#224: Accounting For Groundwater From Valley To Coast

05/28/24 • -1 min

California is grappling with a severe groundwater crisis, underscoring the urgent need for accurate accounting under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). SGMA mandates that certain basins develop plans to achieve groundwater balance by 2040, ensuring that withdrawals do not exceed recharge rates.

Various tools are being used or developed to tackle this challenge, ranging from field meters and well monitors to computer models and online platforms.

This episode features conversations with Ann Hayden, Vice President of Climate Resilient Water Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund; Brad Samuelson, Managing Partner of Water and Land Solutions; and Brian Lockwood, General Manager of Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency.

They discuss the pressures and solutions for groundwater accounting from the Central Valley to the Central Coast. The episode also includes a demonstration of the Groundwater Accounting Platform.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

Various tools are being used or developed to tackle this challenge, ranging from field meters and well monitors to computer models and online platforms.

They discuss the pressures and solutions for groundwater accounting from the Central Valley to the Central Coast. The episode also includes a demonstration of the Groundwater Accounting Platform.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet.

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#223: Empowering Oregon To Achieve Water Justice

Many people in Oregon face significant water justice challenges, including affordability, accessibility, and quality. Addressing these issues requires place-based, community-specific solutions.

In this episode, Alai Reyes-Santos, Associate Director of the PNW Just Futures Institute for Climate and Racial Justice, discusses her work in Oregon and what she has learned from her roots in Puerto Rico.

She explains the diverse water justice issues in Oregon, such as distrust of water quality among communities of color, inadequate infrastructure in tribal areas, and the vulnerabilities of renters.

Alai also highlights the efforts to build a Water Justice Network and a Water Justice Leadership Institute, aiming to empower communities and advocate for equitable water policies.

waterloop is a nonprofit media outlet. This episode is part of the Color Of Water series, a collaboration between waterloop and the Water Hub that features interviews with diverse experts from communities across the country.

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#225: Mississippi By Nature: Building A Workforce

Agencies responsible for natural resources along the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River corridor often face significant challenges due to limited resources. A powerful solution to this problem is the Gulf Corps program, which leverages funding from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement to support nature-based projects.

This episode features conversations with Christina Wayne from The Nature Conservancy, Brian Pember from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Austin Bowley from the Corps Network discuss the transformative impact of this initiative. Filmed at a worksite in Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge, they discuss the program’s dual focus on environmental restoration and workforce development.

The Gulf Corps’ efforts include trail maintenance, invasive species removal, and building living shorelines, significantly enhancing public access and conservation. This episode underscores the critical need for such initiatives to sustain and restore nature while providing valuable job skills and career opportunities.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet. The Mississippi By Nature series is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and outfitted by Patagonia.