Scott Peterson trial in the 2002 murder of his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child, breaks down the resentencing hearing of Scott Peterson's death penalty sentence. Jeffrey Mount, senior fellow at the PPIC Water Policy Center and founding director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis, joins Insight for an update on the California drought and a new report warning about the possible disappearance of the Sierra snowpack in the next two decades. Emmy-winning investigative journalist Katie Worth discusses her recent Washington Post 'Outlook' cover story about how climate change is taught in American primary and secondary schools. The piece is based on her new book, Miseducation: How Climate Change is Taught in America. Weekend and Fill-in Host for News and Modern Music at CapRadio, Andrew Garcia, gives us his music picks for those tired of listening to “traditional” holiday music.

A fish can't talk, but its eyes and ears can. Scientists have discovered that each layer of a fish's lens reveals a different part of its life history, including what it's eaten throughout its life. While you've probably never heard of fish otoliths, these ear bones tell us not only a fish's age, but what rivers it has traveled. Understanding this could help wildlife managers know what habitats to protect to help imperiled species. In “Nature Tells Its Story Part 1,” Unfold looks at the eyes and ears of fish.      In this episode:  Miranda Bell Tilcock, assistant specialist researcher, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences  Carson Jeffres, senior researcher and fish biologist, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

 Macy Gustavus, a passionate Utah State University masters student in The Department of Watershed Sciences discusses microplastics - where they come from and how to reduce our exposure to them. Conscious Content Consumption for this episode is the podcast This is Love and Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants a book by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Also mentioned was beyondplastics.org, an organization that fights big oil and plastic companies to stop the production of unnecessary plastics. PS, a group of turkeys is called a rafter! Follow Long Hair Do Care on Instagram @longhairdocarepodcastSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/longhairdocare) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each year Lake Oroville helps water a quarter of the nation's crops, sustain endangered salmon beneath its massive earthen dam and anchor the tourism economy of a Northern California county that must rebuild seemingly every year after unrelenting wildfires. But the mighty lake — a linchpin in a system of aqueducts and reservoirs in the arid U.S. West that makes California possible — is shrinking with surprising speed amid a severe drought, with state officials predicting it will reach a record low later this summer. While droughts are common in California, this year's is much hotter and drier than others, evaporating water more quickly from the reservoirs and the sparse Sierra Nevada snowpack that feeds them. The state's more than 1,500 reservoirs are 50% lower than they should be this time of year, according to Jay Lund, co-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California-Davis. Over Memorial Day weekend, dozens of houseboats sat on cinderblocks at Lake Oroville because there wasn't enough water to hold them. Blackened trees lined the reservoir's steep, parched banks. At nearby Folsom Lake, normally bustling boat docks rested on dry land, their buoys warning phantom boats to slow down. Campers occupied dusty riverbanks farther north at Shasta Lake. Droughts are a part of life in California, where a Mediterranean-style climate means the summers are always dry and the winters are not always wet. The state's reservoirs act as a savings account, storing water in the wet years to help the state survive during the dry ones. Last year was the third driest on record in terms of precipitation. Temperatures hit triple digits in much of California over the Memorial Day weekend, earlier than expected. State officials were surprised earlier this year when about 500,000 acre feet (61,674 hectare meters) of water they were expecting to flow into reservoirs never showed up. One acre-foot is enough water to supply up to two households for one year. “In the previous drought, it took (the reservoirs) three years to get this low as they are in the second year of this drought,” Lund said. Today on AirTalk, we're learning more about drought conditions and wildfire risks ahead of the summer. Questions? Give us a call at 866-893-5722. With files from the Associated Press Guest: Lauren Sommer, correspondent covering climate change for NPR; she tweets @lesommer

Ben Hayes, Program Director, Watershed Sciences & Engineering, Bucknell University,  on the this weekend's Susquehanna River Symposium.  It is the 15th anniversary of annual River Symposium, and this year it will be on Nov. 6 (7-9 pm) and Nov. 7 (9am-3 pm) held entirely online, with Keynote Speaker: Cynthia Dunn, Secretary DCNR - Friday, 7:30-8 pm, Plenary Speaker: Brenda Lee Sieglitz, Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Manager, Chesapeake Bay Foundation - Saturday, 12-1 pm, Special Sessions on Saturday morning addressing three important topics in watershed sciences: Conducting field and lab research during pandemics, Eliminating racism and increasing diversity and inclusion in the watershed sciences, and Communicating science to the public, policy makers, voters, reporters, and other key audiences.

