Regional efforts draw attention to mountain watersheds
AUBURN, Calif – On April 23, Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) Director of Resource Development, Andy Fecko, testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Federal Lands in a hearing titled, “The Devastating Impacts of Wildland Fires and the Need to Better Manage our Overgrown, Fire Prone National Forests.”
Restoring health to forest and ranglelands requires a balanced approach, and Fecko urged the Committee to consider legislative and regulatory reforms that adequately reflect the urgency of the situation. “Land management in the West is at an important crossroad, and requires bold action by Congress and compromise on the part of many stakeholders,” Fecko said.
Andy Fecko – Congressional Testimony
Experts discuss the lasting aftermath of wildfires – The King Fire
- Regional members from the Department of Water Resources
- County Supervisors from Alpine and Placer
- Correspondents from the Central Valley Business Times, Reuters, Auburn Journal, Mountain Democrat, Capital
Weekly - Members from water agencies: Amador Water Agency, East Orange County Water District, Irvine Ranch Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, State Water Contractors, Westlands Water District, and MCWRA Board members and Ex Officio members
- Board of Directors from the Urban Water Institute from southern California
- Members from Buckman and Associates, Dudek, Hunt Thornton Resources Strategies, RMC Water Environment, and URS / AECOM
- Water supplier efforts to mitigate fire consequences
- Restoration funding challenges
- Ecological function of the watershed
- Sierra Pacific Industries timber salvage and watershed restoration treatments – what is being done and what can be done
- USDA Forest Service restoration activities and challenges – Where do we go from here
- Fire and drought effects on water, agriculture, tourism, recreation – economy
- What this fire means to California’s statewide integrated supply and conveyance system, and the Delta watershed, and why it should be important to all in California.
Printed Articles:
Capital Weekly Covering California Government and Politics
Capital Weekly – First things First – Protect the Mountain Watersheds
“The source of high-quality reliable water for the majority of California comes from the Sierra Nevada watersheds and is at risk. It is paramount that our generation streamline federal regulations and establish federal disaster funding relief to offset federal funds budgeted to reduce the fuel load in overstocked forests, but spent on fire suppression. The quality of life for the future generations of California demand we implement a creative and balanced approach to protect the watershed for water supply, water quality and our environment.”……..John Kingsbury