Did you miss them? Darcy B. has literally been traveling the world, and Darcy V. has been planting acres and acres of tomatoes. They are finally back in the studio and are catching up on everything that happened while Darcy B. was globe-trotting including the Central Valley Project (Federal) and the State Water Project allocations, Metropolitan’s new General Manager (Deven Upadhayay), Metropolitans Climate Adaptation Master Plan and Business Model, another Canyon Lake Fish Kill, future guests, and more.

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

It’s March and newly elected officials have settled into their seats. At the state level, one third of all legislators are new. Locally, that percentage could be higher or lower. Regardless, newly elected officials rarely have an understanding about California’s water complexities nor the importance of Agriculture and its unique challenges.

To get a newly elected perspective, Darcy and Darcy welcome Canyon Lake Mayor, Mark Terry. Mayor Terry was appointed to City Council two years ago and then was elected to his first four-year term in November. The Mayor shares his perspective on the importance of water, having a city that has two water providers, how is navigates the challenges, and what he recommends. Join the conversation and find some take-aways that might work for you in your community.

For more information about Mayor Mark Terry and the City of Canyon Lake, visit https://www.canyonlakeca.gov/ .

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Sarah Woolf, a California Ag and Water icon, joins Darcy and Darcy and discusses Water Wise - a water management company for farmers in the central San Joaquin Valley, the Change Coalition, the San Joaquin Blueprint, the San Joaquin Valley Water Collaborative Action Program, and family farming – just to name a few!

Sarah shares her perspective on California water and agriculture, how it has changed, and where it may be going over the next decade or two. What was clear, was there is so much more to talk about! Darcy & Darcy can’t wait to have her back! Sarah is truly a W.O.W. – a Woman of WATER! This is a conversation you can’t miss!

To learn more about Sarah’s consulting firm, Water Wise, visit, www.WaterWise.Ag

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Darcy and Darcy welcome back Westlands Water District's Assistant General Manager, Jose Gutierrez and for the first time, welcome Kitty Campbell, Supervisor of Resources. Westlands has been doing some innovative groundwater sustainability efforts and in this episode, Jose and Kitty talk about their Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Program. This program works with Westlands growers to use their existing wells and convert them to dual purpose, meaning they recharge the deep aquifer beneath Corcoran clay layer when surface water is available as well as pump when groundwater extraction is permitted. Growers receive groundwater credits for each acre foot of water they store. Westlands has nine of these wells located throughout the District and over 70 have been installed by growers. Darcy and Darcy discuss the benefits for Westlands, the growers, and possibly for Southern California agencies looking for places to park water. Join the conversation!

To learn more about Westland’s ASR program, visit https://wwd.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/asr-information.pdf.

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Vivian Welsh, Founder and CEO of Vivians.io, a firm that develops Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, joins Darcy and Darcy and discusses what AI is, how utilities or farmers use this technology, what guardrails (If any) are in place, and what’s been the biggest barrier to AI implementation. Vivian shares great success stories, answers tough questions, and provides wonderful tips for getting started. Young, old, or in-between, this is an episode you can’t miss. Join the conversation!

To reach Vivian directly, visit her website www.vivians.io/ or email her at Vivian@vivians.io

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

It’s finally February, and true-to-form, January has been the longest year! Los Angeles fires were and still are devastating. On the bright side, water, particularly, California Water, has been front and center. Darcy V. and Darcy B. discuss how the information is evolving, and in some cases, literally changing by the second! They also emphasize the importance of educating electeds at all levels on how California’s state, federal, and local water systems work, what they are actually capable of, (Please note that putting out a wildfire is not one of them), and what we need. (Spoiler alert – Storage, expanded system capacity, less regulations, cooperation, and improved system flexibility are all discussed!)

The Darcys also mention that if you live in the Exchange Contractor area, the Annual ECPAC Member meeting will be Wednesday, March 5th, at 6:00pm. Chris White, Executive Director of the San Joaquin River Water Exchange Contractors will provide a water and operations update – including how President Trump’s recent Executive Orders impact the Central Valley Project. Registration is required. The event is free to attend, however ECPAC contributions are strongly encouraged.

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

With Los Angeles and the surrounding areas still ablaze, the media is capitalizing with headlines like Washington Post’s recent article, “L.A. fires may have brought cancer-causing chemicals into drinking water.” Causing further concern are the various public health water notices including Do Not Drink and Do Not Boil. Ultimately, people want to know, is their water safe to drink after a wildfire? What are local water systems doing to ensure the water is safe, and how are these efforts protecting public health?

Darcy B. is solo this week and was extremely grateful to welcome Dr. Andrew Whelton Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University. Dr. Whelton and his team investigate and solve problems that affect our natural and built environments. His expertise focuses on environmental chemistry and engineering, disasters, polymer science and engineering, water quality, infrastructure, and public health. His expertise has been called in on the Paradise Fire, Tubbs, Camps, and others. Darcy B. and Dr. Whelton discuss potential contaminants, recommended sampling, response protocols, recovery, and provides free resources for both the public and for water systems, on his website, Center for Plumbing Safety.

In addition, Dr. Whelton and other experts recently completed a Water Research Foundation project, Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) Plan for Public works and Water Utilities which is available for free on his website.

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

First, Darcy and Darcy send their concern and sympathy for those impacted by the horrific southern California fires. We hope you're safe, and the fires are extinguished soon.

To start 2025 off, Mitch Partovi, a water broker from The Water Agency, is back! Mitch joins Darcy and Darcy and discusses California’s current water supply, what activities are going on in California’s water market, and what might be expected. As our listeners have learned, the federal, or Central Valley Project, operates differently than the State Water Project. Farmers are deciding now whether to carry over their water or not. As Darcy V put it, “It’s a roll of the dice.” Darcy B took that to mean use or lose it, but nothing is quite that simple. Get the details by joining the conversation!

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We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.