Ben Hayes, Program Director, Watershed Sciences & Engineering, Bucknell University,  on the this weekend’s Susquehanna River Symposium.  It is the 15th anniversary of annual River Symposium, and this year it will be on Nov. 6 (7-9 pm) and Nov. 7 (9am-3 pm) held entirely online, with Keynote Speaker: Cynthia Dunn, Secretary DCNR – Friday, 7:30-8 pm, Plenary Speaker: Brenda Lee Sieglitz, Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Manager, Chesapeake Bay Foundation – Saturday, 12-1 pm, Special Sessions on Saturday morning addressing three important topics in watershed sciences: Conducting field and lab research during pandemics, Eliminating racism and increasing diversity and inclusion

Ben Hayes, Program Director, Watershed Sciences & Engineering, Bucknell University,  on the this weekend’s Susquehanna River Symposium.  It is the 15th anniversary of annual River Symposium, and this year it will be on Nov. 6 (7-9 pm) and Nov. 7 (9am-3 pm) held entirely online, with Keynote Speaker: Cynthia Dunn, Secretary DCNR – Friday, 7:30-8 pm, Plenary Speaker: Brenda Lee Sieglitz, Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Manager, Chesapeake Bay Foundation – Saturday, 12-1 pm, Special Sessions on Saturday morning addressing three important topics in watershed sciences: Conducting field and lab research during pandemics, Eliminating racism and increasing diversity and inclusion

We've all become familiar with the reality of micro-plastics and micro-fibers showing up more and more in our air, land and water, and even within the stomachs of birds, fish and deer. Dr. Janice Brahney, an assistant professor of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University joins Chris and Nell on This Green Earth this week. She discusses her research into the increasing deposition of micro-plastics and micro-fibers in national parks, forests and conservation areas throughout the mountain west. Some of this material comes from urban sources, some is global in origin but, some surprisingly, comes from us when we visit, camp and recreate in these parks, deserts and forests.

For hundreds of years, the Colorado River has provided vital water supply for seven states in the Western U.S. Wyatt sits down with USU researcher Jack Schmidt, Professor of Watershed Sciences and Janet Quinney Lawson Chair Member at the Center for Colorado River Studies.Dr. Schmidt explains the essential functions of the river in the state of Utah and its role in the development of urban western areas. We discuss how it got the nickname "The River of Law," and dive into the past, and future of the Colorado River.The Center for Colorado River Studieshttps://qcnr.usu.edu/coloradoriver/*External Podcast Episodes Related to Current National EventsUnlocking Us – Brené BrownBrené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an AntiracistCodeSwitch – NPRA Decade Of Watching Black People DieReply All – Gimlet MediaThe Crime Machine

An enlightening podcast on the current "water situation" both globally and in Pakistan. Our guest, Laila Kasuri has a Bachelors degree from Harvard University in engineering sciences, and a Masters in Water Resources Engineering from University of California, Davis. Laila talks about the various factors that affect water consumption, disposal and wastage. She gives us a nationwide picture of this amenity and then takes us on a macro level in terms of water stress and management. Also touches upon individual consumption and the dos and donts of making sure that we do not run out of water. She also talks about how old civilizations settled around water bodies and the role of agriculture based economies. A development practitioner and multi-disciplinary engineer, Laila Kasuri has more than nine years of experience in the water sector, working on projects in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Jordan. She has played a key role in providing advisory support to international organizations and national and municipal governments on water policy and strategy development. Currently, she is working as a Water Investment and Policy Solutions Analyst with the Global Green Growth Institute. Prior to this, Laila was a Faculty Associate at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) where she helped establish the Centre for Water Informatics and Technology. She has worked before as a water resources consultant with the World Bank; as a researcher at the UC Davis Centre for Watershed Sciences; as a research fellow with the Harvard Water Security Initiative; and as a consultant with the ADB-led Friends of Democratic Pakistan Water Sector Task Force. Laila has contributed to multiple reports and published in the Water Policy Journal, the Harvard College Review of Environment and the Handbook of Applied Hydrology, McGraw-Hill and has also been awarded many awards including the Interdisciplinary Graduate and Professional Student Association Award, the Corps of Engineers President's Award for Excellence and the Thomas T. Hoopes Award for Outstanding Academic Research at Harvard. She is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Community and also Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list. Laila Kasuri Social Media Handles: Website : medium.com/lailakay Twitter : lailakasuri

In this episode joins us to sit down with the one and only Peter B. Moyle. Peter is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and associate director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the ....

UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences researchers, Ann Willis, and, Rob Lusardi, discuss how ranchers and fish can thrive on the same land. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 34111]

UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences researchers, Ann Willis, and, Rob Lusardi, discuss how ranchers and fish can thrive on the same land. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 34111]

In 2014, California voters approved a water bond that allocated $2.7 billion to fund the public benefits of new water storage projects. The California Water Commission has been reviewing a list of potential projects and will be announcing how much funding eligible projects will receive. Will California get its first new dam in decades? Will groundwater storage projects receive a boost? And how are the “public benefits” of these projects being evaluated? Tara Lohan, Water Deeply’s managing editor, discusses these questions and more with Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California, Davis, and Rachel Zwillinger, water policy adviser for Defenders of Wildlife.

In 2014, California voters approved a water bond that allocated $2.7 billion to fund the public benefits of new water storage projects. The California Water Commission has been reviewing a list of potential projects and will be announcing how much funding eligible projects will receive. Will California get its first new dam in decades? Will groundwater storage projects receive a boost? And how are the “public benefits” of these projects being evaluated? Tara Lohan, Water Deeply’s managing editor, discusses these questions and more with Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California, Davis, and Rachel Zwillinger, water policy adviser for Defenders of Wildlife.

Peter Moyle is Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and associate director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, UC Davis. He talks about the Striper being and indicator species not a villain. The rest of the CA coast opens for Salmon this weekend. John McManus, President of the Golden Gate Salmon Association with an outlook on the season and their efforts for the future.

Peter Moyle recorded this Aquacast at the Aquarium on February 27, 2018. Moyle is distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology and associate director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at the University of California, Davis.

After the epic winter of 2017, we all know what the term "atmospheric river" means, and what a "spillway" is. Now we're about to learn more about the state of our aging levees and crumbling dams; how (or if) they can be repaired; how much will that all cost; and who's supposed to pay that particular water bill. Our good group of panelists explain what repairs are needed to our massive water infrastructure system to keep the Central Valley from turning back into the inland sea it used to be, and what local and state government have planned if/when we go back to drought. PANELISTS * James Gallagher, California Assemblyman representing the 3rd District, which includes the Oroville Dam * Leslie Gallagher, executive officer of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board * Brent Hastey, director of the Yuba County Water Agency, and a board director for the Association of California Water Agencies * Jay Lund, executive director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis * Michael Mierzwa, lead flood management planner at the California Department of Water Resources PODCAST TIMEFRAME 0 to 4:15 min - Intro to California Groundbreakeras 4:15 min - Panelists introduce themselves 14 min - Lessons learned by the Department of Water Resources after the Oroville Dam break 17:35 min - Status report on the Central Valley levees 23:30 min - How is the state legislature thinking about water-infrastructure fixes? 32:30 min - Can we breathe easier now that the reservoirs are filled and the drought has been officially ruled as over? 37 min - The view from UC Davis' Center for Watershed Sciences on California's weather forecast 44:15 min - How to fund the fixes - and who will pay for it? 49:30 min - How do we handle the issue of restoring California's dwindling groundwater levels? 1 hr, 20 min - The Yolo Bypass is an successful example of flood plain management - can it be replicated elsewhere in the state? 1 hr, 8:15 min - Can't we just tear down some of our dams? 1 hr, 16 min - The Central Valley is an inland sea, and many of us live deep in a flood basin - do we move out or do we just accept the risks (and the costs) of living here? 1 hr, 21:15 min - The trade off between having vegetation and eco habitats around the levees vs. flood safety 1 hr, 28:30 min - How the state is -- and should be -- integrating climate change into its future plans for our water infrastructure

FN West takes us on a specimen collection trip on Suisun Marsh with the UC Davis fisheries crew. The trip was made extra special when fish nerd celebrity Dr. Peter Moyle joined the crew. Dr. Moyle is Distinguished Professor Emeritus and associate director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis. He literally wrote the book on California fishes (Inland Fishes of California). He also wrote Dave’s college ichthyology text book 25 years ago! Dave and Clay wrap up the show with “Fish in the News” that features less toxic fish, pucker gloves and an endangered New England river. Funding for this fishing podcast is provided by our growing list of supporters on Patreon – the crowdfunding site for artists and creators.

