Panel discussion on the water issues that affect LA’s and California’s communities most, including affordability, access to clean water, tap water (dis)trust, and where LA sources its water.
Open Reception: Saturday JUL 13 4 - 8pm
Panel Discussion: 4pm
Learn more and RSVP here.
Join FoLAR on Sunday, July 23rd, 2023, at the LA State Historic Park for our second annual River Fest — a free open-air film, arts, and community festival bringing the River to the People and the People to the River! River Fest 2023 will feature a variety of local artists, live performances, short environmental film screenings, interactive art and education exhibits, food trucks, raffles, and more!
Learn more HERE.
Join FoLAR and our amazing partners for our annual series of River CleanUps this summer. The CleanUp spans weekends in June and July, excluding the July 4th holiday weekend. We focus our CleanUps in the three natural-bottom sections of the River – the Sepulveda Basin, the Glendale Narrows, and the estuary in Long Beach.
With your help, we can make an immediate, hands-on impact on LA’s urban ecosystems and contribute to a healthy and thriving LA River for the benefit of River-adjacent communities, visitors to the LA River, and of course LA’s urban wildlife.
RSVP and learn more here.
Celebrate Earth Day with AltaSea and Los Angeles Maritime Institute
AltaSea and the Los Angeles Maritime Institute is celebrating Blue Earth Day by inviting families everywhere to participate in ocean-related activities with local organizations around the Port of Los Angeles. The Battleship IOWA, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Emerald Bay Outdoor Academy, International Bird Rescue, Marine Mammal Care Center, the USC Seaweed Lab, and WestCal Academy are just some of the partners who will join AltaSea and LAMI that day offering ocean STEM to all who attend.
Children of all ages invited. Event is free and open to the public.
As climate change brings more extreme and variable weather, now is the time to work together to boost California’s water resilience. As we plan ahead for the next wet year, we must think holistically so we can replenish our aquifers – which provide 85% of Californians with a portion of their water supply – while being protective of water quality, providing healthy wildlife habitat, and ensuring our downstream communities are safe from flooding.
Join us on Monday, December 6th from 2:00 – 3:30 PM for the final webinar in our Water in a Warming World series, Fortifying California’s Water Resilience. Sustainable Conservation’s Director of Resource Stewardship and leader of our water team, Daniel Mountjoy, will sit down with a farmer that pioneered on-farm recharge, the Director of The Nature Conservancy’s California Water Program, and the Supervising Engineer at the California Department of Water Resources to discuss the best practices for groundwater recharge and the importance of taking a multi-benefit approach.
Fall 2021 Seminar: Urban Water Conservation in a Drought: What We've Learned, What We Haven't, and Paths Forward via Zoom
About this event
During the last drought (2011 -2017), California had to manage through emergency regulation which includes conservation mandates. Since then, new legislation was signed to “Make Conservation a Way of Life” for all water users, improving the efficiency of water use, and using less of it permanently.
The 2020-2021 California Drought Monitor Map above shows California is in exceptional drought, due to low precipitation, record breaking high temperatures, little snow, high evaporation and prior droughts.
We have brought together a great panel of experts to discuss:
How has urban water conservation evolved since the 2018 Water Conservation Legislation passed?
What are we doing differently now from the last drought?
What do we need to know about water use and water users to become more prepared for longer and/or more extreme droughts?
What can water experts contribute to make Conservation a Way of Life?
How do the burdens and benefits of conservation fall? Fairly, or not?
OUR PANEL:
Sonali Abraham, Research Associate, The Pacific Institute.
UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability D. Env.
Eduardo De La Riva, Maywood City Council Member
Erik Porse, Research Engineer in the Office of Water Programs, CSU Sacramento,
Assistant Adjunct Professor at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.
Tracy Quinn, Director, NRDC California Urban Water Policy, Healthy People & Thriving Communities Program;
Member, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Panel Moderator
Madelyn Glickfeld, Co-Director, UCLA Water Resources Center.
December 1, 4:30pm-6:00pm via Zoom
EVENT PROGRAM
This year, AltaSea is partnering with the Korean Cultural Center of Los Angeles, the Korean Friendship Bell Preservation Committee, Angels Gate Cultural Center, and the Department of Recreation and Parks.
Blue Hour: Ocean of Inclusion will be a visual journey that will begin at Angels Gate Cultural Center and end by overlooking the Pacific Ocean next to the Korean Bell of Friendship.
Please be advised that all guests will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of the event.
