Meeting / Workshop Program Archive

November 16, 2023 –  MCWRA Fall 2023 Water Forum

June 21-23, 2023 –  California-United Water: Silicon Valley Tour

  • Location: Hilton Santa Clara, 4949 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054
  • Program started at 5:00 p.m. on June 21, 2023
  • Host: Mountain Counties Water Resources Association (MCWRA), Urban Water Institute (UWI), Mesa Water District (Mesa Water), and Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA)
  • Program Furnished by: Mesa Water District, Bennett Engineering Services, California Advocates, Bay Area Water Supply Conservation Agency, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, EKI Environment & Water, Inc., Hanson Bridgett, Valley Water, Georgetown Divide Public Utility District, Urban Water Institute
  • Attendance: 46
  • Click for Tour Program
  • Click for PowerPoint Presentations

October 20, 2022 – MCWRA Water, Wildfire, and Wine Reception

  • Location:  Murphys Historic Hotel, 457 Main St, Murphys, CA 95247
  • Reception started at 5:00 p.m. on October 20, 2022
  • Host: MCWRA
  • Program Furnished by: Calaveras County Water District, Downey Brand LLP, EN2 Resources, Inc., Coleman Engineering, Inc., Condor Earth, Bennett Engineering Services, Utica Water and Power Authority, Rural County Representatives of California, Placer County Water Agency, Trihydro

June 22-24, 2022 – California-United Water Conference: Caldor Fire Tour

October 27, 2021 – Drought, Fire and a Changing Climate: Where Do We Go from Here?

November 8, 2019 – Water Symposium – A Look Into The Future For California’s Watersheds

June 26-28, 2019 – California-United Water Conference

June 21, 2019 – MCWRA Hosted Reception – Meet, Greet, and Welcome Tom Cumpston and Bob Reeb

  • Location:  Best Western Hotel, 6850 Green Leaf Drive, Placerville, CA 95667
  • Program started at 5:00 p.m.
  • Host:  MCWRA
  • Attendance 22 – MCWRA Members and Invited Guests Only
  • Click for Pictures from the Gallery

March 15, 2019 – DWR Briefing – Long Term Conservation Framework

October 26, 2018 – MCWRA WATER SYMPOSIUM – THE CALIFORNIA WATER FIX – SUPPLY – CONVENANCE – OPERATION

May 30, 2018 – MCWRA WATER SYMPOSIUM – HEADWATERS IN PERIL

April 13, 2018 – HAS THE STATE GONE TOO FAR?

April 10, 2018 – WATER BOND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS

March 23, 2018 – INNOVATIVE WATER TECHNOLOGIES for CALIFORNIA WORKSHOP

October 27, 2017 – THE SACRAMENTO SAN JOAQUIN DELTA AND ITS SIERRA NEVADA TRIBUTARIES
(the stressors and the fix)

August 2, 2017 – A Morning with Randy Fiorini, Chair, Delta Stewardship Council

February 24, 2017 -THE NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION – A VIEW FROM THE TOP

May 18, 2016 -THE CONQUEST FOR AND HISTORY OF “CALIFORNIA WATER”  PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE

February 23, 2016 – DWR – 2016 IRWM Grant Program Workshop for Mountain Counties on Draft Guidelines, Draft Planning Proposal Solicitation Package & Draft Disadvantaged Community Involvement Request for Proposals

January 15, 2016 – Executive Member General Manager Workshop

October 16, 2015 – The Truth Be Told:  The Delta / The Tunnels / The Tributaries

May 18, 2015 – Executive Member Water Purveyor Workshop

February 6, 2015 – The Complete Story

November 6, 2014 – DWR – IRWM Stakeholder Capacity Building Workshop

October 15, 2014 – Innovative Water Technologies For California

June 6, 2014 – The Event  –  2014 California’s Water Leaders

May 21, 2014 – California Water Commission Meeting and Workshop on Small Water Systems

April 4, 2014 – DWR Drought Grant Briefing

 Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) released April 3, 2014
Speakers:
Tracie Billington, Branch Chief
Integrated Regional Water Management Grants
Department of Water Resources
 
Hong Lin, P.E., Senior Engineer, Water Resources (Section Chief)
North Central Region Office
Department of Water Resources   
 
On March 3, Governor Brown signed a $687.4 million drought relief plan (SB 103 and SB 104).  This includes accelerated grant expenditures in the form of infrastructure for local and regional projects that are already planned or partially completed to increase local reliability, including recapturing of storm water, expanding the use and distribution of recycled water, enhancing the management and recharging of groundwater storage and strengthening water conservation.

Funds will be available to the Department of Water Resources for integrated regional water management grants through an expedited solicitation round for projects that provide immediate regional drought preparedness, increase local water supply reliability and the delivery of safe drinking water, assist water suppliers and regions to implement conservation programs and measures that are not locally cost-effective, or reduce water quality conflicts or ecosystem conflicts created by the drought.

MCWRA has arranged for DWR representatives to provide a special briefing and Q & A for those interested in this opportunity.   This will be the first presentation from DWR on the drought funding package.  

  • This drought solicitation is part of the IRWM Implementation Grant Program.
  •  Grant application needs to be submitted via eligible IRWM region, same as all previous IRWM grants.
  •  IRWM plans must be adopted and are consistent with the IRWM Plan standards contained in the 2012 Guidelines.
  • Draft PSP expected on or about April 1st, 30-day public review, two public workshops in May
  • Final PSP will be released around June 1st.
  •  Application due is anticipated about August 1st.
  • Anticipate awarding funds in early Fall.

March 11, 2014 – Joint MCWRA / ACWA Region 3 Program

“Drought – A View From The Top”

 Speakers:

  • Frances Spivy-Weber, Vice Chair, California State Water Resources Control Board
  • Michelle Denning, Regional Planning Officer, United States Bureau of Reclamation
  • Arlan Nickel, Senior Project Manager, Mid-Pacific Region Basin Study Coordinator, United States Bureau of Reclamation
  • Stephen Sellers, Assistant Director of Response, State of California, Governor’s Drought Task Force
  • Eric Lamoureux,Administrator, Regional Operations Inland Branch, State of California, Governor’s Drought Task Force
  • Jennifer Persike, Deputy Executive Director of External Affairs & Operations, Association of California Water Agencies
    • ACWA’s drought efforts and programs
  • Panel:  MCWRA Members:  Mary Lynn Carlton, EID; Tony Frienzi, PCWA; Gene Mancebo, AWA
    • Drought Status/Call for Action/Implementation
    • Moderated by: Jennifer Persike, ACWA

February 11, 2014 – MCWRA Workshop for Members by Members

  • Program: Effective Communications with State and Federal Representatives and their Staff
  • Location: 701 University Avenue, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95825
  • Program started at 1:00 p.m.
  • Sponsored by Legislative & Governmental Affairs Committee and Associate member John Spranza, Senior Consultant , Cardno ENTRIX
  • Attendance 10
  • Click for Effective Communication Program
  • Click for PowerPoint Presentations

Bob Dean, Committee Chair, provided the welcome and speaker introduction:

  • James H. Lecky, former Director Office of Protected Resources at NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service  James Lecky Bio

November 26, 2013 – MCWRA Executive Member – Special Executive Briefing

  • Program Special Briefing Nov 2013
  • Location: El Dorado Irrigation District, 2890 Mosquito Road, Placerville, CA  95667
  • Attendance 38
  • Registration/Networking Began at 1:30 pm
  • Speakers included
    • Steven Moore. Board Member State Water Resources Control Board
    • John Laird, Secretary Natural Resources Agency

October 18, 2013

Speakers included:

  • Delta Watermaster, Craig Wilson
  • Assemblymember, Frank Bigelow
  • DWR Deputy Director, Gary Bardini
  • ACWA Executive Director, Tim Quinn

June 19, 2013

Speakers and Guests included:

  • Lifetime Achievement Award – Dennis Cocking
  • Tim Quinn, Executive Director, Association of California Water Agencies
  • Paul Helliker, Department of Water Resources, Deputy Director of Delta and Statewide Water Management
  • Janet Barbieri, BDCP North State Field Representative
  • David Murillo, Mid-Region Director, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior
  • Chris Knopp, Executive Director, Delta Stewardship Council

