Responding to Climate Change with Multi-Benefit Projects
Topic: Responding to Climate Change with
Multi-Benefit Projects
Speakers:
Melinda Frost-Hurzel, P.E., coordinator, Cosumnes Coalition
Gary Bardini, planning director, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency
When: Friday, March 8th, 2019, 12 p.m.–1
p.m.
Where: University Library, 2000 State
University Drive, Library 11
Map
Topic Overview
Climate change is creating new challenges to flood protection and water
management. An emerging strategy from the Department of Water Resources
is Flood-MAR:
…an integrated and voluntary resource management strategy that
uses flood water from rainfall or snow melt for managed aquifer
recharge (MAR) on agricultural lands and working landscapes,
including refuges, floodplains, and flood bypasses. Flood-MAR can be
implemented at multiple scales, from individual landowners diverting
flood water with existing infrastructure, to using extensive
detention/recharge areas and modernizing flood management
infrastructure and operations.
The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and the Cosumnes Coalition are
collaborating with stakeholders and researchers to explore a FloodMAR
multi-benefit project that would increase regional flood protection
while benefitting water supply and Cosumnes River ecosystems.
About the Speakers
Melinda Frost-Hurzel is the coordinator of the
Cosumnes Coalition, a group that includes Trout Unlimited,
American River Conservancy, Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays,
Fishery Foundation, and Landmark Environmental Consultants. The
Cosumnes Coalition (http://www.cosumnescoalition.org/)
works collaboratively with communities, agencies, and partners
to create win/win solutions that preserve the unique values of
the Cosumnes Watershed. Melinda is also the monitoring
coordinator for the ARC Cosumnes River Water Quality Monitoring
Program.
Gary Bardini, director of planning for the
Sacramento Flood Control Agency (http://www.safca.org/)
since September 2017, has more than 30 years of public service
with the State of California. His experience includes providing
strategic planning, policy development, and engineering services
to promote integrated and sustainable management of the
state’s water resources. At SAFCA, Gary directs the
formulation, coordination, and policy administration for
strategic and project-level planning initiatives. Prior to
working for SACFA, he served as the deputy director of
Integrated Water Management for the California Department of
Water Resources from 2011 to 2017. A graduate of California
Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, Bardini
received a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.
