Nor Any Drop to Drink

We need fresh water for our homes, our fields, and our tourism.  But how we deal with fresh water for those purposes has literal downstream effects (sorry, couldn’t resist that pun).  The Otter Project protects watersheds and coastal oceans for the benefit of California sea otters and humans through science-based policy and advocacy.  On February 17th @ 4:30 pm, come dialogue with the group’s Chief Executive Steve Shimek and build your understanding of the connections between these interacting systems, the rough-and-tumble world of policy advocacy on these issues here in California, and Steve’s strong opinions on the road ahead.  LOCATION TBD.

This past weekend — with local stakeholders Tom Moore (Marina Coast Water Board), Amy White (Executive Director of Landwatch), Paul Johnson (of Johnson Vineyards), along with state water activists (and current MIIS students!) Sarah Liuba and Genevieve Dabrowski — students in a systems thinking workshop began mapping stakeholder perspectives, historical dynamics, power relations, and much, much more.  Their task is to produce collective analysis that will help all “Nor Any Drop To Drink” wicked water challenge teams.  For an early glimpse at their work, check out this photo montage

Carmel Mayor Jason Burnett will be unable to make the planned 4 pm stakeholder conversation this afternoon (February 10) at the DLC.  We have a dynamite replacement for Mayor Burnett:  Sarah Hardgrave.

Sarah is a water resources and environmental planner with 18 years of experience, 13 of them in Monterey County.  For the last six years, Sarah worked for the City of Pacific Grove as the city’s Environmental Programs Manager.  During this time, she was actively involved in water issues on the Monterey Peninsula and environmental goals such as protection of water quality in the Monterey Bay, including serving as Chair of the Monterey Regional Storm Water Management Program in 2010 and 2011, Chair of the Central Coast Area of Special Biological Significance Regional Monitoring Program since the group in 2012 and 2013, and Chair of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Technical Advisory Committee 2009 – 2013.  Prior to working for Pacific Grove, from 2004 to 2008, Sarah worked for RBF Consulting, most notably on an early iteration of Cal-Am’s water project, including making their initial application to the CPUC for desalination and aquifer storage and recovery projects.  Before that, Sarah worked for Monterey County from 2001 – 2004 on an update to the County’s General Plan.  Recently, Sarah has moved back into a consulting role.  She is now doing work for the Big Sur Land Trust and working on the environmental review for the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency’s proposed Groundwater Replenishment Project, as well as continuing to assist Pacific Grove with special projects and grant management for water resources related capital improvements.

Carmel Mayor Jason Burnett will engage with “Nor Any Drop to Drink” participants February 10, at 4 pm, at the DLC.  The talk is open to the wider MIIS community.  Mayor Burnett is a leader on the peninsula with regard to uncovering creative solutions to the area’s fresh water challenges.  Come here his thoughts and use the opportunity to toss some of your own innovative ideas at him for his responses, or to ask questions that will help you better situate your ideas.  Among other initiatives and ideas, Mayor Burnett was a strong proponent of the creation of a new Joint Powers Authority in early 2012, called the Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority.