Headwaters Tour 2024
Field Trip - July 24-25
Registration Closed – Click here to join the waitlist.
On average, more than half of
California’s developed water supply originates in the
Sierra
Nevada and the southern spur of the Cascade
Range. Our water supply is largely dependent on the health
of our Sierra forests, which are suffering from ecosystem
degradation, drought, wildfires and widespread tree
mortality.
Join us as we head into the Sierra to examine water issues that happen upstream but have dramatic impacts downstream and throughout the state.
This 2-day, 1-night tour travels
through the Sierra foothills, into the mountains and around the
Lake Tahoe Basin to explore the impact of fires on California
water supply and quality in the American and Yuba watersheds, as
well as forest management and tree mortality, meadow restoration
and climate change. Tour stops include the Yuba and American
rivers, Tahoe and Eldorado national forests, meadow and river
restoration sites and Lake Tahoe.
Contact Programs Director Nick Gray via email with any tour questions.
What attendees say about the tour:
What did you like best?
“Great speakers and participants. Kept the conversations flowing throughout the trip. I loved this trip!”
“I liked meeting people in the field and hearing about their work. Helpful to get a better understanding of the interconnection of fire, water and forest health.”
“The sites were beautiful and the speakers were highly qualified. I learned so much!”
Planned Stops Include:
- Lake Tahoe
- Meadow restoration sites
- UC Berkeley’s Blodgett Forest Research Station
- King Fire burn site
- American & Yuba rivers
- Blue Forest Conservation pilot project site
- New Bullards Bar Reservoir
- Tahoe & Eldorado national forests
- UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center
- Folsom Dam
Planned Topics Include:
- Forest management
- California’s tree mortality epidemic
- Climate change & carbon sequestration
- Tribal perspective on extreme weather variability
- Water quality & urban runoff
- Meadow restoration
- Wildfire impacts
- Bioenergy production
- Habitat restoration & endangered species
- Tourism & recreation in the Sierra Nevada
Tour Start & End Point:
The tour starts at 7:30 a.m. on July 24 and ends at 6:30 p.m. on July 25 at the Water Education Foundation office, 2151 River Plaza Drive, Suite 205, Sacramento, CA. Free parking is available.
The tour includes an overnight stay in Stateline, Nev. on the shores of Lake Tahoe, which is arranged by the Foundation and covered by the registration fee.
The Courtyard Sacramento Airport Natomas is next door to the Water Education Foundation and also offers a shuttle to/from Sacramento International Airport (SMF). We have a discounted room rate arranged there and self-pay booking options are provided upon registration for the tour.
Pricing Details:
General – $689 (one person, single-occupancy room)
Fee includes all tour meals, transportation, materials, snacks and hotel accommodations once the tour begins Wednesday. Meals covered by the registration fee include lunch on Wednesday through lunch on Thursday. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the tour’s beginning and end point.
A limited amount of scholarship funding is available to pay for a portion of the tour. Scholarships are awarded based on a few factors, including:
- Financial need
- Reason for scholarship request
- How the education & experience will be used after the tour
Contact Nick Gray via email to apply or for more information.
Cancellation & Refund Policy:
Deadline to cancel and receive a refund is three weeks prior to the first day of the tour due to lodging, meal and transportation commitments. Substitutions are allowed up to five business days before the tour. Eventbrite fees are nonrefundable and the remaining amount may be subject to an additional processing fee.
We recognize that unexpected conflicts with our tours can occur from time to time. The Water Education Foundation recommends you consider arranging travel insurance from a provider of your choice soon after tour registration to protect against such unfortunate events.
Continuing Education Credits:
MCLE credits are available only for California attorneys for an additional fee, and may be available for water plant/wastewater plant operators and other vocations/professions. Contact Nick Gray via email with any questions.
