By Jean Hays
It has been four years the Valley Water Consortium’s last water forum in Fresno, and still, the waters are, indeed, troubled. Adding to existing problems is the simple fact that now there is less water for all our uses. Water is a hot commodity; big agri-business wants to control it, cities waste it, fracking and some farming practices poison it, and salmon can’t find enough of it in which to make a home. The Consortium thought it was time for another free water conference so the facts could be presented, thus clearing some of the troubled waters of misinformation. As in the last water forum, it is still facts versus fiction.
To address the many aspects of our current water problems, the Consortium has put together a panel of powerful speakers and workshop leaders. Members of the Winnemem-Wintu Tribe, led by Chief Caleen Sisk, along with local tribal representatives will open the conference with a ceremony outside the Fresno City College Social Science Forum Hall.
Here is the lineup of plenary speakers for the conference:
- Dr. Jeffrey Michael, economist from University of the Pacific, speaking on the financial aspects of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan
- Lloyd Carter of Save Our Streams
- Ken Schmidt, hydrologist
- Barbara Barrigan-Parilla of Restore the Delta
- Chief Caleen Sisk of the Winnemem-Wintu Tribe, speaking on the raising of the Shasta Dam
- Chris Acree of Revive the San Joaquin
- Adam Scow of Food and Water Watch, speaking on fracking
The conference runs from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and attendees are asked to bring a brown bag lunch.
Following lunch, there will be two sets of workshops from which to choose. Topics include sustainable landscaping, water and the oil companies, Tulare Lake, the history of the San Joaquin River, groundwater and the effects of fracking in Tulare and Kern counties. At the close of the conference, participants will be asked to write what they plan to do next to save Mother Earth’s water supply. Then, the attendees will be photographed holding a written pledge, which will be posted on Facebook and YouTube.
Sounds like a mountain of information to be taken in? Maybe, but Mother Earth needs our help. This conference happens the day before Mother’s Day. Love your Mother—help preserve water! We can’t live without it.
For more information, contact Jean Hays at 559-313-7674 or Ann Carruthers at acarruthers@earthlink.net.
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Jean Hays is a member of Fresno WILPF’s Earth Democracy Issues Group and a lover of peace. Contact her at 559-313-7674.
