Water Resources

Fellow Story

Zollitsch earns PhD and will present her research

Brenda Miles Zollitsch has been awarded her Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Services. Her focus has been on collaborative environmental policy planning and implementation. Her dissertation is entitled, "Documenting life cycle measures of collaborations working to implement stormwater policy in the United States". Her dissertation is available through Dissertation ProQuest.
February 19, 2013
Fellow Story

Zollitsch earns PhD, presenting research in April

Brenda Miles Zollitsch has been awarded her Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Services. Her focus has been on collaborative environmental policy planning and implementation. Her dissertation is entitled, "Documenting life cycle measures of collaborations working to implement stormwater policy in the United States". Her dissertation is available through Dissertation ProQuest.
February 14, 2013
Leadership Grant Grant

Cumulative Impacts and Sustainable Solutions for Central Valley Water, Year 2

The Community Water Center (CWC) received a second year of Switzer funding for Dr. Carolina Balazs's position as Research Scientist. Carolina is developing short- and long-term research projects for CWC that will inform its advocacy efforts...
January 7, 2013
Fellow Story

Balazs study links dirty drinking water, small Central Valley towns

The evidence keeps mounting that people living in impoverished, Latino towns around the San Joaquin Valley are in danger if they drink water out of their taps. Researchers this year linked dirty drinking water with many towns, such as Seville, Orosi and Tooleville in Tulare County. The culprit is widespread nitrates, which come from fertilizers, septic systems, animal waste and rotting vegetation. This month, a new study reveals people living in similar communities also are at a high risk of drinking arsenic in their water.
December 3, 2012
Fellow Story

Lave's new book about problems with scientific claims developed outside the academy

Examining the science of stream restoration, Rebecca Lave argues that the neoliberal emphasis on the privatization and commercialization of knowledge has fundamentally changed the way that science is funded, organized, and viewed in the United States.
November 28, 2012
Fellow Story

From Lab to Law: Using Science to Shape Public Policy (Switzer Foundation Webinar Series)

Amy Clipp gave a webinar for us that offered ideas for bridging the gap between science and policy, with a particular focus on helping scientists apply their work in complex, political environments. Her stories are based on lessons learned advising the State of Louisiana on its 2012 Coastal Master Plan.
November 15, 2012
Fellow Story

Hays policies picked up by Cincinnati

If it all plays out, the ongoing maintenance required by the green approach could be good for the local economy, according to Parrott: “With the green and sustainable infrastructure, you’re creating a new class of what we call green jobs for maintenance. The majority of those jobs are something local folks can do as opposed to the conventional process.” Additionally, the green jobs also tend to benefit “disadvantaged communities” more than conventional jobs, according to Parrott.
November 9, 2012
Fellow Story

Turner on Santa Barbara's new campaign to promote water conservation

UCSB alumnus and SBCWA Program Specialist Randy Turner said the website provides creative methods of water conservation that citizens might not already be aware of. “The new WaterWiseSB website has become Santa Barbara County’s go-to resource for all things related to water education and conservation,” Turner said. “We all have some awareness of water as a crucial resource and take steps to not blatantly waste water. Our website highlights the many new ways to save water most people don’t yet know about.”
October 25, 2012
Fellow Story

Hall new Executive Director of Humboldt Baykeeper

Humboldt Baykeeper welcomed a new executive director to its Eureka offices Monday. Jessica Hall, a Los Angeles native and registered landscape architect, worked as a watershed coordinator for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, private consulting firms and the non-profit North East Trees, before accepting the position of executive director for the nonprofit, a press release said. Hall will continue the work of prior executive directors by engaging stakeholders on policies, activities and programs that promote the health of Humboldt Bay, the release said.
October 24, 2012
Network Innovation Grant Grant

Understanding the Life Cycle and Regional Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus Shale Basin

Switzer Fellows will collaborate with Earthworks to research the life cycle and regional impacts of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," in the Marcellus Shale of the northeastern U.S. While fracking has occurred for decades in less...
October 17, 2012