From the very first gold miners making claims to divert streams in the Sierra Nevada foothills to the later wrangling that enabled irrigation of Central Valley farmland and drinking water to be sent to growing cities in California, water rights are an indispensable cornerstone of the state’s  water supply and delivery system.

But they can also be complex, and gaining an understanding of their history at our Water 101 Workshop in April will provide context for issues that could come up in the future. In the last drought, for example, the state curtailed some water rights as surface supplies became more scarce.

What’s the difference between a senior water right and a junior water right? Or a riparian right and an appropriative right? How are they determined? And how does the concept of public trust come into play?

These questions and more will be explained in easy-to-understand terms by Jennifer Harder, a law professor at McGeorge School of Law, during one of six sessions in our virtual Water 101 Workshop on April 22-23.

Taught by some of California’s leading policy and legal experts, the workshop will cover California’s water basics including the history, geography, legal and political facets of water in the state, as well a look at hot topics and current issues of concern.

The annual workshop acts as a refresher for more veteran water professionals and a good statewide primer for others.  Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of the state’s most precious natural resource. For more details on the schedule of sessions during the engaging, online event, visit our Water 101 Workshop page.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a California Department of Water Resources employee paying by invoice, you must first arrange your DWR purchase order and provide the P.O. number during registration.