The Tuolumne River Trust works with a coalition of environmental organizations, water agencies, and business networks to organize the Silicon Valley Water Conservation Awards.
Join us on World Water Day - March 22, 2010 - for the Awards Ceremony. The ceremony will be hosted by Applied Materials,
(last year’s business winner) at their offices: 3050 Bowers Ave., Santa Clara, CA. from 11am–1pm Santa Clara County Board President, Ken Yeager, will give the keynote address.
The event is free and open to the public. RSVP's requested to info@WaterAwards.org
or (415) 882-7252 ext. 302.
Click here to read the full press release and description of
the winners.
Recognizing the primacy of water issues to the health and economic vitality of our region and to the environment, the Water Awards are presented to organizations, agencies and businesses whose programs and leadership have advanced water conservation in Silicon Valley (San Mateo County, Santa Clara County and Alameda County from Hayward south). By promoting water conservation in the region, the Trust seeks to reduce Bay Area demand for water from the Tuolumne River.
The Tuolumne River Trust is offering a free presentation called "That's the Tuolumne in My Tap!" to 4th and 5th grade classes in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties - areas that get a major portion of their tap water from the Tuolumne River. Click here for more info
The presentation introduces students to the source of their tap water in hopes of fostering interest in water conservation and good stewardship of natural resources. A slideshow takes the class on a tour of the Tuolumne River, highlighting the wildlife it supports, a bit of history of the Hetch-Hetchy water system, and an overview of some current threats to the river. This is followed by a lively discussion about all the ways we use water, and how we can conserve it in order to protect the River.
Schedule a Presentation If you have questions or are interested in scheduling a presentation, please contact Jessie Raeder at jessie@tuolumne.org or 415-882-7252 ext. 301.
Volunteer The Trust will train volunteers who are interested in presenting this program to 4th and 5th grade classes around the Bay Area. Interested volunteers must enjoy working with kids and be available for at least 4 weekday school visits during the school year. Please contact Jessie Raeder for more information: jessie@tuolumne.org or 415-882-7252 ext. 301.
Teachers! See links below for recommended homework assignments and other follow-up materials.
Canoeing and flat water kayaking legs of Paddle to the Sea are all CLASS I and open to everyone, from people who have never canoed
or kayaked before to experienced paddlers. Come paddle along the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway and San Joaquin River. Even if you are a total beginner, this is a great way to experience the River!
The Tuolumne River Trust is happy to supply you with a seat in one of our canoes, or you are welcome to bring your own boat if you prefer!
Leg 3, May 15: La Grange, 8.5 miles Leg 4, May 16: Waterford, 10.5 miles (Leg 4 ends at the Waterford Paddle Party!) Leg 5, May 17: Fox Grove, 6 miles Leg 6, May 21: Ceres, 7 miles Leg 7, May 22: Modesto, 3 miles (Leg 7 ends at Green on the Stream - a huge Riverside Party that will welcome the paddlers to Modesto - highly recommended!) Leg 8, May 23: Riverdale, 5 miles Leg 9, May 24: Big Bend, 6 miles Leg 10, May 25: San Joaquin River Confluence, 10 miles (Leg 10 SOLD OUT) Leg 11, May 26: Stanislaus River Confluence, 6 miles Leg 12, May 27: Durham Ferry, 4 miles Leg 13, June 1: Mossdale, 13.5 miles Leg 14, June 2: Lathrop, 5 miles Leg 15, June 3: Stockton, 12.5 miles
Registration fees are $10 for TRT members, $25 for non-members, and all participants are asked to raise at least $50 through the Paddle-A-Thon (details here).
Questions? Please call 1-888-994-3344 or email paddle@tuolumne.org.
There are two sea kayaking legs of the trip, both on June 5th, 2010, and both ending at the Grand Finale Party at the Aquarium of the Bay! See below for more information. Sea Kayaking Option 2 is open to beginners - NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY for Option 2.
