Take a virtual water tour around the state: There is no other state where water and economic development is so tightly woven together than here in California. Since the gold rush, water has been the engine that has promoted economic and social development in the state. Water is still a precious resource in California; however, by nature, the distribution of water and ecosystems across the state are highly variable, from glaciers in Mount Shasta and high snowfall in Northern California to almost no precipitation in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. The California Water Virtual Tour, produced by UC Davis, is a series of 15 different videos which provide a well-rounded tour of all facets of California water, including an overview, water law, economics, groundwater, and hydropower, as well as a in-depth discussion of each of the eight hydrologic regions across the state. Take the tour here: California Virtual Water Tour
Earn while you learn a trade that can lead to a lifetime career: The Department of Water Resources is looking for candidates for its apprenticeship program to learn the trades of Utility Craftsworker, Hydroelectric Plant Electrician, Hydroelectric Plant Operation, and Hydroelectric Plant Mechanic. The three to four year program includes classroom instruction and at-home study courses, along with over 1800 hours of paid on the job training. Apprentices are tested every six months, and as their knowledge increases, so does the pay range. After successful completion of the program, apprentices are certified as a journey-person in their trade. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and successfully pass a civil service examination. For more information, click here.
Are you curious to know how your water bill and water usage stacks up to others across the state? The New California Water Atlas has a new interactive where you can compare what your water bills to others across the state. It’s a crowd-sourced database and it takes but a few moments to enter your data (no personal identifying information required) so grab your latest water bill, add it to the database and see how you stack up here: http://ca-pricing.statewater.org/ For more information, David Zetland at the Aguanomics blog writes about the project here: How does your water bill and use compare to others?
