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Crystal Simons, Founder and CEO of Foresight Conservation, a national non-profit organization, joins us for a fantastic discussion about conservation easements, the various Federal programs designed to benefit the public by securing conservation values on private lands, and the importance of public/private partnerships for executing land stewardship and restoration goals. This is a great episode that covers everything from the history and impetus for organized land stewardship to how a small non-profit navigates the changing winds of Federal funding.

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This week we are revisiting an earlier episode that is still highly relevant to today's water discussion. We are looking back on episode 182: Minimum System Specific Sizing Standards.

Dani Zebelean, Environmental Engineer III with the Utah Division of Drinking Water, joins us to discuss Minimum System Specific Sizing Standards. We discuss how Utah is working to get a better understanding of its water user by moving from a baseline estimate of per connection water use to the actual amount of used based on meter use. This is a brass tacks discussion about an important data set used to inform municipal water exactions, source and supply constraints, and many other overlapping areas of Utah water law.

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This week we have a very special Rewind Episode. Your host Emily is joining a discussion panel about the Great Salt Lake at the UMOCA building. In preparation, we are looking back on episode 174: Art for the Great Salt Lake Part 1.

Join Emily at this special event! - https://utahmoca.org/event/water-land-and-the-work-of-art-a-conversation-on-the-great-salt-lake/

Andrew Shaw, Wake the Great Salt Lake Coordinator for the Salt Lake City Arts Council and Kellie Bornhoft, Artist, Professor, and Grant Recipient, join us to talk about the Wake the Great Salt Lake Art Project and Kellie’s “By A Thread” art installation. Hopefully one of several discussions, we talk about the Bloomberg funded art project, Kellie’s artwork as the first of 12 art projects, and the Wake the Great Salt Lake’s goals of raising awareness and conversation about the Great Salt Lake. So fun to step out of the academic arena for a moment and discuss the importance of art and different perspectives in addressing the complicated and critical issues surrounding the Great Salt Lake.

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This week we are revisiting an earlier episode that is still highly relevant to today's water discussion. We are looking back on episode 110: Water Rights Valuations.

Harry Seely and Brett Bovee of West Water Research join us to discuss how West Water approaches water rights valuations.  We also dip into the topic of market for Ag optimization water.

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Todd Votteler, Principal at Collaborative Water Resolution and Editor and Chief of the Talk + Water Podcast and Texas Water Journal, joins us to talk about his work creating a new Texas Water Markets report. Todd walks us through a fantastic discussion regarding the complicated nature of the Texas water law, the Edwards Aquifer and the Rio Grande water markets, and his predictions for the future. We get into the nitty gritty of how to possibly rethink water allocation and interesting ways market tools can be used for long term planning.

https://waterdisputes.org/

https://waterdisputes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Water_Markets_for_Texas.pdf

https://pod.link/1450729314

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Alex Loucopoulos, and Quinten Dreesmann, of Sciens Water, a fund of Sciens Capital, join us for a return visit to Ripple Effect. In the last four years, Sciens Water has expanded beyond their initial platform of investing in mid-cap private water companies to creating an innovative pay-for-service model that helps reduce risk and create access to capital for a number of needed municipal water investments. Sciens Water is also working on several creative educational, philanthropic, and thought-leadership activities in the water space. A great discussion with a dynamic organization. 

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Andrew Dugan, Copywriter & Marketing Strategist in the Water Industry, joins us to discuss his niche business in helping water industry professionals and practitioners tell their story. By combining a unique experience of engineering consultant, sales, and journalism, Andrew understands the water industry and helps busy water professionals create white papers, press releases, copywriting, and all kinds of useful content. In a world where good water information is critical to funding and public support, Andrew is filling a much needed gap.

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John Kemper, Research Scientist in the Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University, joins us to discuss his work creating water quality models and how these models can be applied to address contemporary water issues. We often discuss water quantity models, but water quality models are a magnitude greater in difficulty and complexity. With changing watershed conditions and increased wildfire activity, pollution loading, and emerging contaminants, these models will help us identify, track, and predict trends and assess the efficacy of our solutions. This exciting work could lead to greater water quality trading and markets. A great discussion about a useful technical tool. 

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Rob Sowby, professor, working engineer, and author, joins us to discuss his new book "Terminus." Rob takes a unique approach to unpacking the complicated water management issues around the Great Salt Lake by weaving in personal stories and conversations with water users around the Lake. Rob brings a wealth of expertise to this journey and is able to highlight and describe complex water issues in a manner that is approachable and engaging. We end with the all-important emphasis on the power of community and shared values. This is a great read and a wonderful discussion.

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David Gory, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbuild, joins us to discuss Airbuild's incredibly innovative and exciting "Project Photosynthesis" pilot project in Green River, Utah. Through the power of algae, Project Photosynthesis creates multiple environmental benefits: 1) it cleans river water by removing nutrient loads, e-coli, and other pollutants; 2) it is a carbon-capture project that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through algal photosynthesis and pyrolyzed biomass; 3) it produces biochar which can be used in a number of ways such as an organic fertilizer and "mulch" to promote soil moisture or as a replacement for limestone in concrete; 4) it also incorporates and repurposes local organic waste providing a service to local municipalities and agricultural producers; and several more bells and whistles. The excitement around this project is palpable - can't wait to see where it goes!

Check out the project website: https://www.airbuildinc.com/