Government:

Federal-

NRCS- Natural Resources Conservation Service

US Bureau of Reclamation – www.usbr.gov

State-

State Water Resources Control Board – www.swrcb.ca.gov

The one that’s about BMP’s

Local-

Bay Area

SFPUC- daylighting local rivers, developing local groundwater sources, rainwater catchment, graywater resources, rebates on high efficiency appliances, Free toilets for low-income, free water evaluations

SF Environment – www.sfenvironment.org

East Bay MUD- Check out their anaerobic digester!

BAWSCA- Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency

Santa Rosa PUC

Windsor PUC

MCSTOPP

Other

San Diego Water Department

Seattle Public Utilities

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Greywater/Rainwater/Eco-design:

How better to align yourself with the watery flow than designing your life around it? From elegant and on-the cheap DIY projects to eco-design firms, these organizations span a large range.

Greywater Action

Greywater Alliance

SFPUC- graywater guidebook coming soon/Rainwater harvesting program

Oasis Design- Art Ludwig

Ecology Center- Berkeley

Dig Co-op

Arizona Water CASA

Ecology Action of Santa Cruz

Wholly H2O- www.whollyh2o.org “Wholly H2o’s mission is to equip Californians with the information and skills necessary to normalize water conservation and efficiency, as well as rainwater, graywater, stormwater and black water reuse/recycling.” Also acts as a clearinghouse of information for all things water-related.

Planting Justice- www.plantingjustice.org

Water Sprout- www.watersprout.org “design build landscape firm specializing in residential and commercial graywater, rainwater catchment, and irrigation efficiency.”

Watershed Restoration:

The Watershed Project

STRAW

SPAWN – www.spawnusa.org

The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network is an amazing local organization that works to protect endangered salmon in the Lagunitas Watershed in Marin County. Go on walks to see spawning salmon, volunteer to help in watershed restoration, learn about their rainwater catchment roof project, and more…

Agriculture/Organic Gardens:

How does water relate to Agriculture? 80 percent of California’s water goes towards growing our food. This is not, however, a reason (as some urbanites) think, to blame farmers for our water problems. We need food. And food takes a lot of water. But, how can we grow our food in the smartest, water-effective way?

Why Organic? It just so happens that principles of organic farming and permaculture are water-saving, water-loving. From high organic content in the soil to utilizing shade, moving towards organic agriculture will help take the load off our rivers.

Irrigation Association- conservation of natural resources and certified landscape irrigation auditor program

Sustainable Conservation

Alemany Farm

Garden for the Environment

Hayes Valley Farm

Ecology Action of Santa Cruz

Planting Justice- www.plantingjustice.org

Urbanfarmers.org- www.urbanfarmers.org “cultivating sustainable environments in metropolitan and urban areas.” Roof-top and year-round gardens in cities.

International Projects:

International Rivers

Blue Planet Run Foundation

El Porvenir

Global Women’s Water Initiative

Women’s Earth Alliance- www.womensearthalliance.org You will not meet a nicer group of women (and men too!) anywhere. “A global organization that implements solutions to issues of climate, water, food, and land by connecting grassroots women environmental leaders to urgently-needed resources, training and advocacy.”

World Water Council

Bolivia- organized against private water

A Single Drop- http://www.asingledrop.org A Single Drop “Brings Clean, accessible and sustainable water” to international communities that don’t have access.

Water.org- www.water.org a U.S.-based nonprofit organization committed to providing safe drinking water and sanitation to people in developing countries

Globalwater.org- www.globalwater.org

Water Aid- www.wateraid.org “dedicated exclusively to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world s poorest.”

Watershed Organization Trust – www.wotr.org

Organization that supports small communities in arid parts of India to use holistic and integrated methods to catch and utilize water. Their work supports local self-sufficient economies and women’s empowerment.

School Programs:

McMaster/UN program

Education/Water Resources:

Found SF/ Shaping SF

Wholly H2O- www.whollyh2o.org “Wholly H2o’s mission is to equip Californians with the information and skills necessary to normalize water conservation and efficiency, as well as rainwater, graywater, stormwater and black water reuse/recycling.” Also acts as a clearinghouse of information for all things water-related.

Center for Ecoliteracy- www.ecoliteracy.org is “a public foundation dedicated to education for sustainable living.”

The Water Education Foundation – www.watereducation.org

Incredible organization based in Sacramento that offers classes and fieldtrips on water resources.

Other Amazing Organizations/Projects:

Caliornia Urban Water Conservation Council

National Heritage Institute- Water Resource Research

Sustainable Conservation

Ecology Center- Berkeley

EcoHouse- Berkeley

Found SF/ Shaping SF

Ecology Action of Santa Cruz

Pacific Institute

SF Estuary Institute- www.sfei.org

Bay Localize- www.baylocalize.org As they say, “We catalyze the emergence of a regional, self-reliant economy that strengthens all Bay Area communities”

River of Words- www.riverofwords.org “non-profit organization dedicated to connecting kids to their watersheds through poetry and art”

Communitree- www.communitreemovement.org Bay Area org “dedicated to social and environmental justice through the arts and service learning.

Resource Conservation Districts- Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa

Environmental Justice Coalition for Water -www.ejcw.org- “The Environmental Justice Coalition for Water is a network of more than fifty grassroots and intermediary organizations. EJCW works to empower community members to become strong voices for water justice in their communities.”

The Water Institute – www.oaecwater.org

SPAWN – www.spawnusa.org The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network is an amazing local organization that works to protect endangered salmon in the Lagunitas Watershed in Marin County. Go on walks to see spawning salmon, volunteer to help in watershed restoration, learn about their rainwater catchment roof project, and more…

Lovers of Rivers:

Friends of the Santa Margarita River

Tuolumne River Trust– www.tuolumne.org- Stewardship of the Tuolumne River,the river that supplies San Francisco and the peninsula with 85 percent of its water. Education/Outreach, Watershed Restoration, Adventures on the River, Organizing to support the river!

My favorites for Innovative Water Research/Projects:

Pacific Institute

SFPUC (yes, I’m biased)

Greywater Action/Greywater Alliance

Tuolumne River Trust

Cool Water Fieldtrips

Hike in Peninsula Watershed (Bay Area)

Free tours of treatment facilities (SFPUC)

Volunteer doing Watershed Restoration for a day or even a couple hours! Its rewarding

Visit the Santa Margarita (San Diego- Fallbrook)

Go find a river and listen!

Cool Services to take advantage of:

SFPUC Water Wise Evaluations- Check it out y’all. If you live in SF, and your house ain’t water efficient, take advantage of free Water Wise Evaluations. Conservation expert will come to your home, tell you how you can save more water, and give you free water-saving devices (aerators, low-flow showerheads) for FREE!

stay tuned for more links!