The SoCal Water 101, sponsored by the Water Education Foundation, was held October 2-3, 2014 at the Cucamonga Valley Water District’s Frontier Project in Rancho Cucamonga. This day-and-a-half course was designed for anyone interested in learning more about the history of and the management structure of water in California, and about the key water issues facing the state. There was an optional afternoon tour of the district’s nearby Lloyd W. Michael Water Treatment Plant on October 3.

Educational sessions October 2 included:

• California’s Natural Water Environment
• Water demand and use
• The legal and institutional management framework
• Current issues in water – including the new groundwater management law
• The role of alternative water supplies

Educational sessions October 3 included:

• A governance primer for water district directors on their roles and responsibilities
• A primer on working with the media

Top speakers included:

• Lester Snow, former California natural resources secretary and director of the state Department of Water Resources who now heads the California Water Foundation, discussing current issues – including the new groundwater management law
• Richard Atwater, Executive Director, Southern California Water Committee, discussing the role of alternative water supplies
• Eric Garner, attorney at Best Best & Krieger, providing an overview of California’s water rights system