River Voices: April 2022
Welcome to the April 2022 edition of River Voices. This month we’re taking a look at our recent work at the intersection of rivers and agriculture. Plus, we’ve extended the River Rally Early Bird pricing deadline and are thrilled to announce keynote and plenary speakers!
River Network staff have been busy over the past couple of years expanding the work within the key issue Healthy Rivers in Agricultural Landscapes. Hear about many aspects of this work, including defining our path forward, developing resources to leverage funding resources, engaging in policy solutions, five years of stream management support, modernizing irrigation infrastructure with local producers, and sharing success stories.
We’re thrilled to share the latest version of the River Rally 2022 program, including keynote speaker Colette Pichon Battle. We’ve also announced two plenary panels: “Getting Unstuck: Stepping Into Power with Philanthropy” and “Doing Better: Climate, Water, and Equity at the Local Level.”
The State of the Network Survey will help guide our understanding and tell the story of the collective reach and impact of our nationwide network. Plus, it will help us assess the most pressing needs of organizations working on water issues. All participants will be entered to win Patagonia gear!
We’ve extended our River Rally Early Bird rates! Register before April 18 to enjoy the lowest rates. And, premium members save an additional 40%!
Hotel bookings are separate from registration – enjoy our group rate until 4/15.
Photo by Lauren Harper.
Modernizing Irrigation Infrastructure with Colorado Farmers & Ranchers
In just six months, three new Project Coordinators, working with Colorado ditch companies and farmers and ranchers, have identified over 50 multi-beneficial projects to implement across the state. These projects will save water across the state, benefiting agricultural producers and the rivers they depend on. River Network supports these Coordinators as part of our continued and expanding focus on healthy rivers in agricultural landscapes.
Dig into the Farm Bill! The latest resource page from our Healthy Rivers in Ag Landscapes team serves as a launchpad for learning about conservation programs authorized through the Farm Bill.
Over the past five years supporting Stream Management Planning in Colorado, we’ve seen groups make significant impacts on their local watersheds. Since 2018 over $8 million in funding has been invested in SMPs. Learn more in this recap video!
Science Corner: R2Cross
The latest from our science team.
R2Cross is one of the standard techniques used to model instream hydraulic parameters. Streamflow and channel geometry are measured to model hydraulic parameters including average depth, velocity, and percent wetted perimeter. Learn from Seth Mason, Lotic Hydrological, about how to use R2 Cross to set instream flow targets.
WaterNow Alliance’s 2022 Tap Into Resilience Summit – Philadelphia, PA
Apr. 13-14
The two day Summit will bring together local water leaders and decision makers from across the country, covering a variety of sustainable water management topics and empowering attendees to explore distributed water solutions and opportunities for their communities.
Newtok Will Remain
Apr. 19, 8p ET/5p PT
Join Patagonia for a live virtual event with filmmakers and folks featured in the film Newtok for a conversation on how the federal government has failed to take appropriate action to combat climate change, what’s at stake for Alaska, how our collective action and support climate justice, and more.
Women Leading Regeneration Online Summit
May 3 – 5
Join Regenerative Rising to gather with women leaders from around the world for a highly engaging 2-day online summit focused on elevating, nurturing, and resourcing the capacity of feminine leadership to facilitate change and positive impact across sectors.
World Fish Migration Day
May 21
Join World Fish Migration Day to globally celebrate opening up rivers and recovering migratory fish populations. Together the World Fish Migration Foundation has created an enormous movement, connecting hundreds of thousands of people around the world with the same interest: protecting rivers and fish. Join them by taking action locally!
New EIP Report on the CWA
The Environmental Integrity Project’s new report, The Clean Water Act at 50, show that half the river and stream miles and lake acres that have been assessed are impaired, one quarter of assessed bay and estuary square miles are impaired, 73% of river and stream miles have not been assessed, and shares findings for why this could be.
Diversifying the Water Workforce
US Water Alliance’s new toolkit is here to support organizations in the water sector recruit new employees into the workforce, particularly those from underrepresented groups such as women, younger employees, and people of color.
Georgia River Network’s Georgia River Guide App
Georgia river adventures just got easier! Georgia River Network, the only statewide advocacy organization dedicated solely to protecting Georgia’s water, recently released the Georgia River Guide mobile app – a free trip planning tool designed to empower river recreationists to experience Georgia’s network of more than 30 water trails.
Equity Guide for Green Stormwater Infrastructure Practitioners
The Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange and Greenprint Partners are pleased to announce the publication of the Equity Guide for GSI Practitioners, a comprehensive guide to advancing and measuring equity within public sector stormwater management organizations’ green stormwater infrastructure policies, programs, and projects.
- The Intersectional Environmentalist: Leah Thomas shows how not only are Black, Indigenous and people of color unequally and unfairly impacted by environmental injustices, but she argues that the fight for the planet lies in tandem to the fight for civil rights; and in fact, that one cannot exist without the other.
- Breaking Green Ceilings podcast:
- IPCC report – Summary for Policy Makers: The latest IPCC report shows we haven’t done enough to protect our communities and ecosystems from climate-driven destruction. We must act now to fix outdated infrastructure, implement nature-based solutions, and follow the leadership of Indigenous and other frontline communities.
- Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision-Making: The third edition of this ground-breaking book continues to advance its mission to support groups to do their best thinking. It demonstrates that meetings can be much more than merely an occasion for solving a problem or creating a plan.
- “‘Real solutions to root issues’: Making hurricane recovery more equitable“: In Southerly magazine, six months after Ida, Michael Esealuka a co-founder of the Louisiana Just Recovery Network reflects on the group’s effort to repair homes and train workers.
- Colette Pichon Battle on On Being: prepare for Colette’s River Rally keynote with this moving and inspirational conversation.
