April 14-16

Central Valley Tour (Field Trip)

This 3-day, 2-night tour travels the length of the San Joaquin Valley, giving participants a clear understanding of the State Water Project and Central Valley Project. The valley is one of the world's top-producing agricultural regions, and one of California's fastest growing areas. Stops include the Kern County Water Bank, the San Joaquin River, Mendota Pool, Friant Dam, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge and San Luis Reservoir.Issues of growth, water supply, groundwater banking, wetlands, salmon restoration and agricultural supply and drainage are discussed on this tour, which begins and ends in Bakersfield.

The Water Education Foundation's tours are action-packed field trips that offer participants a firsthand look at the water facilities, rivers and regions critical in the debate about the future of water resources. Issues of water supply, water quality, environmental restoration, flood management, groundwater and water conservation are addressed by a wide-range of speakers representing different viewpoints.

Gallery

Tentative Itinerary

Day 1

Bakersfield

Kern River

Kern County Water Bank

Cross Valley Canal

Semitropic Water Storage District

Terminus Dam and Lake Kaweah

Kaweah and St. Johns Rivers

Visalia

Day 2

Eastern San Joaquin Valley farms

Kings River

Friant Dam

Friant Kern Canal

Chowchilla Bypass

San Luis Wildlife Refuge

San Luis Reservoir

Delta Farms (dinner)

Los Banos

Day 3

Westlands Water District

Panoche Water District

Mendota Pool

Madera Water Bank potential site

Salinity mitigation evaporation ponds

Tulare Lake Bed and farms

Return to Bakersfield