Water Values Podcast

Rob Renner, the Executive Director of the Water Research Foundation (WRF), joins us for a discussion about the work of the WRF. The WRF is a research cooperative, as described by Rob, and pools the resources of 1,000 utilities to focus on researching issues of common concern. Rob provides great perspective on how utilities are dealing with issues like climate change, source of supply challenges, and declining water use.

Spencer Williams of Ponderosa Advisors provides his insight into how different prior appropriation regimes are administered in several prior appropriation states. His insights into how water rights embody property rights and the difficulty in gaining precision as to the boundaries of water rights are fascinating. Spencer also discusses the Water Sage™ tool offered by Ponderosa Advisors and how it assists those seeking to gain a better understanding of a number of issues concerning water rights.

Irrigated agriculture expert Daniele Zaccaria joins The Water Values Podcast for an in-depth look at the state of irrigated agriculture. Daniele has been around irrigated agriculture his entire life and has a lot of knowledge to share about how irrigated agriculture works and where it’s headed. Tune in for an informative and fun talk with Daniele.

What a terrific year 2015 has been – thank you for making it so! Without you, the listeners and readers, I wouldn’t have been able to pull of a second year of The Water Values, so a heartfelt thank you to each of you.

Eleanor Allen joins The Water Values Podcast to discuss the history and mission of the great organization she leads, Water For People. Eleanor provides fantastic examples of how Water For People’s mission has changed over time to gain greater focus and target its assets to provide the greatest benefits. She describes how Water For People chooses its projects and how it delivers those projects working through local communities. Take a listen and then help out Water For People this holiday season!

John Powell, the Coachella Valley Water District’s (CVWD) Board President joins The Water Values Podcast to discuss water in California’s Coachella Valley. As we all know, California is in the midst of a tremendous drought, but thanks to good planning the Coachella Valley’s water story showcases good water management from rate design to water use restrictions to farming to aquifer recharge. It’s a great look at how one utility is thriving amidst the drought.

CH2M’s Scott Haskins, a Senior Vice President and Director of Strategic Consulting, joins The Water Values Podcast to discusses asset management programs. Scott guides us through asset management issues, including what asset management is, what are the different components of an asset management program and how to get started with an asset management plan. He also discusses risk issues and how utilities deploying asset management programs have saved millions of dollars and improved their service levels.

Claus Helix-Nielsen, the Vice President of Public-Private Partnerships for Aquaporin A/S, joins The Water Values Podcast to discuss the state of membrane technology and the Aquaporin A/S forward osmosis membrane. Claus’ depth and breadth of experience will impress you as he provides the history of how these membranes are deployed to provide commercial benefits. Claus also provides unique insight into the research and development process and how funding is such a critical element of technology development.

Retired Colorado Supreme Court Justice, Greg Hobbs, shares his knowledge of western water law, specifically the doctrine of prior appropriation and its impact on how the West developed. Justice Hobbs uses his deep and broad knowledge of water law to explain how the doctrine of prior appropriation developed. He provides an eye-opening analysis of water law and contrasts differing versions of prior appropriation (Colorado with California; court adjudicated rights versus administratively granted rights).

Drew Bender of VS Engineering provides a wide-ranging discussion about green infrastructure, and in particular, constructed wetlands. Drew also poses a fundamental question that should be asked about every infrastructure project so that the project is built as efficiently, from a sustainability standpoint and from an economic standpoint, as possible. Drew also has ideas about whether green infrastructure should be mandated by local governments – he approaches this issue with a heavy dose of common sense.