Sea Kayaking Option 1 - For Experienced Paddlers San Francisco Bay Crossing from Oakland to San Francisco, followed by a paddle around the waterfront. Time: 8AM to 1PM, Distance: 10 miles, Put-in: Jack London Square, Oakland. Take-out: Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco. Bay-crossing experience required. Paddlers on this leg are responsible for bringing or renting their own boat and equipment; we recommend renting from our sponsor California Canoe and Kayak, which is conveniently located in Jack London Square. This leg will meet up with the Waterfront Leg and both groups will go on to the Grand Finale location. A shuttle will be provided for return.
Sea Kayaking Option 2 - For Beginners San Francisco waterfront. Time: 10AM to 1PM, Distance: 3 miles. Beginners welcome! Put-in: South Beach Harbor. Take-out: Aquarium of the Bay, Paddle along the SF waterfront to the Grand Finale Celebration at the Aquarium of the Bay. Paddlers on this leg are responsible for bringing or renting their own boat and equipment, we recommend renting from City Kayak in San Francisco. Call City Kayak at 415-850-9971 to make your reservation. The price is $74 for a single kayak or $104 for a double kayak. These prices include kayak, spray skirt, paddle, and PFD, along with delivery of the kayak to the put in location and pick up from the take-out. A shuttle ride will be provided for the kayaker's return to their car.
Questions? Please call 1-888-994-3344 or email paddle@tuolumne.org.
WHITEWATER RAFTING OPTIONS - Deadline to sign up is MONDAY MAY 3.
Professionally guided whitewater rafting trips No experience necessary. Join the kickoff leg of Paddle to the Sea May 7-8! Only $359 for a professionally guided Tuolumne rafting trip with ARTA River Trips. In honor of Paddle to the Sea, ARTA is generously donating $100 of every ticket to help protect the Tuolumne River.
CLICK HERE for the ARTA registration website - enter May 7 as the date and "Tuolumne River Paddle to the SEa" as the River Trip. Or call ARTA at 1-800-323-2782 (ARTA). Deadline to sign up is Monday, May 3.
(Update 4-30-2010): May 7-8 should be a great time to get out on the water! The weather looks perfect, the water will be big and exciting (but not too big) and you'll be supporting a wonderful cause. This trip will end just in time to arrive at the Paddle to the Sea kickoff concert in Groveland, where Rolling Stone Magazine's "Artist to Watch" Brett Dennen will play a solo acoustic set. But you have to act fast and register now - the DEADLINE to sign up for this trip is Monday, May 3.
CLICK HERE for the ARTA registration website - enter May 7 as the date and "Tuolumne River Paddle to the SEa" as the River Trip. Or call ARTA at 1-800-323-2782 (ARTA).
Reservations are subject to confirmation.
2-Day Professionally Guided Tuolumne Raft Trip with WHITEWATER VOYAGES - May 7-8 (Friday and Saturday). Cost: $439
Then contact Whitewater Voyages to reserve your seat and pay associated fees. Call the reservation center at 1-800-400-7238 (RAFT) 9a.m. to 5p.m. weekdays or book your trip online.
1-Day Professionally Guided Tuolumne Raft Trip with WHITEWATER VOYAGES - May 9 (Sunday). Cost $219.
Then contact Whitewater Voyages to reserve your seat and pay associated fees. Call the reservation center at 1-800-400-7238 (RAFT) 9a.m. to 5p.m. weekdays or book your trip online.
PRIVATE WHITEWATER RAFTING TRIPS Paddlers with the necessary experience and equipment are welcome and encouraged run their own private trip as part of Paddle to the Sea. You will need to secure a private boating permit from the Forest Service. The Tuolumne River Trust does not have the authority to issue permits. Contact TRT Recreational Outreach Coordinator Carlos Leonzo at carlos@tuolumne.org or 916-684-1891 if you need assistance with this process. Register your private trip with Paddle to the Sea here. No registration fees are required for this portion of the trip, though fundraising through the Paddle-A-Thon is strongly encouraged!
Questions? Please call 1-888-994-3344 or email paddle@tuolumne.org.
