California State University Water Experts Hold Inaugural Meeting to Address States Water Challenges
Group to focus on education, research and policy development to help state achieve long-term solutions
(June
16, 2009) - In an effort to respond to California’s growing water crisis,
the California State University’s Water Resources and Policy Initiative (WRPI),
a consortium of CSU faculty and researchers involved in water issues, held its
inaugural meeting on June 10 at the CSU Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach to
discuss how to help achieve a long-term sustainable water supply for
California. The group will provide independent and well-informed applied
research and policy analyses on water-related issues and policies for various
agencies and stakeholder groups within California.
Developing Water
Related Solutions, Education, Technology and Career Paths Dr.
David Zoldoske of California State University, Fresno, serves as the director of
the WRPI, and also directs three water research programs at CSU Fresno.
“The mission of the group is to bring faculty in
the CSU together to address issues related to water in California,” said
Zoldoske.
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The WRPI
will be involved in promoting the need for education, training and professional
capacity development with the water industry, government agencies and
communities, as well as support the development of new and advanced water
technologies to help drive economic development and job creation. In
addition, the group will work to raise awareness on possible careers in water
and develop academic pathways for the next generation of professionals to meet
the needs of various industries.
As part
of his address to the group, Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of
California Water Agencies, a statewide association with 450 local public water
agency members, highlighted the history of water policies in the state and what
future changes might be. At the advent of the state’s water policy in the
1950s, the focus was solely on economic impact, but has evolved to currently
favor primarily environmental concerns – such as endangered species issues
associated with the Delta. Quinn says that the current economic crisis in
the state has revealed the job losses related to the lack of an adequate water
supply, and policymakers are in the process of developing a plan to make both
environmental and economic concerns equal considerations in planning.
WRPI
BackgroundAt a
meeting in 2007 of CSU’s Agricultural Advisory Board, an industry group that
works with the CSU on preparing students for the workforce, members indicated to
CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed they wanted to see CSU’s extensive applied
research and education strengths applied in the area of water resource and
policy. More than 200 CSU faculty members with research and teaching
assignments related to water and policy issues were identified to be part of
such an effort. The establishment of the WRPI by Chancellor Reed in 2008
is an effort to coordinate the many resources of the CSU to help address
California’s water challenges, as the state has placed a priority on addressing
the multitude of water challenges.
WRPI plans to hold its next water
conference at Sacramento State and to invite legislators and agency personnel to
meet with CSU faculty and researchers. More information on the WPRI can be
found
here.
June 18, 2009
California State University Water Experts Hold Inaugural Meeting to Address States Water Challenges
Group to focus on education, research and policy development to help state achieve long-term solutions
(June
16, 2009) - In an effort to respond to California’s growing water crisis,
the California State University’s Water Resources and Policy Initiative (WRPI),
a consortium of CSU faculty and researchers involved in water issues, held its
inaugural meeting on June 10 at the CSU Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach to
discuss how to help achieve a long-term sustainable water supply for
California. The group will provide independent and well-informed applied
research and policy analyses on water-related issues and policies for various
agencies and stakeholder groups within California.
Developing Water
Related Solutions, Education, Technology and Career Paths Dr.
David Zoldoske of California State University, Fresno, serves as the director of
the WRPI, and also directs three water research programs at CSU Fresno.
“The mission of the group is to bring faculty in
the CSU together to address issues related to water in California,” said
Zoldoske.
The WRPI
will be involved in promoting the need for education, training and professional
capacity development with the water industry, government agencies and
communities, as well as support the development of new and advanced water
technologies to help drive economic development and job creation. In
addition, the group will work to raise awareness on possible careers in water
and develop academic pathways for the next generation of professionals to meet
the needs of various industries.
As part
of his address to the group, Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of
California Water Agencies, a statewide association with 450 local public water
agency members, highlighted the history of water policies in the state and what
future changes might be. At the advent of the state’s water policy in the
1950s, the focus was solely on economic impact, but has evolved to currently
favor primarily environmental concerns – such as endangered species issues
associated with the Delta. Quinn says that the current economic crisis in
the state has revealed the job losses related to the lack of an adequate water
supply, and policymakers are in the process of developing a plan to make both
environmental and economic concerns equal considerations in planning.
WRPI
BackgroundAt a
meeting in 2007 of CSU’s Agricultural Advisory Board, an industry group that
works with the CSU on preparing students for the workforce, members indicated to
CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed they wanted to see CSU’s extensive applied
research and education strengths applied in the area of water resource and
policy. More than 200 CSU faculty members with research and teaching
assignments related to water and policy issues were identified to be part of
such an effort. The establishment of the WRPI by Chancellor Reed in 2008
is an effort to coordinate the many resources of the CSU to help address
California’s water challenges, as the state has placed a priority on addressing
the multitude of water challenges.
WRPI plans to hold its next water
conference at Sacramento State and to invite legislators and agency personnel to
meet with CSU faculty and researchers. More information on the WPRI can be
found
here.