March 22, 2013 – MCWRA Workshop for Members by Members

Matt Young, Placer County Water Agency and TAC Chair, provided the welcome and speakers included:

  • Brent Smith, P.E., Deputy Director of Technical Services, Placer County Water Agency
  • Heather Trejo, Environmental Specialist, Placer County Water Agency
  • Rick Jones, P.E., Managing Principal, HDR Engineering
  • Ron Skaggs, P.E., Principal/Vice President, Condor EarthTechnologies
  • Matthew Swindle, CEO, NLine Energy
  • Brian Mueller, P.E., Engineering Director, El Dorado Irrigation District
  • Ken Fonnesbeck, P.E., Senior Associate, Mead & Hunt
  • Joe Domenichelli, P.E., President, Domenichelli & Associates

March 15, 2013

Speakers included:

  • Jim Holmes, Chair, County of Placer Board of Supervisors
  • Cynthia Truelove, Ph.D., Director and Visiting Scholar, Water-Energy Research Initiative, Water in the West, Stanford University
  • John Kleppe, Ph.D, PE, Professor Emeritus, College of Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno

Mary Aileen Matheis, Director Irvine Ranch Water District moderated the afternoon panel:

  • Michael D. Dettinger, Research Hydrologist, Western Regional Research, U. S. Geological Survey; Research Associate, Climate Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography – Hydroclimatology and climate change
  • Glen M. MacDonald Ph.D, Director and Distinguished Professor, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
  • Michael Anderson Ph.D, State Climatologist, California Department of Water Resources, Division of Flood Management

December 11, 2012

 

MCWRA President Bill George called the meeting to order.

ACWA Region 3 Chair reported on Region 3 activities, solicited members to run for the Region 3 Board of Directors and discussed efforts to develop the framework for the “Source Water Policy Principles”.

Bill George discussed the MCWRA elections and voting process, the audience heard from Legislative & Governmental Affairs Chair Bob Dean and Vice Chair Pete Kampa on the Committee activities.  Matt Young, Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee provided a brief report on his committee activities.  Bob Dean and Bill George recognized Ron Nelson for his long time service on the Region 3 Board and as General Manager at the Nevada Irrigation District.  Bob Dean and Bill George acknowledged Lowell Jarvis and Barbara for their efforts and time on the MCWRA Board of Directors and welcomed them as the first two appointed ex-officio Board members.

After self-introductions, Barnie Gyant, Deputy Regional Forester for Resources for the Pacific Southwest Region discussed the forest service priorities, the National forest role in California water issues, and expressed interest in working collaboratively to solve the forest issues.

After lunch, moderator Cindy Tuck, ACWA Deputy Executive Director, Government Relations coordinated an excellent ATTORNEY WATER RIGHTS PANEL program.  Panelists included:

Tom Cumpston, General Counsel, El Dorado Irrigation District

Robert E. Donlan, Partner, Ellison, Schneider & Harris

Roger B. Moore, Partner, Rossman & Moore

David Aladjem, Downey  Brand

Final announcements included the results of the MCWRA Board of Director elections.  New Board members include: Art Toy of the Amador Water Agency, Delbert Rotelli of the Tuolumne Utilities District and members re-elected Bill George of the El Dorado Irrigation District.  Bob Dean adjourned the meeting.

September 18, 2012  – THE EVENT – Water and Agriculture in Northern California

  • The September General Membership meeting was a “special” EVENT – Water and Agriculture in Northern California
  • Location:  The Blue Goose Event Center,  3550 Taylor Road, Loomis, CA
  • Time:  Meeting started at 9:45 a.m.
  • View:  Agenda
  • View:  Map to the Blue Goose Event Center

On September 18, 2012, the Mountain Counties Water Resources Association hosted “The Event: Water and Agriculture in Northern California”, at the Blue Goose Event Center in Loomis, CA.  The day-long program brought 124 guests to hear from leaders from around California to discuss water and agriculture viewpoints and perspectives.

