Time is running out to register for this month’s Water 101 Workshop in Sacramento where you’ll go beyond the headlines and gain a deeper understanding of how water is managed and moved across California. And come one, come all to our annual Open House & Reception on May 7!  

Water 101 Workshop | March 26

Until recently, groundwater was not routinely regulated in California. That changed in 2014 when the state Legislature passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) as a framework for local and regional agencies to develop and implement sustainable groundwater management plans.

Now, more than a decade later, groundwater managers in California’s critically overdrafted basins have submitted their long-term plans and the effort has moved into its implementation phase.

So what has SGMA meant for water managers and users across the state, and how exactly does it change the way groundwater is managed? Tina Cannon Leahy, who helped draft SGMA as the former principal consultant for the California Assembly’s Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, will address these questions at our Water 101 Workshop on March 26 and give a behind-the-scenes look at how the consequential legislation was passed.

Besides SGMA, speakers will address efforts underway by the California Department of Water Resources to identify 9 million acre-feet of additional water supply by 2040 as part of the recently announced 2028 California Water Plan update. 

Whether you’re a rookie water professional in need of a great statewide primer or a veteran water wonk just wanting a thorough refresher, you don’t want to miss this workshop! View the agenda here to see all the speakers and topics that will be covered during the daylong event.

Plus, workshop participants can grab one of the few remaining seats on the optional watershed tour March 27. Find more details and register here for the workshop and tour! 

Exclusive Sponsorships Available! The workshop is a prime networking opportunity for water professionals in attendance, and exclusive sponsorships of the networking breaks are still available! View details of the various sponsorship levels and benefits here and reach out to Deputy Director Patrick Dunlap via email with any questions.

Open House & Reception | May 7

Join us May 7 for our annual open house and reception at our office near the Sacramento River! Whether you are new to the water world or simply fans of the Water Education Foundation, come by to chat with our team and learn more about what we do to educate and inspire understanding of the most precious natural resource in California and across the West — water!

Drop by anytime from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy happy hour refreshments and find out more about our tours, conferences, maps, publications and training programs for teachers and up-and-coming water professionals. RSVP here!

And if you are attending the ACWA Conference that week in Sacramento and heading back to the airport Thursday afternoon, we are right on the way, so stop by!