This special Foundation water tour journeyed along the Eastern Sierra from the Truckee River to Mono Lake, through the Owens Valley and into the Mojave Desert to explore a major source of water for Southern California, this year’s snowpack and challenges for towns, farms and the environment.

This year marked the 40th anniversary of the landmark Mono Lake case, in which the California Supreme Court ruled that reasonable and beneficial uses of water must be interpreted in accordance with public trust needs. It was the first case in California where the public trust doctrine was applied.

This 3-day, 3-night tour started in Reno, Nevada, with an opening post-dinner reception on the night of Sept. 12. The tour ended at Ontario International Airport in California on Sept. 15. Among the planned topics were one of the Bureau of Reclamation’s earliest projects on the Truckee River, the history and operations of the Los Angeles Aqueduct and more.

Planned Stops Included:

• Truckee River
• Derby Dam
• Walker River
• Mono Lake
• Los Angeles Aqueduct
• Owens Lake

Planned Topics Included:

• Geology & history of the Eastern Sierra
• Public trust doctrine
• History & operations of the LA Aqueduct
• Mono Lake ecosystem
• City of Los Angeles’ water supply
• Bureau of Reclamation’s earliest projects

Tour Start & End Points:

The tour’s opening post-dinner reception was at 7:00 p.m. on September 12 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno. The bus tour then started at 7:30 a.m. on September 13 and ended at Ontario International Airport in California at 5:30 p.m. on September 15.

The tour included overnight stays in Reno, NV on Sept. 12, Bridgeport, CA on Sept. 13 and Lone Pine, CA on Sept. 14 which were all arranged by the Foundation and covered by the registration fee.

Pricing Details:

General – $1149 (one person, single-occupancy room)

Fee included all tour meals, transportation, materials, snacks and hotel accommodations once the tour began Tuesday. Meals covered by the registration fee included breakfast on Wednesday through lunch on Friday. Participants were responsible for their own transportation to and from the tour’s beginning and end point.

COVID-19 Policy:

The Foundation continues to monitor developments with COVID-19. Precautions were implemented during the tour including enhanced sanitation protocols and an itinerary that maximized use of outdoor/open-air spaces when feasible.

Despite these mitigating circumstances, an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any place where people gather. All participants considered their personal choices around harm reduction and risk tolerance in the face of current variants and the likelihood of additional variants emerging in the future.

Acceptance of an assumption of risk waiver was required during registration for the tour.

We asked participants not to attend if, within 72 hours of the tour start date, they have experienced symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., a fever of 100.4F or higher, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking muscle pain/achiness, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, nasal congestion, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue or any other symptoms associated with COVID-19 identified by the CDC).

If a participant tested positive or was exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within 5 days of the tour start date, they had to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of the tour start date regardless of their vaccination status.

Cancellation & Refund Policy:

Deadline to cancel and receive a refund was three weeks prior to the first day of the tour due to hotel, meal and transportation commitments. Substitutions were allowed up to five business days before the tour. Eventbrite fees are nonrefundable and the remaining amount was subject to an additional 10% processing fee.

We recognize that unexpected conflicts with our tours can occur from time to time. The Water Education Foundation recommended consideration of travel insurance from a provider of your choice soon after tour registration to protect against such unfortunate events.

Continuing Education Credits:

MCLE credits were available only for California attorneys for an additional fee, and may have been available for water plant/wastewater plant operators and other vocations/professions.