FN West takes us on a specimen collection trip on Suisun Marsh with the UC Davis fisheries crew. The trip was made extra special when fish nerd celebrity Dr. Peter Moyle joined the crew. Dr. Moyle is Distinguished Professor Emeritus and associate director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis. He literally wrote the book on California fishes (Inland Fishes of California). He also wrote Dave's college ichthyology text book 25 years ago! Dave and Clay wrap up the show with "Fish in the News" that features less toxic fish, pucker gloves and an endangered New England river.  Funding for this fishing podcast is provided by our growing list of supporters on Patreon – the crowdfunding site for artists and creators.  

Assistant Professor Sarah Null of the Center for Watershed Sciences at Utah State University discusses science and the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera.

Assistant Professor Sarah Null of the Center for Watershed Sciences at Utah State University discusses science and the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera.

Assistant Professor Sarah Null of the Center for Watershed Sciences at Utah State University discusses science and the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera.

Keynote: Jay Lund, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences

Today on Access Utah, Jack Schmidt, professor in Utah State University's Department of Watershed Sciences and head of the U.S. Geological Survey's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, has long studied the Colorado River. He's among the team of scientists that designed a series of controlled releases of water from Glen Canyon Dam, starting in 1996, in an effort to restore habitats altered by the use of dams.

"The Delta is not just a canteen to supply water...it’s a place that a lot of people live and work and call home," said Kip Lipper, Chief Councilor for Energy and the Environment at the Office of the Senate Pro Tempore. California’s water future will lead to higher prices and higher uncertainty, and “the climate change piece is a huge part of that,” according to Former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Interior David Hayes. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta requires restoration, but can it meet the conflicting demands of Californians? "You're looking at an enormous bill and that's going to push up the price of water," said Los Angeles Times reporter Bettina Boxall. This discussion with politicians, a reporter and a researcher from the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences tackles the challenges surrounding the West Coast’s largest estuary. Bettina Boxall, Reporter, Los Angeles Times David Hayes, Former Deputy US Secretary of Interior Jay Lund, Director, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences Kip Lipper, Chief Councilor for Energy and the Environment, Office of the Senate Pro Tempore This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on October 15, 2013

Peter Moyle, one of the foremost experts on California’s freshwater fish, talks about the future of the species. Moyle is a UC Davis professor of fish biology and an associate director of the university's Center for Watershed Sciences. He authored "Inland Fishes of California," the definitive reference on the subject. His research has strongly influenced state and federal management of endangered fish.

State Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, (and former Davis mayor), who has a long and distinguished record on California water policy, shares her views on effective water policymaking and Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to tunnel exported water beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Senator Wolk heads the Senate Select Committee on Delta Stewardship and Sustainability. The Jan. 7, 2013, event, was the first in a series of talks on California water policy sponsored by the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences.

Robyn Suddeth, a graduate student in the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, outlines the major factors that make levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta landscape susceptible to future flooding — sea level rise, seismicity, subsidence and changing inflows. She then discusses the economic methods for approaching the evaluation of Delta island levee upgrades and repairs.

Peter Moyle and William Bennett, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, address four basic questions about fish in their role as major drivers of ecosystem-related policy in the Delta: 1) what species are important for making decisions that affect ecosystem function? 2) what are likely attributes of a future Delta ecosystem? 3) what are likely effects on fish of the four strategic water export alternatives? and 4) what actions could improve the Delta for desirable fish species?

William Fleenor, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, presents an initial assessment of the salinity implications of four strategies for managing delta water exports. He also explores the impacts on salinity due to two main changes to the Delta over the past century: One to three feet of sea level rise and increased island flooding.

Jay Lund, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, talks about climate change impacts on water resources and flood risk