TSF Joins Network to Address California’s Water Problems

This year, TSF’s Program Director, Dr. Carrie Monohan, participated in the second cohort of the Water Solutions Network, a program that engages water leaders of California in developing their skills, knowledge, and networks to support collaboration and coalition-building. The Water Solutions Network works with leaders to take action to shift water management to system-based multi-purpose policies that support a more resilient and equitable future for California.

This eight-month course, which ran from March to October, is designed as an immersive, collaborative learning experience. Participants traveled to watersheds across the state for a series of six three-day intensive workshops exploring current water issues in the state and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration. The workshops balanced skill-building, relationship-building, project work, and network development- all tied to water content.

The program concluded with a California Water Solutions Summit in Sacramento, where the cohort gave a presentation on the Human Right To Water to notable state leaders, including representatives from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon’s staff and the chair of the State Water Resource Control Board.

The second cohort of the program focused on developing water solutions for the Sacramento Valley, The Delta, and Tulare Basin, and was comprised of 24 recognized leaders from a diversity of sectors and backgrounds including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California Department of Water Resources, Environmental Defense Fund, Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Council, Association of California Water Agencies, Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group,  River Garden Farms, Self-Help Enterprises, Maidu Summit Consortium, Audubon California, The Sierra Fund, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station, Community Water Center, River Partners, Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, US Army Corps of Engineers, Yuba Water Agency, and Blue Forest Conservation.

The next cohort will focus on two regions: The Lower Klamath and Colorado River Basins. Check out their website to learn more.