Karla Nemeth spent eight years atop California’s water bureaucracy, trying to make the state’s vast, creaky system work in a hotter, more volatile climate. Now she’s continuing the fight from outside government. … Newsom is winding down his term, and Nemeth left her position in July. Earlier this month, she took over as executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, the state’s largest water trade group.From that perch, she’ll be pushing the next administration and the Legislature to do more about water storage, flood protection, affordability and the Colorado River. In an interview with POLITICO, she reflected on her time in the executive branch and the challenges ahead for California and its next governor.