Ripple Effect: A Podcast Putting Water In Context

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Lindsie Smith, Executive Director of Great Salt Lake Alliance, and Hannah Freeze, the newly appointed Commissioner for Great Salt Lake, join us to unpack the Great Salt Lake Solutions Exchange Report. In a massive day-long workshop, 47 organizations joined together to map out what's actually being done for the lake, and what's needed next. We dig into the lightning talks, the breakout sessions, and the big takeaways. From actionable plans to grand ideas, we bring it all together. This is the real-deal plan for the 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 114: Data Aggregation and Digital Twins.

Caleb Buahin and Bill Knight of Xylem’s Decision Intelligence Solutions team join us to talk about their work creating digital solutions for water clients. We talk a lot about data aggregation, digital twin technologies, and the increasing ease of using such tools. A really interesting and timely discussion.

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JD Doyle, CEO and Founder of FUTR, joins us to talk all about landscaping focused on saving water. Outdoor water use is the biggest drain on our municipal water supply, and we discuss the methods and cutting-edge tech to fix that. In particular, artificial turf has come a long way. By using natural plant oils, SYNLawn remedies many of the previous defects. JD uses his years of on-the-ground experience to give us the dirt. A great example of real-world innovations and a totally worthwhile listen.   

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Mike Whimpey, Assistant General Manager, and Shaun Hilton, Assistant Chief Engineer, join us to discuss critical developments in Utah water infrastructure. Often, people incorrectly assume that Utah is behind in water planning, but we're here to set the record straight - that couldn't be further from the truth! We dive deep into how the the Geneva Steel plant was acquired and converted into a water supplier, enabling the massive population growth in Utah Valley. A local success story demonstrating Utah's innovation and forward-thinking mindset. A worthwhile listen.       

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Stephanie McGinnis, State Water Plan Manager, and Becca Frei, State Water Plan Specialist, join us to talk all about the updated 2026 Utah State Water Plan. This is the true big-picture plan for how Utah will manage water - from mountain watersheds to kitchen faucets - over the coming decades. We dig into what's new in this most comprehensive update yet, why basin-by-basin planning matters, and what this means for the individual user, farmers, and companies alike. If you care about where Utah's water is headed, this is the conversation to hear.

Weigh in before public comment closes August 23 - https://water.utah.gov/state-water-plan/

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Today we pay special tribute to a very beloved and influential guest. Steve Clyde passed away last Saturday, August 1st. In his honor, we are looking back on episode 193: Steve Clyde, Reflections.

Steve Clyde, Senior Partner and Chair of the Natural Resources Practice Group at Clyde Snow & Sessions, joins us to talk about his 40 year legal career in Utah water. Steve is an esteemed Utah water lawyer responsible for shaping decades of Utah water law and mentor to countless Utah water attorneys. A wonderful discussion, personal thank you from Ripple Effect's host, and look to the future! 

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Return guest Stephanie Santell, Founder and CEO of (Re)wilding, joins us to discuss her new company. With her impressive experience working for the Environmental Protection Agency, Stephanie shares her wisdom and insight in exploring a new venture. We discuss how the landscape has changed in recent years, how companies need to adapt, and why biochar offers impressive benefits throughout it all.

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We talk all about the recently published report titled: "Why Communicating Minimum Drawdown Elevations from Lake Powell and Lake Mead can Mitigate Risks of Volatile Colorado River Flow". Joining us are the three co-authors and star guests from Utah State University: David Rosenberg, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Brittany Fager, PHD student and Student Researcher, and Anabelle Myers, Student Researcher.

With historically low reservoir levels and inflows, this report seeks to prevent the catastrophic consequences of too low water levels, and seeks to determine at exactly what point those consequences happen. Armed with this knowledge, we can make smarter water decisions. 

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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 158: HDH Desalination Technology.

Christopher Link, Founder, joins us to discuss his HDH Desalination Technology and his HALO Team’s participation in Elon Musk’s X-Prize Competition. Do not miss this conversation! So many interesting and innovative ideas occurring about how to incentivize useful water tech and desalination processes. I learned a ton and am excited to share Chris’s work with our listeners.

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Our very own Dr. Joe Casola, Climatologist at C.K. Blueshift, joins us to discuss the current climate, how it got here, and what the future holds. We dive deep into warming trends and what the rising heat means for society as a whole. We explore what El Niño could mean for our water, both in the monsoonal season and upcoming winter. Taking advantage of these climate trends, we can make smarter decisions for the future.