Materials from Warming Watersheds; Water & Energy Track at Winter Training 2010

Earlier this month, River Network and a couple dozen of our closest friends from other leading local and national environmental groups gathered in Waynesboro, PA to discuss strategies for protecting rivers and communities from climate change through the interconnections between water and energy. Download materials from the Warming Watersheds; Water and Energy training below!

We had a total of eight sessions crammed into the two and a half day Warming Watersheds; Water and Energy track at Winter Training 2010, which took place December 6-8. Look below for session descriptions and links to download over a dozen presentations from River Network, Union of Concerned Scientists, National Wildlife Federation, Alliance for Water Efficiency, World Wildlife Fund and more.

Session #1: Climate Change Impacts on Watersheds – What we know
Global climate change will reveal itself through water by altering hydrologic cycles and increasing the likelihood of more extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts and hot spells. However, the specific changes experienced in a community will vary from place to place. This presentation will give an overview of how climate change will impact water supplies throughout the United States and explore different types of adaptation strategies to address these changes and how climate change can be incorporated into planning.

• Climate Change is Water Change - Bevan Griffiths-Sattenspiel, River Network

• Adapting Your Work to Climate Change: A Framework - Wendy Smith, World Wildlife Fund (presentation designed by Lara Hansen EcoAdapt)

Session #2: Community-Based Climate Planning and Adaptation
What are communities doing in the area of climate adaptation planning? What are the key principals that can make it successful? Discussion to follow on goals the “river community” should have for protecting water resources.

• Community Based Climate Adaptation - Gwen Griffith, Cumberland River Compact

Session #3: Calculators and Tools Relating Water and Energy
How can you evaluate the energy-intensity of your water supply, calculate the conservation potential of personal actions or a proposed programs? What tools and calculators are available across the country for use by citizen groups? In this session, participants learn about the tools featured in River Network’s Water-Energy Toolkit, and receive a detailed description of the many uses and benefits of Alliance for Water Efficiency’s Water Conservation Tracking Tool.

• Water-Energy Toolkit: Understanding the Carbon Footprint of Your Water Use - Bevan Griffiths-Sattenspiel, River Network

• Racking Up the Savings: Planning and Evaluating Cost-Beneficial Water Conservation Programs - Mary Ann Dickinson, Alliance for Water Effiency

Session #4: Working with Water Utilities to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Water
How can local groups work with utilities to promote water conservation policies and get answers to questions about energy use? What results are we seeing with current water conservation pilot projects and related energy conservation programs? How can you reduce water use in your community?

• Linking Water and Energy in Local Water Supplies - Mary Ann Dickinson, Alliance for Water Effiency

• True(r) Costs of Water Supply: A Florida Case Study - Jennison Kipp, University of Florida, Gainesville

• The Link Between Water Loss and Energy Consumption: Southern California EDISON’s Embedded Energy in Water Pilot - Reinhard Sturm, Water Systems Optimization

Session 5: Water Impacts of Energy Development
This session will explore: How is energy development and production impacting our water resources? How are local groups addressing these problems? Are key strategies such as the CWA permits, license renewals and water rights proceedings helping us get better technology, closed loop cooling systems, improve drilling, mining and or processing operations?

• Water for Energy - Bevan Griffiths-Sattenspiel, River Network

• Hydraulic Fracturing: Water Issues and Community Response - Hilary Lambert, Cayuga Lake Watershed Network

• Power Plant Water Intake - Steve Fleischli, Natural Resources Defense Council

• The Energy-Water Collision - Nadia Madden, Union of Concerned Scientists

Session #6: Community Preparation and Response
How are agencies responding to flooding? Are our local water utilities and units of government getting enough information about these issues?

• Three Legs of a Successful Campagn Yadkin Riverkeeper Case Study – Dean Naujoks, Yadkin Riverkeeper

• Community Preparation and Response: Climate Change and Flood - Margo Farnsworth, Cumberland River Compact

• Common Water, Common Ground: Southeast Rivers and Streams Program - Wendy Smith, World Wildlife Fund

Session #7: Creating a Coast to Coast Leadership Network
How can watershed groups working across the country create new programs that broaden public understanding of climate impacts and actions needed? This session will feature two different models presented by River Network Partners for leading your community in addressing climate change and protecting rivers.

• Low Flows, Hot Trout: Climate Change in the Clark Fork Watershed – Jill Alban, Clark Fork Coallition

• Collaborative Working Groups and Community Education on Water and Energy: Part I - Eleanor DelBene, Interfaith Environmental Initiative of Alabama

• Collaborative Working Groups and Community Education on Water and Energy: Part II - Beth Stewart, Cahaba River Society

Session#8: View of Water and Energy Issues from D.C.
How might we influence U.S. EPA rulemaking processes and other Executive branch functions? Are there opportunities to promote our overall Water and Energy agenda within other federal agencies?

• Climate Resilient Communities: Preparing People and Wildlife for the Climate Challenges of Today and Tomorrow - Vicki Deisner, National Wildlife Federation

Winter Training 2010