Water and Wetlands Series   

In this class we will learn the history of flood control in the California's Central Valley. The efforts to control the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers over time, beginning in the 1800's through today, will be studied. How flood control policy developed in California, and how policies have changed over time will be examined. Structural and institutional methods of controlling floods will be analyzed, and the resulting environmental and economic impacts will be discussed. Local efforts and impacts will be a specific subject of interest.

Dry Creek Watershed links Sacramento and Placer Counties and flows through Newcastle, Loomis, Rocklin, Roseville, Antelope, Rio Linda, and Sacramento. We'll investigate its geography, the historic and ongoing impacts of people, and the wildlife and plants that populate the river system, with a focus on migrating salmon. Dry Creek Conservancy, a volunteer organization dedicated to protecting the watershed will also be highlighted.

From the rainy Northwest to the snowy Sierra, California’s rich watery resources have provided both natural riches while yet fostering intense and unending political wrangling. Learn whence the water emerges, where it flows naturally, and the mind-boggling engineering transfers from watershed to watershed. Can 40 million Californian's share the wealth?