As we wrap up our year at the Water Education Foundation, we are busy looking ahead to our 2026 slate of engaging tours, workshops and conferences on key water topics in California and across the West. Make sure to save the dates below!

Meanwhile, as we approach the holidays, we want to remind everyone:

• Giving Tuesday is right after Thanksgiving and a national day to support nonprofits. You can support water education across California and the West on Dec. 2 or anytime by donating here!
   
• Applications for our 2026 California Water Leaders cohort are due Dec. 5. You can view a recording of our virtual Q&A session for a program overview and tips on making a strong application for this competitive program.
   
• Applications are also being accepted for our 2026 Colorado River Water Leaders cohort and are due Jan. 26. Sign up for our Dec. 10 virtual Q&A session to get an overview of that program and tips on applying.

Lower Colorado River Tour | March 11-13

Don’t miss the return of our Lower Colorado River Tour as we take you from Hoover Dam to the U.S.-Mexico border and through the Imperial and Coachella valleys. You will learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the “Lifeline of the Southwest” while exploring water infrastructure, farming regions, wildlife refuges and the Salton Sea. Registration opens Dec. 10. Mark your calendar now as space is limited and tickets go quickly!

Save the Dates for Other Programs in 2026:

• Water 101 Workshop | March 26 This one-day workshop details the history, geography, and the legal and political facets of water in California to give attendees a deeper understanding of the state’s most precious natural resource. Plus, there’s an optional watershed tour March 27!
• Central Valley Tour | April 22-24 This tour travels the length of the agriculturally rich San Joaquin Valley, known as the nation’s breadbasket thanks to imported surface water and local groundwater.
• Bay-Delta Tour | May 20-22 This tour travels deep into California’s water hub and traverses the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a 720,000-acre network of islands and canals that supports the state’s water system and is California’s most crucial water and ecological resource.