Water Resiliency in the Inland Empire-CivicSpark Fellows - a podcast by Michael Hancox

TOPICWater Conservation with Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority


IN THIS EPISODE[01:39]Introduction of Arya Moalemi.
[02:25]Arya describes the CivicSpark program.
[02:47]Arya tells about working on water issues in Southern California.
[03:24]How much acreage is within the Inland Empire?
[03:54]Arya elaborates on his work addressing water issues in Southern California.
[05:35]Arya explains the challenge of Southern California drying out.
[06:17]Arya shares the goal of the agencies he’s working with.
[06:39]What does the future of water in Southern California look like?
[07:40]Arya describes the impact of his work.
[09:52]Arya shares when he decided he wanted to become a CivicSpark fellow.
[11:21]Arya tells if he anticipates having an ongoing, networking relationship with the other CivicSpark fellows.
[12:39]Arya explains what he’ll be doing after his CivicSpark fellowship ends.
[13:11]Arya describes if his CivicSpark skills will make him a stronger job candidate and better professional.
[14:01]Arya describes if his CivicSpark experience will make him a stronger job candidate.
[14:36]Arya shares the advice he would give to someone who is interested in becoming a CivicSpark fellow.
[15:12]Arya comments on the focus group of CivicSpark fellows looking at water issues and water infrastructure.
[15:43]Arya shares where people can learn more about the CivicSpark program.
[16:12]Arya shares one change that would lead to smarter, more sustainable, and more equitable communities.
[16:24]Arya states the action listeners can take to help build a more equitable and sustainable future.
[17:11]Arya comments on the fact that there’s a demand and not enough supply of walkable places where people can live.
[18:16]Arya says what the water-system resilience in Southern California looks like 30 years from now.
GUESTBefore earning his masters’ degree in City Planning and Regeneration at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, Arya Moalemi went to the University of California, Irvine and received his degree in International Studies. He has lived in Le Mans and Lyon, France and has since lived in Montreal, Canada. He is passionate about the field of urban planning.ORGANIZATIONCivicSpark is a Governor’s Initiative AmeriCorps program dedicated to building capacity for local governments to address climate change and water management issues in California, administered by the Local Government Commission in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. The mission of CivicSpark is to build capacity for local governments to address climate change and water management needs.
Each year, CivicSpark recruits 68 fellows—48 Climate Action Fellows, and 20 Water Action Fellows—who contribute over 65,000 hours to help California communities respond to climate change and water management needs. In collaboration with local government staff, CivicSpark fellows implement a needed climate or water-focused project, while also building long-term capacity to ensure the work is sustained after their service year is completed. Local governments get dedicated project support from a focused team of enthusiastic emerging professionals who receive specialized professional development and sector training.TAKEAWAY QUOTES“With IEUA [Inland Empire Utilities Agency], for example, I really appreciate how they have a really strong goal—and it’s the same as SAWPA [Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority]as well—of trying to be as self-sufficient as possible. And so that is putting a huge emphasis on groundwater storage and groundwater management as much as they possibly can because ground water doesn’t evaporate, it comes from us, it comes from the rain, and so that seems to be a big push, at least in the Inland Empire.”
“One of the hugest things that I have learned in the few months that I have been with these agencies is how closely tied water and energy are together and how...

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