Featured speakers and panelists included:

  • John Laird,  California Secretary of Natural Resources
  • Karen Ross,  California Secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture
  • Tom Berryhill,  California State Senator
  • Fiona Ma,  California  Asssembly Member, Assembly Speaker pro Tempore
  • Ben Hueso,  California Assembly Member, Chair, Assembly Committee on Water, Parks & Wildlife
  • Felicia Marcus,  State Water Resources Control Board Member
  • Dave Breninger, General Manager, Placer County Water Agency
  • Beau Goldie, Chief Executive Officer, Santa Clara Valley Water District
  • Jeff Kightlinger, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
  • Mike Machado, Executive Director, Delta Protection Commission 
  • David Guy, President, Northern California Water Association
  • Tim Quinn, Executive Director, Association of California Water Agencies
  • Bryce Lundberg, Board President, Northern California Water Association & Lundberg Farms

Brown & Caldwell sponsored the event, in cooperation with the Association of California Water Agencies, Northern California Water Association, and the the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and supported by the Placer County Water Agency, Placer Vintners Association, and the Foothill Farmers Market Association.

June 15, 2012

The June 15, 2012 General Membership meeting drew 71 people

Click to view:            Agenda   Pictures   PowerPoint Presentations

  • Jim Abercrombie, GM @ EID welcomed everyone to EID
  • Bill George thanked Ginny Borkowski, Susie Borkowski,and Rachel Bingham for helping with the registration and John Spranza  and Paul Wisheropp with Cardo ENTRIX for sponsoring the morning pastries

          Bill George acknowledged:

  • Harry Dunlop, Former EID GM
  • Jim Holmes, Supervisor, County of Placer
  • Evan Royce, Supervisor, County of Tuolumne

The Association Membership is at 57.  New members since our March 9 meeting include:

  • Affinity Engineering – Chris Ewers  and HELIX – Matt Fremont

The Dues restructure however has caused 6 members to drop this new fiscal year:

Groveland CSD, North Tahoe PUD, Jackson Valley Irrigation District, Rancho Murieta CSD,Stockton East Water District, Valley Springs PUD

The Association has a new web site sponsor – Valley Cooper

  •  Barbara Balen, MCWRA Board Member and Board Member for Tuolumne Utilities District gave a Ditch Sustainability Study PowerPoint presentation.

 MCWRA Business

  • The Board of Directors has contracted with Freelance Writer, Roberta Long to write targeted stories and New Releases for the Association.  Roberta has written two stories:  MCWRA gains Stature  – a year in review and American River Watershed Tour

Roberta is working on a story on what it takes to run a water agency/district, and a story on the North State Water Alliance, which the Association is a founding partner.  These stories/news releases are sent to 78 newspapers and radio stations.

  • Bill George recapped the American River Watershed Tour
  • The Board created a Technical Advisory Committee.  To broaden the interest and expertize, the Board will be looking to expand participation to any member if they have an interest.  In the past, we limited the membership to water purveyors.

Bill introduced the members of the Committee

Matt Young – PCWA, Jeff Meyer – CCWD, Nancy Weber – NID, Tracey Eden-Bishop – El Dorado County Water Agency

Matt provided an overview of the new Committee

  • CUWCC representative for MCWRA Lesa Osterholm (NID) provided an update on the CUWCC activities and encouraged members to contact here if they have issues or concerns.
  • Pete Kampa (TUD) discussed a critical permit matter going on with the State Board.
  • Bill George (EID & MCWRA President) reported that the Association will be looking to expand the role, participation, and the name of the Legislative Committee.
  • Bob Dean (CCWD) provided an update relevant AWCA’s Region the Source Water PolicyPrinciples recently adopted by the ACWA Board. 

