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Tour April 3, 2019 - 7:30am - April 5, 2019 - 6:30pm Nick Gray

Central Valley Tour 2019

This tour ventured through California’s Central Valley, known as the nation’s breadbasket thanks to an imported supply of surface water and local groundwater. Covering about 20,000 square miles through the heart of the state, the valley provides 25 percent of the nation’s food, including 40 percent of all fruits, nuts and vegetables consumed throughout the country.

This 3-day, 2-night tour focused on the San Joaquin Valley, the southern part of the vast region, which is facing challenges after years of drought, dwindling water supplies, decreasing water quality and farmland conversion for urban growth. The tour gave participants an understanding of the region’s water use and issues as well as the agricultural practices, including new technologies and water-saving measures. 

Central Valley Tour participants at a dam.

Participants visited farms and some of the state’s major infrastructure, such as Friant Dam and the San Luis Reservoir, as well as the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, a major wintering ground and migratory stopover point for large concentrations of waterfowl and shorebirds. The tour begins and ends at Sacramento International Airport.

Contact Nick Gray, programs manager, with any questions via email or call 916-444-6240.

What attendees said about this tour:

“This was a fantastic tour. In three days, I had the opportunity to meet numerous experts in the field. It was a nice blend of speakers. I am looking forward to reviewing all the handout materials.”

“As a water engineer new to California, it gave me a much better perspective of differing objectives and opportunities to clients.”

“The information the speakers presented. Also, the range and differing views. First-hand engagement of local districts/farmers and being able to see things for myself.”

Stops Included:

  • Kern Water Bank
  • San Joaquin River
  • Terminus Dam
  • Mendota Pool
  • Friant Dam
  • San Luis National Wildlife Refuge
  • San Luis Reservoir

Topics Included:

  • Water supply and drought
  • Flood management
  • Groundwater banking
  • Surface water storage
  • Subsidence
  • Wetlands
  • Salmon restoration
  • Agricultural supply and drainage

Tour Start and End Point:

This tour started at 7:30 a.m. on April 3 and ended at 6:30 p.m. on April 5 at Sacramento International Airport.

Pricing Details:

Regular Price – $895 (one person, single-occupancy room)

Early Bird Price – $865 if you register online by March 4. Click on the orange registration button above.

Fee included all tour meals, transportation, materials, snacks and hotel accommodations once the tour begins. Participants were responsible for their own transportation to and from the tour’s beginning and end point.

Cancellation and Refund Policy:

Deadline to cancel and receive a full refund was three weeks prior to the first day of the tour due to hotel, meal and transportation bookings. Substitutions were allowed up to five business days before the tour. Refunds may be subject to a 10% processing fee.

Continuing Education Credits:

Continuing education credits are available for attorneys for an additional fee, and may be available for water plant/wastewater plant operators and other vocations/professions.

Related Links

  • Steve Chedester Presentation
  • Jose Gutierrez Presentation
  • Cristel Tufenkjian Presentation
  • Don Portz Presentation
  • Print-friendly

Tour Sponsors

Sponsors February 11, 2015

Bureau of Reclamation – California-Great Basin
Major Sponsor

One of five Reclamation regions, the California-Great Basin region covers the northern two-thirds of California, most of western Nevada and part of southern Oregon. The region places great importance on fulfilling its obligations for water delivery, water conservation, water recycling and reuse, power generation, and protecting natural and cultural resources.

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Sponsors June 18, 2014

California Department of Water Resources
Major Sponsor

California Department of Water Resources

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is responsible for managing and protecting California’s water. DWR works with other agencies to benefit the state’s people, and to protect, restore and enhance the natural and human environments.

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Sponsors February 28, 2018

Stantec
Trailblazer Sponsor

At Stantec, our business objective is to maintain our position as a top tier global design and delivery firm. Our local strength, knowledge, and relationships, coupled with our world-class expertise, have allowed us to go anywhere to meet our clients’ needs in more creative and personalized ways. With a long-term commitment to the people and places we serve, Stantec has the unique ability to connect to projects on a personal level and advance the quality of life in communities across the globe. 

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Sponsors June 18, 2014

Turlock Irrigation District
Adventurer Sponsor

Turlock Irrigation District (TID) was the first publicly owned irrigation district in California, and is one of only four irrigation districts in California that provides irrigation water as well as electric retail energy directly to homes, farms and businesses. We are driven by our mission to provide reliable and competitively priced irrigation water and electric service, while being good stewards of our resources and providing a high level of customer satisfaction.

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Sponsors June 18, 2014

HDR
Tour Sponsor

While we are most well-known for delivering architecture and engineering services—for adding beauty and structure to communities through high performance buildings and smart infrastructure—we provide much more than that. We create an unshakable foundation for progress because our multidisciplinary teams also include the firepower of archaeologists, economists, builders, analysts, artists and scientists.

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This tour has been archived and may contain content that is out of date.
Tour April 3, 2019 - 7:30am - April 5, 2019 - 6:30pm Nick Gray
  • Steve Chedester Presentation
  • Jose Gutierrez Presentation
  • Cristel Tufenkjian Presentation
  • Don Portz Presentation
Profile August 13, 2018

Nick Gray
Programs Director

Nick manages many of our workshops, conferences and tours of key water regions across California and the Southwest, bringing attendees up close to dams and other water infrastructure, wildlife areas, farms and other sites involved in water.

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This item appears in:
  • Topic List: Agriculture
  • Topic: Central Valley
  • Topic: Central Valley Project
  • Event Calendar
  • Topic: Drought
  • Topic: Friant Dam
  • Topic: Water Rights
  • Past Tours & Events
  • Topic: Groundwater
  • Topic: Salmon
  • Topic: San Joaquin Valley
  • Topic: San Joaquin River Restoration
  • Topic: San Joaquin River
  • Topic: Watershed
  • Topic List: Water Quality
  • Topic: San Luis Dam
  • Tulare Lake Basin
  • Topic: Water Marketing and Banking
  • Topic: State Water Project
  • Topic: Water Supply
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