Seminars

The Center for Watershed Sciences is hosting a weekly series of public speakers on the science and policy for environmental flows in California, beginning on January 17. This course examines the history, problems, and prospects of environmental flows throughout the state. Early seminars will focus on the science behind environmental flow management, while later seminars will feature panel discussions from experts in the field on topics such as cannabis, water markets, and examining past case studies. Speakers are tentative.

The Center for Watershed Sciences is hosting a weekly series of public speakers on California water policy in response to floods this winter, beginning Jan. 23. This course examines flooding in national and California water policy, including: large scale and small scale flood planning; legal issues surrounding flooding; flood mitigation; environmental impacts to and from flooding; including ecosystem restoration, flood mitigation, and climate change. Speakers are tentative.

The Center for Watershed Sciences is hosting a weekly series of public speakers on California water policy in response to drought this winter, beginning January 4th.

Policymakers, hydrologists, legal experts, economists and water managers discuss California's management of groundwater -- past, present and future -- in a series of nine presentations. Topics include the role of groundwater in managing droughts and recently enacted state legislation requiring local agencies to manage groundwater pumping and recharge sustainably. All presentations are open to the public.

This series of nine presentations was open to the public and available for academic credit to ECI 296/CRN 60166. An extended graduate seminar included small group discussions with speakers following the public talk and a term paper. Seminar leaders: Jay Lund, director of the Center for Watershed Sciences and Richard Frank, director of the California Environmental Law & Policy Center at the UC Davis School of Law.

Today, nearly 50 percent of California’s native freshwater fishes face a high risk of extinction. Add the stress of climate warming, and the projected extinction rate rises to 83 percent within the next 100 years if present trends continue. Much of the unique California fish fauna will vanish and cede their habitats to carp, bass and other alien fishes. More effective conservation efforts would come from a better understanding of the biology and vulnerability of native fishes.

The Center for Watershed Sciences is hosting a weekly series of public speakers on California water policy. The seminar is open to the public and available for credit.