 Ecosystem Management Strategy for the Sierra Nevada  –  Connecting Land and Water –

  •  Jim Branham, Executive Director for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy
  • Roger Bales, Ph.D, UC Merced
  • Susie Kocher, UC Davis
  • Barry Hill, USDA

  Bill George – Final Announcements & Adjournment

Next Meeting – In September  –  Location (Auburn area) (The Date TBD)

March 9, 2012

  • The March General Membership meeting was sponsored by Nevada Irrigation District and Placer County Water Agency
  • Location:  The Ridge Golf Club and Events Center,  2020 Golf Course Road, Auburn, CA 95602
  • Time:  Meeting started at 10:00 a.m.
  • View:  Map to the Ridge Golf Course and Events Center
  • The March 9 General Membership Program March Agenda drew 82 people to The Ridge in Auburn. (Gallery Pictures)
  • Placer County Supervisor Chair Jennifer Montgomery provided the Welcome
  • EID Board Member and MCWRA President Bill George reported that the Association Membership is at 61 and new members since the December 9 include: County of Amador, Amador County Farm Bureau, Tully & Young (member and website sponsor), Steve Frost Consulting, Aragon Solutions, Atkins (website sponsor), Peterson/Brustad (website sponsor), EN2 (website sponsor)
  • Reported that Board of Directors appointed Dr. Scott Miller, a Board Member at NID, to the Legislative Committee and Lesa Osterholm, Water Efficiency Coordinator at NID, to represent the Association at the California Urban Water Conservation Council.
  • The Board of Directors took action
    • to Accept and Thank Ron Skaggs Condor Earth Technologies sponsorship of GIS capabilities that will be linked to the MCWRA website
    • Thanked Jeff Lodge of Wood/Rogers for their sponsoring the Association with graphics and printing material to help us as we develop “the telling of our Story” (A program to show the watershed stewardship and investment that has statewide benefit)
    • Established a “Technical Advisory Committee” to improve value for its members by creating a mechanism for member Information sharing and participation in cost-sharing projects and programs; and to help identify and raise emerging Issues that could Impact the membership.  Matt Young (PCWA) and Jeff Meyer (CCWD) have joined as Committee members and Bill indicated that the Association still needs a couple more Water Purveyors to fill out our committee roster and to contact John Kingsbury if you are interested
    • Adopted the Membership Dues Restructure that the Board has been working on since last November.  Bill reported holding two membership workshops and the Board considered several options to enhance the Association’s advocacy.
  • TUD’s General Manager and MCWRA Legislative Committee Chair Pete Kampa provided an update on legislation
  • CCWD’s Board Member and ACWA Region 3 Chair Bob Dean provided discussion relevant to his interest in working with ACWA to establish Source Water Policy Principles
  • ACWA’s Executive Director Tim Quinn updated the membership the Ag/Urban process with the Delta Stewardship Council, his perspective on the Water Bond and the need for public financing that works for California as a while
  • Foresthill Public Utilities District’s General Manager Leo Havener provided the background and history that has led to the District’s financial crisis .  PowerPoint Presentation: Foresthill Public Utilities District – Leo Havener
  • City of Roseville’s  and California Urban Water Conservation Council Board Member (CUWCC) Lisa Brown provided an overview of the Council and its activities. PowerPoint Presentation: California Urban Water Conservation Council Presentation – Lisa Brown
  • State Water Resources Control Board Erin Ragazzi, along with Les Groger of the State Board provided an overview of the State Board’s role and and approach to the Delta flows and upstream tributaries.  PowerPoint Presentation: State Water Resources Control Board – Erin Ragazzi
  • Department of Water Resources, Gary Lippner, P.E. provided an overview and update on the California Water Plan and Regional forum, specific to the Mountain Counties.  Gary encouraged attendance at the April 2 Regional Workshop in Folsom or at one of the Satellite facilities set up for the region. PowerPoint Presentation: Department of Water Resources – Gary Lippner

 

The next General Membership meeting will be on June 8, 2012 in the Auburn area (TBD)

