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. 

Participants joined us as we journeyed 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 traveled 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 included the Yuba and American rivers, Tahoe and Eldorado national forests, meadow and river restoration sites and Lake Tahoe.

What attendees said 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 Included:

• 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 Included:

• 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 started at 7:30 a.m. on July 24 and ended at 6:30 p.m. on July 25 at the Water Education Foundation office, 2151 River Plaza Drive, Suite 205, Sacramento, CA. Free parking was available.

The tour included an overnight stay in Stateline, Nev. on the shores of Lake Tahoe, which was 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 offered a shuttle to/from Sacramento International Airport (SMF). We had a discounted room rate arranged there and self-pay booking options were provided upon registration for the tour.

Pricing Details:

General – $689 (one person, single-occupancy room)

Fee included all tour meals, transportation, materials, snacks and hotel accommodations once the tour began Wednesday. Meals covered by the registration fee included lunch on Wednesday through lunch on Thursday. Participants were responsible for their own transportation to and from the tour’s beginning and end point.

A limited amount of scholarship funding was available to pay for a portion of the tour. Scholarships were awarded based on a few factors, including:

• Financial need
• Reason for scholarship request
• How the education & experience was used after the tour

Cancellation & Refund Policy:

Deadline to cancel and receive a refund was three weeks prior to the first day of the tour due to lodging, meal and transportation commitments. Substitutions were allowed up to five business days before the tour. Eventbrite fees were nonrefundable and the remaining amount may have been subject to an additional processing fee.

Continuing Education Credits:

MCLE credits were available only for California attorneys for an additional fee, and may have been available for water plant/wastewater plant operators and other vocations/professions.