As the need to improve water infrastructure makes headlines daily, this exciting panel of women will discuss individual dam projects across the State-from new construction to dam removal—and their importance and relevance to California’s water supply and environmental landscape.
Panel speakers will introduce their unique projects and then discuss the intersecting issues of water supply, environmental impacts, and regulatory issues that affect each project and its likelihood of success.
About Our Speakers
Jenn Hyman is a Restoration Engineering Director for WRA, Inc. Jenn served as the Upper York Creek Dam Removal Project Manager.
As a civil engineer specializing in restoration and water infrastructure, Jenn brings more than 28 years of engineering experience in water resources planning, design, project management, and construction management. She has managed or designed numerous restoration projects in various settings, including subtidal, brackish lagoon, creek, and woodland ecosystem habitats. Jenn has also led many water infrastructure projects, including the design of over 20 miles of transmission mains for a desalination project in Monterey.
Ali Forsythe, Environmental Planning and Permitting Manager, Sites Project Authority, on Sites Reservoir
Situated on the west side of the Sacramento Valley, approximately 10 miles west of Maxwell, Calif., in Glenn and Colusa Counties. Sites Reservoir would capture and store stormwater flows from the Sacramento River – after all other water rights and regulatory requirements are met – for release in dry and critical years for environmental use and for California communities, farms, and businesses when it is so desperately needed.
When operated in coordination with other Northern California reservoirs such as Shasta, Oroville, and Folsom, which function as the backbone to both the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, Sites Reservoir will greatly increase flexibility, reliability and resiliency of statewide water supplies in drier periods. Learn more about how Sites Reservoir will work.
Melanie Richardson, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Valley Water, on Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project
Appointed by the Board on July 14, 2020, Ms. Richardson oversees all Valley Water operations including the Water Utility Enterprise and Watersheds business areas.
Ms. Richardson has worked at Valley Water since 1990 and has held the positions of Assistant Operating Officer of Water Supply, Deputy Administrative Officer of Corporate Business Services, Deputy Operating Officer of Watersheds Design and Construction, and most recently Chief Operating Officer of Watersheds. As COO of Watersheds, she provided management oversight for flood protection, environmental stewardship and dam safety capital projects.
Marguerite Patil, Assistant General Manager, Contra Costa Water District, on Los Vaqueros Expansion Project
As Assistant General Manager of Policy and External Affairs Ms. Patil is responsible for managing the progress of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Phase 2 Project, as well as associated policy and legislative efforts. More about Los Vaqueros here.
Amy Cordalis, General Counsel for Yurok Tribe, on Klamath River Dam Removal
Amy Cordalis, the Yurok Tribe’s General Counsel, is the first enrolled Yurok tribal member to hold that position. Amy is dedicated to defending and advancing self-governance for her tribe. Amy comes from a long line of Yuroks who have fought to defend their rights and their heritage.
More on Amy Cordalis and Klamath River Dam Removal from BBC Future: The largest dam-removal in US history
Moderator
Brittany Johnson, Shareholder at Somach Simmons & Dunn
Brittany’s practice focuses on helping water users and wastewater dischargers understand and comply with regulations affecting operations and facilities. In the water quality arena, Brittany advises publicly owned wastewater treatment plants and private companies on compliance with discharge permits and avoidance of permit violations. Brittany also represents water users on water rights matters and in litigation arising from the management and implementation of their water rights. This work includes years of litigation on Endangered Species Act (ESA) cases challenging consultations on historic water contracts held by senior water right holders in the Sacramento Valley, and ESA cases challenging the complex consultations for operations of the Central Valley Project and the Klamath Project.
Registration
Registration is free for AWWEE members plus up to two guests. Non-member registration is $20.