A Collaborative Approach to Colorado River Management

We’re relaunching a brand new What Matters webinar on Thursday, October 6, 2022, all about the Colorado River! Join us and our sponsors Black & Veatch, Richard Brady, Imperial Irrigation District and San Diego County Water Authority as we unpack the challenges we’re facing on the Colorado River. More details coming soon!

SCWC’s Annual Event and Award Presentation

The post Fall 2022 Water Events You Don’t Want to Miss appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

“This year is a homecoming. After the resilience we saw from our water community both remotely and on the front lines in 2020, it’s a delight to be able to come together again in celebration of the accomplishments of our water leaders,” said SCWC Executive Director Charles Wilson. “It’s a great time to be able to recognize our honorees.”

The Harriett M. Wieder Award and the Kathy Cole Award are traditionally presented to two exceptional leaders whose achievements shined brightly throughout the year. For 2021, the Harriett M. Wieder Award was presented to Ronald Gastelum and the Kathy Cole Award went to Christine Compton. 

Ronald Gastelum Won Harriett Wieder Award for 2021

“From his work as the General Manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to his service at the LA Area Chamber of Commerce and the SCWC, Ronald Gastelum’s enduring leadership has solidified a lasting legacy,” Wilson said of the Harriett Wieder Awardee. 

A pillar of environmental resource management, Gastelum continues to forge initiatives and push both private and public sector organizations toward a sustainable future. He has a lengthy resume with an array of exemplary leadership work, particularly as General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California as well as his service to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Southern California Water Coalition. Nature Conservancy and Water Education for Latino Leaders, to name a few.

Gastelum’s enduring, positive impact on regional and statewide water issues is renowned. While at MWD he worked with the Board of Directors representing its 26 member agencies to ensure a diversification of the regional water supply by overseeing the development of a brand-new large-scale water transfer. In addition, he maximized resource protection with strategic groundwater storage and the introduction of essential conservation programs. In terms of management, he led an internal restructure that introduced updates to a long-term resource plan, saw the completion of a new reservoir, and overhauled rate structure and financial plans for the years to come. 

Since his service at the Metropolitan Water District, Gastelum has continued to lead regional water interests as the interim Executive Vice President of the LA Area Chamber of Commerce, the interim Executive Director of the Southern California Water Committee, and the President and Chairman of the Board of the Water Conservation Partners. Gastelum is a Whittier College graduate and holds a Juris Doctorate from UCLA Law School.

Kathy Cole Award went to Christine Compton

2020 saw the introduction of the Kathy Cole Award, to be presented to industry leaders who exemplify commitment to education and advocacy in water policy. The second Kathy Cole Award was presented to the Irvine Ranch Water District Director of Strategic Communications and Advocacy and Deputy General Counsel Christine Compton. 

Compton’s extensive career in public policy advisement began as a legislative aide for California State Assemblyman Bill Campbell. She moved on to serve as his Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Advisor during his term as Orange County Supervisor. In 2013, she began her work with the Irvine Ranch Water District. 

“Christine Compton has been instrumental in forging public policy that protects our most precious regional resource,” Wilson said. “Her advocacy and passion for outreach align perfectly with the values of the SCWC’s newest Kathy Cole Award.”

Compton’s long list of accomplishments include degrees from USC’s Marshall School of Business and Loyola Marymount University’s Loyola Law School. She also won the Ralph Heim Exceptional Outreach and Advocacy Award from the California Special Districts Association in 2020. 

The area’s largest networking event for water, business, agriculture, local public policymakers, labor groups, and environmental leaders commenced with a VIP reception followed by a dinner and program. The event also marked the premiere of SCWC’s new trailer for What Matters Water TV + Podcast which will begin on November 9, and highlighted three new regional California Water publications showcasing water successes in Northern Los Angeles County, Ventura County, South Bay, Long Beach and the San Gabriel Valley.

The post Southern California Water Coalition Honored Ronald Gastelum and Christine Compton at Annual Awards appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

“This year is special because we are seeing the incredible adaptation abilities in our water leaders,” said SCWC Executive Director Charles Wilson. “In a year filled with change, it was the best time to introduce a new award. We are grateful to have found such deserving honorees.”

As in previous years, the Harriett M. Wieder Award is presented to a standout leader who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to advancing California’s water supply issues. This year, the award went to Jeffrey Kightlinger, the general manager and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Jeff Kightlinger Wins Harriet Wieder Award for 2020

“Our region and the state of California owe a debt of gratitude to Jeff Kightlinger for his tireless work on modernizing the state’s water infrastructure through the Delta Conveyance project and more to assure a sustainable water future. From the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement to its drought contingency plan to efforts to build Southern California’s largest water recycling facility, his legacy is assured,” Wilson said.