December 9, 2011

  • The Association held its General Membership meeting at El Dorado Irrigation District in Placerville  attended by 67 people.
  • Agenda
  • The Chairman of the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors opened the program advocating for the protection restoration of our state’s watersheds through proper forest management.  “The key is to assist water consumers throughout the state in understanding that the true cost of their water includes the cost of forest management, and that they need to invest back into the forests where their water supply originates”
  • Dale K. Hoffman-Floerke, Deputy Director and Russ Stein, Program Manager for the California Department of Water Resources provided a PowerPoint presentation overview of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan that is on track for completion in early 2013.  Dale described the BDCP relationship to the Delta Stewardship Council, the importance of the Delta to California, the key Delta seismic and flooding risks, importance for a long-term solution, the many agencies and organizations involved in the process, the covered species, the BDCP strategy for habitat restoration, water facilities and operations, and stressors on the Delta ecosystem.    Russ reviewed the 10 conveyance alternatives and the analysis behind each alternative.

Click on this link for PowerPoint presentation:  MCWRA- BDCP Briefing -12-8-11

  • Senator Ted Gaines addressed the audience in the afternoon and expressed his views on the state’s budget, water bond and   upstream water reliability and sustainability concerns as the State addresses the Delta issues.

September 9, 2011

June 10, 2011

At the June 10, 2011, quarterly General Membership meeting, Executive Member and City of Folsom Mayor Andy Morin welcomed more than 80 people to his town to later hear from a panel of experts to discuss “THE FUTURE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA WATERSHED”.

Speakers included Phil Isenberg, Delta Stewardship Council Chair, Michael Jackson, Water Rights Attorney, Jim Metropulos, Senior Advisor to the Sierra Club, and Roger Patterson, Vice President, Metropolitan Water District.

Moderated by Rita Schmidt-Sudman, Executive Director, Water Education Foundation, the speakers addressed several issues specific to the 2009 comprehensive 5-bill water legislation package, senior water rights, the Delta Plan, conservation, water transfers and what it means for the Sierra Nevada watershed and tributaries to the Delta.

As part of the 2009 legislative package, “co-equal goals” established as State water policy, are to create “a reliable water supply for all of California, not each sub-set, and to improve and restore an eco-system done in a way that respects the unique characteristics of the Delta,” said Phil Isenberg.  “The Stewardship Council will vote and will adopt a legally enforceable plan in November of this year.

When addressing the additional flows needed for the Delta, Phil Isenberg said “It’s not a question of more flows, it’s also the pulsing of the flows, frequency, inactions with other actions that occur that come closer to recognizing a more natural hydrograph.  Conceptually, that is easy to do, but it requires water system managers and ecosystem managers to jointly make those decisions and as you know the tension between water supply and ecosystem hasn’t disappeared just because a bunch of laws got past.”  “The co-equal goals is at least a start to recognize that social values require decisions to be made concurrently and hopefully out of a revitalized Bay Delta Conservation Plan.  Whatever their decision is for facility improvements, which we think is probably inevitable, and what that means in detail and also in operation regime, does something more than promise system improvements to the delta ecosystem.”

Barbara Balen, MCWRA and Tuolumne Board member summed up a common concern and said “we, (water purveyors), are concerned as we watch this process as stewards are now being considered stressors. The Watershed is paramount in sequestering water in snowpack.  We manage the forests, we manage our watersheds and it has everything to do with water reliability and quality, and so when I hear about the dimensions of a new canal and look at conditions of the watershed, forest fires, debris flow, and water purveyors being asked to be the janitiors of the watersheds, I can’t help to wonder in the time of climate change and unchecked demand, why isn’t there more talk about protecting the source water, protecting the Sierra.

Roger Patterson commented that Metropolitan’s “number 1 priority is to come up with a plan for the Delta that can work for all of us, essentially to let us fix our conveyance system so we can restore our water supplies that we had in 2005, which is 75% of our contract on average. In addition, we need to have a plan that will work for the folks in the Delta that will contribute to recovery of the species that we are all worried about.”  Roger went on to say that “no matter where you are in the state, certainly for us, we need to care about the watershed because that is where water supplies for the entire state originate. We all have an interest in making sure it works for the entire state and that we protect the watershed.”

“We need all the people working together to solve these problems, the Sierra Club can’t be successful nor can water agencies without collaboration on how our watersheds are working to get a handle on the problems that face us today” said Jim Metropulos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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