We Grow California

Environmental restoration is a hot topic, especially in dry years. Significant investments have been earmarked for these types of projects, however, what are the metrics of success?  Julie Rentner, President of River Partners, a non-profit that restores rivers through farm management, shares with us their unique approach, their successes, and how they are duplicating these efforts throughout the s...

Westlands Water District is the largest agricultural water district in the country.  We were fortunate enough to spend some time with Jose Gutierrez, their newly announced Interim General Manager.  Jose provides a great overview of Westlands water supply portfolio, water rights, and the agency in general.  Jose discusses Westland’s water supply challenges over the last several years, the impact th...

It’s January 2023, and California is enjoying record snowpack and rain.  So, what’s the Exchange Contractor’s water supply forecast?  Join us as we welcome Chris White, Executive Director for the Exchange Contractors. He’s back to discuss how the 2022 water year went and offers a 2023 water preview.  Chris will also be the featured speaker at the next Exchange Contractors Political Action Committe...

It’s been over ten years since the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) passed.  Now is the time when the rubber meets the road, and Groundwater Sustainability Plans are currently being implemented. Join Darcy Villere and Darcy Burke as they discuss the best and worst of SGMA. If you have questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you.   Send us Fan Mail We Grow California Podcast is p...

California drought seems to be a normal situation when it quite frankly is an overall water management (or mismanagement) issue.  Water managers, engineers, and subject matter experts are no longer waiting for the State and have formed “Solve the Water Crisis.”  Join Greg Thomas, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District’s General Manager, and a key part of “Solve the Water Crisis,” as we discuss t...

Mark Nakata is a fourth-generation farmer and co-founder of the California United Water Association.  As part of the Madera area’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan, growers have been allocated 28” of water per acre, begging the question: how low can you really go and grow food?   Send us Fan Mail We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors...

Join us as Assemblyman Adam Gray, representing the 21st Assembly District, weighs in on the Governor’s Water Plan. We also discuss Gray’s fight to defeat the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, his water efforts in Sacramento, his opinion on what needs to happen now, and how Washington can help.  Send us Fan Mail We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC an...

Southern California water agencies have been paying residents and businesses up to $3 a square foot to take out their lawn.  With urban water users account for 10% of the state’s total water consumption, is having a lawn wasting water?  Are their impacts including recharge and heat that should be considered as well? Listen in as co-hosts Darcy Villere and Darcy Burke debate both sides.   Send us F...

In Orange County California, there is an ocean desalination project that uses slant-well technology, that is environmentally sensitive and works.  So why has it taken twenty years to move it forward? Is this the right time for the Doheny Ocean Desalination Project to finally move forward? Listen in as we welcome Rick Shintaku, General Manager of South Coast Water District as he provides an overvie...

Listen in as We Grow California welcomes co-founder, contributing editor and senior fellow with the California Policy Center, Ed Ring.  Ed is a senior fellow with the Center for American Greatness, and a regular contributor to the California Globe . His work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times , the Wall Street Journal , the Economist , Forbes , and other media outlets. Ring’s undergraduate...

Water rights and the California’s recent budget allocation to purchase water rights in strategic areas of the state that the State Water Resources Control Board has deemed important is extremely controversial.  Listen in as co-hosts Darcy Villere and Darcy Burke debate both sides.     Send us Fan Mail We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contr...

We Grow California welcomes Joe Del Bosque.  Joe is a former California Water Commissioner, member of the Latino Water Coalition, 2nd generation California farmer, and has been featured on the media channels across the globe including the Wall Street Journal , New York Times , etc.  Mainstream and social media fans can’t get enough of Joe and follow not only his cantaloupes but his love of Califor...

Sites Reservoir Project has been on the drawing board since the 1950’s.  Over the last decade or so it has gone through numerous design changes, partnerships, as well as cost and benefit analysis.  Fritz Durst from Reclamation District 108 serves as Chairman of the Sites Project Authority.  Fritz shares with us how the project got to where it is today, where it is in the planning process, and what...

We Grow California welcomes former California State Assemblymember, former California Secretary of State, and third-generation family farmer into the studio, William (Bill) Jones . Bill shares his water reliability while in the legislature, what his observations are now of current legislative efforts, where he gets his news and information, and his insights on water, agriculture, and today’s farmi...

We Grow California welcomes Cannon Michael, sixth generation family farmer, innovator, agriculturist, advocate, and ag advocate into the studio.  Send us Fan Mail 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.

  The Exchange Contractors Political Action Committee (ECPAC) produces We Grow California to engage Californians, policy makers, and influencers on the importance of water reliability, ag, food security, and related policies/regulations.     Send us Fan Mail We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State PAC and is not authorized by an...

Listen in as we welcome Chris White into the studio for some Exchange Contractors history and current water supply conversation.  Chris is the Executive Director of the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Authority, engineer, water manager, and exceptional historian.   Send us Fan Mail We Grow California Podcast is paid for by the Exchange Contractors Federal PAC and Exchange Contractors State...