In this Issue...
Western Water looks at how water use is paid for and the push to make public fi nancing more fl exible.
Editor’s Desk A New Adventure
I count myself among the water geeks out there. When I studied water law in Colorado during a yearlong fellowship at CU Boulder, I hiked to the headwaters of the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park just to get a look at the area. Draped in several feet of snow, we still knew we got to the destination as a sign peaked out from underneath a billowy, white blanket. And driving up Highway 395 from the Los Angeles area is always a thrill as the landscape provides a virtual history lesson in California water while the car ambles past the Los Angeles Aqueduct and Owens Valley. Cycling along the
On the Cover
Paying more for water is in the state’s future, whether it is large projects such as the BDCP or new storage or increased residential rates.
Credits Editors
Jennifer Bowles Sue McClurg
Writer Gary Pitzer
Editorial Assistance Diana Farmer
Design & Layout Graphic Communications Read bios of our board members
The Water Education Foundation thanks all the sources and experts who reviewed this magazine for balance and accuracy.
The mission of the Water Education Foundation, an impartial, nonprofi t organization, is to create a better understanding of water resources and foster public understanding and resolution of water resource issues through facilitation, education and outreach.
Western Water is published by the Water Education Foundation, 717 K Street, Suite 317, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 444-6240, fax (916) 448-7699. An annual subscription to this bi-monthly magazine is $65. The balance of the Foundation’s information program may be supported by larger amounts, which are tax deductible. Printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink.
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feedback@watereducation.org Web page:
www.watereducation.org ISSN: 0735-5424
President: William R. Mills Executive Director: Jennifer Bowles
© 2014 Water Education Foundation 2 Photos
California Department of Water Resources Eastern Municipal Water District
Mary Spooner, Sites JPA
Santa Ana River when I lived in Riverside, it was fun to see the river’s ebb and fl ow through the seasons. I’m eager to now cycle along the American River bike path in Sacramento to witness a more robust river. I have always held a deep fascination for water law, water supply and the other issues that surround the life-sustaining resource. During my nine-year stint as the environmental reporter at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, I prized my fi rst California water map from the Water Education Foundation. Although my desk moved around the newsroom, I always found space to tack the map on a wall or between desks so I could reference it as I wrote articles about the Delta, the Salton Sea, the Colorado River or Lake Perris, an endpoint of the California Aqueduct. To now be leading the foundation that produced that map is an honor and a privilege. Helping the public gain a better grasp on the complexity of the plumbing of water through the state, let alone the laws and regulations that govern its use, is more than a worthwhile task. This year, in particular, is an interesting time to be at the Water Education Foundation as an historic drought grips the state, sparking talk of California possibly regulating groundwater for the fi rst time. It is with fondness that I give a nod to Rita Schmidt Sudman, whose longtime leadership built the Foundation into a well-respected, nationally recognized organization. I vow to continue to build on the Foundation’s reputation as a source for impartial and balanced information on water resources.
As for the Foundation, we will continue leading our popular water tours and perhaps think of new places to take our action-packed excursions, and we will continue our Water 101 sessions, including one at Cucamonga Valley Water District on Oct. 2-3 in Rancho Cucamonga. We will increase our presence on social media as a way to spur more discussion and outreach. And later this summer, we will launch a state-of-the art website that will be more user-friendly for those wanting to learn about water resources, get conservation tips and sign up for our water tours and events. Stay tuned! ❖
– Jennifer Bowles
For more on the Foundation’s exciting programs and new publications turn to page 14, or visit What’s New on our website,
www.watereducation.org
Western Water
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