Friday, June 4 8am - 7pm Join Paddle to the Sea paddlers and Tuolumne River Trust Executive Director Eric Wesselman for a fun and educational yacht cruise through the San Francisco Bay Delta. See firsthand the largest estuary in the Western Hemisphere, and learn how the health of the Delta and the Tuolumne River Salmon population are inextricably linked.
The Paddle to the Sea Delta Cruise is a 90-mile boat journey from Stockton to Oakland. The cruise will take us along the San Joaquin River, through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, across San Pablo Bay, and will end at Jack London Square in Oakland. The wildlife viewing opportunities, scenery, and sense of discovery are unparalleled during this leg of Paddle to the Sea due to the different ecosystems though which we will be traveling. This cruise is a unique opportunity to see the Delta from Stockton to the Bay limited to 15 participants.See below for a picture of the boat on which we will be traveling.
The Delta Cruise will depart from the Port of Stockton at 9:00am the day of the trip.The time it will take us to make the journey to Jack London Square will depend on tides, winds, and bay conditions.We expect the trip to take around 9.5 hours.The cost of the trip is $250.00 per person.This will include boat ride, lunch, drinks, appetizers, a light dinner, and shuttling from Oakland to the Port of Stockton.There will be a morning and an evening shuttle available the day of the trip.
We are excited to announce that conservation biologist and Delta expert Jon Rosenfield, Ph.D of the Bay Institute will be joining us as a speaker for the trip. Dr. Rosenfield is actively engaged in the protection of the Delta, and well versed in both the ecology and the politics of this unique region and critical ecosystem. We are thrilled to have his participation on this trip!
2.4 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area consume Tuolumne River water. The Tuolumne River Trust advocates that the City of San Francisco, which manages the Hetch Hetchy Water System, act as a good steward of the River. We encourage the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and it's wholesale customers to pursue a sustainable water plan that: a) makes needed system repairs; b) includes an environmental improvements component to fund restoration and protection efforts; and c) meets new water needs through conservation, efficiency, and recycling. We expect San Francisco and neighboring communities to serve as a model for other regions of the state and country.
Now that there is a cap on water sales until at least 2018, the Trust is partnering with the SFPUC and the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) which represents the SFPUC's 27 wholesale customers, to promote water conservation and recycling. We are doing so in the following ways:
Promoting a "cap & trade" water market system that will allow agencies to buy and sell water allocations and thus drive innovation.
Encouraging all BAWSCA member agencies to join the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) and to pursue its Best Management Practices.
Lobbying cities to adopt "retrofit on resale" ordinances that require upgrades of water deviced prior to sales of property.
Educating residents about the connection between their water consumption and the the health of the Tuolumne River, and encouraging water conservation.
Coordinating a water conservation and recycling awards program for World Water Day - March 22.
Initiating an Earth Day Challenge among cities that measures progress on water conservation and recycling, and rewards innovative programs and practices.
Creating and distributing curriculum to schools to foster awareness among students about where their water comes from and how they can help protect the Tuolumne River through water conservation.
Overseeing Tuolumne River Tap Water stations at events around the Bay Area.
The Tuolumne River Trust works with an alliance of
community and environmental organizations -- the Bay Area Water
Stewards -- to promote a sustainable water plan that invests in water
conservation and environmental stewardship.
Highlights of our
accomplishments include convincing the SFPUC to:
Drop plans to divert an additional 25 million gallons of water per day from the Tuolumne River, and instead meet future demand through water conservation and recycling until at least 2018.
Forego plans to construct a new 47-mile pipeline under the San Joaquin Valley that would have allowed 50% more water to be diverted from the Tuolumne River
Encourage your city council to take on an Earth Day project focusing on water conservation.
Encourage your city council to host a study session on water policies and practices. For an example from Menlo Park, click here.
Volunteer for the Tuolumne River Trust - for more information or to be added to our volunteer contact list, contact Bay Area Organizer Jessie Raeder at jessie@tuolumne.org or call 415-882-7252 ext. 301.
