The 2018 Water Summit, the Water Education Foundation’s premiere event of the year, featured critical conversations about water in California and the West revolving around the theme: Facing Reality from the Headwaters to the Delta.

The summit was held Sept. 20 in Sacramento along California’s largest and longest river, the Sacramento River, where we networked at the reception outside.

Formerly called the Executive Briefing and celebrating its 35th year, the Water Summit featured top policymakers and leading stakeholders who provided the latest information and viewpoints on issues impacting water statewide and across the West. Brenda Burman, commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, gave the keynote lunch address.

Other speakers included:

• Felicia Marcus, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board
• Karla Nemeth, Director, California Department of Water Resources
• Brent Hastey, President, Association of California Water Agencies
• Jim Branham, Executive Officer, Sierra Nevada Conservancy
• Jennifer Pierre, General Manager, State Water Contractors
• E. Joaquin Esquivel, Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board
• Daniel Swain, Climate Scientist, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA

The annual summit is an ideal event for water district managers and board members, state and federal agency officials, city and county government officials, farmers, environmentalists, attorneys, consultants, engineers, business executives and public interest groups.

The conference began at 9:30 a.m. and included a 5 p.m. reception beside the Sacramento River where attendees had a chance to network with speakers and other attendees.

In addition, we hosted a silent auction to benefit our Water Leaders program. Items up for bid included lunches with key people in the water world, hotel stays and wine baskets, and kayak and rafting trips.

Topics Included:

California’s Headwaters: With 60 percent of California’s developed water supply at risk due to climate change, drought, bark beetles and catastrophic wildfires, are there enough programs, partners and funding to outpace the increased threats?

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: The challenges are many and complex in California’s water hub as state regulators move forward with instream flow requirements. Hear from various stakeholder groups and learn about on-the-ground projects aimed at helping salmon.

Human Right to Water: California became the first state in the nation in 2012 to legislatively recognize the human right to water. What has been done since then, and what’s happening now.

Climate scientist Daniel Swain provided the opening keynote: Drought, Flood and Wildfire Amidst Increasing Climate Whiplash: The Challenging Road Ahead for Water Management in the West

New Location!

Our 2018 event was held at the Westin Sacramento, 4800 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95822.