Masks required for attendees while in crowded areas; waiting for food service; and while at the main stage portion of the event.
Final program to be posted soon.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
An artist exhibit from Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Artist-at-Sea program, displaying the work of those inspired by the ocean.
VIP-salon sponsored by Braid Theory and Monarch Hill Spirits, complete with signature cocktail.
A highlight of the evening will be a sneak preview of four-time Emmy award-winning filmmaker and marine biologist Rick Rosenthal’s upcoming nature series PLANET CALIFORNIA, offered exclusively for Blue Hour attendees. Combining the visual arts with natural history, the series celebrates California’s wildlife and wild places, especially its stunning ocean habitats.
A video from Schmidt Ocean Institute focusing on recent Australian discoveries and their Artist-at-Sea program.
An opening honoring Korean tradition.
A finale that will immerse attendees in the sounds of a special ringing of the Friendship Bell.
Honorees for the evening include Robert Downey, Jr.’s FootPrint Coalition, the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and Philippe Cousteau’s EarthEcho International.
Unprecedented levels of drought continue to plague California and show no signs of slowing down. These historic consequences not only signal the impacts of a changing climate but also point to the continued over-subscription of available water resources and underscore the importance of directing strategies and funding towards long-term drought response and resilience.
Communities across the State are being forced to contend with dire water shortages, drying wells and reservoirs, agriculture and infrastructure challenges, and more, many of which disproportionately impact tribal communities, low-income, Latinx, and other vulnerable groups. The impacts of the drought have already had health and safety, cultural, and economic consequences for communities from the North State to the San Joaquin Valley to the Inland Empire.
Amidst this crisis, the State faces a profound moment of challenge and opportunity to mitigate drought impacts and change the trajectory of this issue for decades to come. The Department of Water Resources recently announced its first round of funding commitments to combat water supply challenges, and the State Budget enacted in June 2021 puts approximately $5.1 billion over four years toward helping communities develop long-term resiliency. Philanthropy will play a crucial role in amplifying these efforts to be as impactful as possible. Through partnerships with the State, philanthropy can not only ensure funds are allocated in a community-driven and equitable manner but also help communities establish resilience in response to future droughts and climate disasters.
During this unique conversation, we will hear from State leaders at the forefront of the emergency drought response, funders providing a blueprint around roles for philanthropy and key funding opportunities, and community leaders pinpointing tools to build long-term water resilience and mitigate the impact of future droughts.
Join AltaSea for the final Blue + Green Webinar
About this event
Photo by Deane Bayas from Pexels
Speakers:
Dr. Kristin Aquilino, lead scientist for the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program based at University of California, Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory
Dr. Kristin Aquilino is the lead scientist for the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program based at University of California, Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory and including a dozen partners along the west coast of North America. Her research focuses on the reproductive conditioning and husbandry of endangered white abalone, as well as the effects of climate change and disease on their captive and wild populations. She is a member of the California Sea Grant Extension team, connecting her work with state and federal agencies, Indigenous nations, commercial aquaculture growers, aquariums, and other stakeholders. Dr. Aquilino is a recipient of NOAA’s Species in the Spotlight Hero Award.
Dr. Luke Gardner, California Sea Grant Extension Specialist, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego
Luke Gardner, PhD, is a California Sea Grant Extension Specialist based at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. Gardner is a biologist whose work focuses on leading and supporting research, extension activities, and education in the field of aquaculture. His work explores how aquaculture intersects with coastal California’s environment, economy, and citizens, and supports the development of sustainable aquaculture activities while balancing the economic, environmental and social needs of Californians to produce a net positive benefit to the state. Gardner identifies emerging issues and opportunities in California and how aquaculture may influence them in an effort to find community supported solutions. Gardner earned his PhD from Queensland University of Technology, Australia, and BS in aquaculture from James Cook University, Australia.
Dr. Kevin Marquez Johnson, Sea Grant Extension Specialist based at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Kevin Johnson, PhD, is a California Sea Grant Extension Specialist based at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Johnson is a marine biologist working to understand the genetic potential for adapation to environmental stress in aquaculturally important marine invertebrates. Johnson seeks to build collaborations with students and faculty at Cal Poly, aquaculture growers, Indigenous nations, state and federal agencies, and local stakeholders. Through these collaboration, his work will focus on emergent issues in California and will highlight educational and career opportunities in aquaculture. Johnson earned his PhD from the UC Santa Barbara and his BS from CSU Monterey Bay.