Known for his collaborative negotiating skills and deep knowledge of California water issues, Kightlinger has served as general manager of MWD since 2006. In that role, he  manages the nation’s largest wholesale water agency in its mission of ensuring safe and reliable delivery of high-quality water through its 26 member agencies to a region of more than 19 million people. In March, he announced he would retire from the position at the end of 2020.

In a video message, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein lauded Kightlinger for his steady and invaluable leadership in resolving extremely complex water and environmental issues. “Thanks to your efforts, California’s water future is really in a far better place today. It was just a few wise hands like Jeff who were able to accomplish the remarkable feat of bringing all seven Colorado River basin states together to develop the historic drought contingency plan for the river,” Senator Feinstein said.

Keeping the water flowing during his lengthy career at Metropolitan was no easy feat, as his term was punctuated by severe drought that included the driest year on record in Southern California. Under his leadership, the water district successfully faced water supply challenges on its two main sources of imported water: the Colorado River and the State Water Project. Through it all, he has been a strong proponent of cooperative, voluntary approaches to managing shared resources such as the State Water Project and the Colorado River, believing that agreements among those most affected are more effective than top-down solutions or federal or state mandates. Today, he leaves Metropolitan and Southern California well-positioned for the future through an approach to regional water management that incorporates wide-ranging solutions from stormwater capture to recycled water to groundwater recharge to improved state infrastructure.

Kightlinger holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a law degree from Santa Clara University. He serves on a number of boards including the Coro Foundation, the USC Price School of Public Policy, the UCLA Sustainability Advisory Board, the Climate Action Reserve, the California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy, the Los Angeles Economic Development Council, and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

David Pedersen Wins First Kathy Cole Award

This year, along with the Harriett M. Wieder Award, the SCWC has introduced the brand new Kathy Cole Award. Kathy Cole, former Metropolitan Water District executive legislative representative, is known for her exemplary career and commitment to education and advocacy in water policy. As part of her recognition by the SCWC in 2019, an award has been created in her honor to be presented to a deserving individual each year who exemplifies the perseverance and collaborative spirit that Cole is known for. This year, the SCWC has found that individual in David Pedersen. 

Pedersen, the general manager of the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and the administering agent for the Las Virgenes-Triunfo Joint Powers Authority, brings over 25 years of public service experience. By focusing on water management, flood control, and other public service infrastructure, he serves as the chief executive responsible for providing water and sanitation services to approximately 100,000 people. 

“Dave Pedersen has literally blazed the trail for many water suppliers on several fronts,” Wilson said. “Whether it is his advocacy for water agencies struggling against air pollution controls to keep water flowing during wildfires or his generous sharing of knowledge and experience in the county’s effort to capture, treat and store stormwater, Pedersen has proven again and again his ability and willingness to lead not just for his agency but for all water agencies.”

With a bachelor degree in civil engineering and a master degree in business administration with a specialty in Finance, Pedersen began his career with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. In 2010, he left the County to work for the Irvine Ranch Water District, first as its director of water operations and eventually as executive director of operations. He also serves on the boards of the SCWC, Association of California Water Agencies, Urban Water Institute, and WaterReuse California.

The SCWC Annual Event is known as the area’s biggest networking event for water, business, agriculture, local government, labor and environmental leaders, and this year, although virtually attended, was no different. The event featured keynote speaker Brenda Burman, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner, and featured a special message from U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.

The post Jeffrey Kightlinger and David Pedersen Win SCWC’s 2020 Honorary Awards appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.

Innovations in Stormwater Capture

SCWC’s Stormwater Task Force, led by Rich Nagel of Jacobs and Dan Lafferty of Los Angeles County Public Works, is on the docket to present its “Innovations in Stormwater Capture” white paper at the California-Nevada Section AWWA’s virtual fall conference taking place Tues., Oct. 27 at 10:30 a.m. The conference also marks the 100th anniversary of the California-Nevada Section, so they’ve got lots of terrific speakers (Jeff Kightlinger, general manager of Metropolitan Water District and Pat Mulroy, former GM of Southern Nevada Water Authority are two examples) planned for the three-day event. Register for the conference HERE. Full registration price for the three-day conference is $325.

Water and Energy Resiliency – Creating Order from Chaos

SCWC’s Executive Director Charley Wilson is the keynote speaker at Southern California Edison’s Annual Water Conference on Wed., Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. This program will focus on the need for public water agencies to continue to educate advocates for actions in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and renewable energy investments that are reasonable and effective while taking into account the need to provide water as their primary mission to meet community needs. Discussions will include California’s current water situation and an update on efforts underway to advance energy, water, and state policy initiatives and updates from SCE. This online webinar is open to all industry professionals and is free of charge. Register HERE. Download the event flyer.

SCWC’s Annual Event and Award Presentation

Celebrate an unusual year of resilience and accomplishments with Southern California Water Coalition. At our reimagined annual event on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 3:30 p.m., join us on Zoom for a lively, interesting and fun program. 

The post Fall 2020 Water Events You Don’t Want to Miss appeared first on Southern California Water Coalition.