Moderator:
Charlotte Stevenson, M.S., is a Science Writer for USC Sea Grant.
Ms. Stevenson is a freelance science writer, editor, and communicator with 14 years of diverse experience writing for congressional offices, federal and state agencies, non-profits, start-ups, and newspapers. She has served as the Science Writer for USC Sea Grant since 2010, writing articles, newsletter content, strategic planning, grant reporting, and website content. Her combination of skills are best seen in Sea Grant publications like Apocalypse Cow, The Urban Mariner, and Plastic Debris in the California Marine Ecosystem: A Summary of Current Research, Solution Strategies, and Data Gaps which she completed for the California Ocean Science Trust.
Ms. Stevenson brings a very technical understanding and perspective to her science writing. At the same time, Ms. Stevenson’s 2006 National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship placement in D.C. and participation in California’s South Coast Marine Life Protected Area process gave her a nuanced understanding of policy and politics that inform her writing as well. As a prolific creative writer, Ms. Stevenson excels at storytelling, bringing science to life, setting the stage for complicated policy, and, most importantly, making science accessible to all.
The Esri Ocean, Weather, and Climate GIS Forum is going to be virtual this year. During this forum, the growing community of weather, climate, and ocean science professionals gather online to share advances in data collection, analysis, and our understanding of metOcean interactions. Discuss how multidimensional data and web apps can put scientific information to work in your organization. Consider the potential of sharing knowledge across these disciplines and collaborating with multiple stakeholders. Be part of this growing community as it forges new and better concepts in ocean and atmospheric analytics and applications.
While residents of California’s metropolitan areas rarely have to worry about having access to clean drinking water, it is a daily concern for over one million Californians. Many rural and some urban and suburban communities are concerned about both the safety of the water flowing from their taps AND if water will flow from their taps at all. As California experiences more frequent and intense droughts, these concerns will become more urgent. Thankfully, addressing them has finally been recognized as critical, and serious efforts are being made to find both short- and long-term solutions.
Please join us to learn what the state, water agencies, and non-profits are doing to solve this issue and ensure all Californians have access to safe and affordable drinking water. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email and login instructions.
Panelists:
Castulo Estrada, Coachella Valley Water District
Ryan Flaherty, Sustainable Conservation
Maria Kennedy, Kennedy Communications
Moderated by Alf Brandt, General Counsel to California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon
Join the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation to learn about the latest progress, persistent inequities, and proposed solutions to ensure the human right to water for everyone in Los Angeles County. Gregory Pierce, lead of the Luskin Center for Innovation’s water research, will present on key findings from our latest assessment of water systems in the L.A. region. He will be joined by a panel of government and advocacy leaders and other partners.
Confirmed speakers:
Madelyn Glickfeld, Director, UCLA Water Resources Group, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (moderator)
Martha Argüello, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles
Veronica Herrera, UCLA Department of Urban Planning
Paul Novak, Executive Officer, Local Agency Formation Commission for the County of Los Angeles
Adan Ortega, Executive Director, Cal Mutuals
Gregory Pierce, Associate Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Solving Challenges Through Partnerships Public-private partnerships (P3s) are delivering critical infrastructure across the country. Today partnerships are providing communities new tools and ways to address their water system challenges.
Join more than 600 public agency and water professionals this April 23 - 24 for 2 critical days on the latest modes of infrastructure delivery. The 2019 P3 Water Summit will be dedicated to P3 education and networking for utility operators, district managers, and industry leaders.
Click here to learn more.
Join us for a special partner event on the Los Angeles River! Las Fotos Project is hosting "Flow", an examination of the ongoing global water crisis, its connection to women and the impact on communities in Los Angeles. The student exhibit features the work of four teenage girls who combine photography, storytelling, and GIS mapping in an experimental media exhibition to illuminate the crosshatches of indigenous water practices, water policy and nature in Los Angeles.
Featured Photographers:
Andrea Popoca, age 12
Celeste Umaña, age 13
Maria Romero, age 16
Xochitl Cruz, age 14
When: Opening Night is March 16 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Closing Night is April 13 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
This exhibit is free and open to the public! To RSVP for the opening night or closing night, click here!
Civicas Women’s Civic Action Network & Flowproject.la present:
A Room Where it Happens - LA: H2O from Mountains to Sea: a conversation about water issues, technological actions, and civic resources catalyzed by a discussion of LA County’s $9 billion Storm Water ballot initiative in November
When: Saturday, October 20, 2018 from 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Where: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro
