River Voices: August 2019
Welcome to the August 2019 edition of River Voices, with special focus on recreation mapping in the Delaware Basin. Meet Brenna Goggin, River Network’s Mid-Atlantic Leadership Development Manager, and see what’s changed in the Southeast with an updated version of our report, Protecting and Restoring Flows in Our Southeastern Rivers. Plus: River Rally 2020 workshop submissions are OPEN!
River Network’s Delaware Story Map
What’s more refreshing than jumping into a river or lake on a hot August day? In many urban areas, we are seeing a resurgence of interest in recreation on waters that have long been considered off limits due to decades of negative impacts. River Network, with support from the William Penn Foundation, has developed an interactive story map to illustrate “designated” waters for swimming and aquatic life in the basin, translating regulatory details into digestible information organizations can use in their day-to-day work. See the full Delaware Basin story map here, and read more about the story it tells.
“River Network believes it is important for more people and organizations to share what they know about how people, fish, and other aquatic species and wildlife are using the waters.”
-Gayle Killam, River Network Deputy Director of Science and Policy
Rally 2020: Call for Workshops
Do you have practical knowledge and experience that will help accelerate the pace of progress toward a sustainable and equitable water future? River Network is now accepting workshop and field trip proposals for River Rally 2020 in San Antonio, TX.
Review the guidelines and submit your workshop or field trip proposal before 10/1.
Announcing Our Partnership with Ball
We are proud to announce a new partnership with the Ball Corporation! Over the next year, we will provide funding and support for five local organizations to host volunteer events that clean up communities and highlight the benefits of recycling.
Meet Our Team: Brenna Goggin
Meet Brenna Goggin, our Mid-Atlantic Leadership Development Manager. For over a decade, Brenna has educated various environmental orgs on professional advocacy, best practices for advocacy campaigns, and utilizing advocacy strategies for maximum results.
Update: What’s Changed in the Southeastern Flows Report
Rivers in the southeastern US are special places, ranging from quiet, blackwater rivers in the Coastal Plain to raging whitewater in the mountains and everything in between. Over the last three years, since River Network staffers Katherine Baer and April Ingle, with the support of many people, researched and wrote the first edition of the “Protecting and Restoring Flows in Our Southeastern Rivers – A Synthesis of State Policies for Water Security and Sustainability” report, much has changed. However, the threats and challenges facing the rivers and people who depend on them in this region remain. Read about these changes, threats, and challenges in the second edition of the report.
As Projects Director with Amigos Bravos, Rachel works to provide hands-on support to impacted New Mexico communities and watershed groups, reviews and comments on state and federal water policy issues, and conducts Clean Water Act trainings.
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Webinars & Resources
Innovative Financing for Green Infrastructure: Waves in Water Funding
August 20th 1:00–2:30 pm EST. In the fourth of a 4-part webinar series, Stacey Isaac Berahzer will provide an overview of the evolving use of green infrastructure for water quality management nationally. We will share examples of how some traditional financing sources, such as the State Revolving Funds and local utility capital improvement plans, are now used to fund green infrastructure (GI) projects. Free webinar. Register.
Member News and Tips
Our Communities, Our Power – Advancing Resistance and Resilience in Climate Change Adaptation
This toolkit was created specifically to guide NAACP units through the process of establishing an Environmental and Climate Justice Committee in order to develop a climate adaptation plan, but it is applicable to many other community-based organizations. The action toolkit provides 19 modules ranging from Developing a Community Climate Action Plan to Economic Justice and Water Resources Management. Because communities are different, some modules might apply in one location and not another. Download the full toolkit here.
Registration Open for the Delaware River Watershed Forum
Inspired by the Delaware Basin story map and want to get involved in the watershed? Registration is now open for the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed’s annual conference in Allentown, PA. Learn more.
Funding Opportunities
Paid River Network members enjoy this premium benefit! Submit projects to the Business for Water Stewardship Project Bank. Learn more.
Contact Us
Are you looking for training in water stewardship, organizational leadership development, or water science and policy analysis? Contact us.
What We’re Reading
Deep Creek – A memoir from Pam Houston, chronicling her journey living on a ranch in western Colorado, is a beautiful book about our sense of place and how it infuses our lives with meaning. It’s rich, with lots of funny ranch anecdotes.
A Great Lakes Platform for 2020 – The Heal Our Waters Coalition is asking presidential candidates to stand up for the Great Lakes, drinking water, public health, jobs, and quality of life.
Equitable & Just National Climate Platform – Developed by environmental justice and national environmental group advocates who participate in the Climate Forum, this platform identifies their desired outcomes and priorities for a national climate policy agenda, including improvements to the public health and well-being of all communities while tackling the climate crisis and environmental racism.
Stories from River Rally 2019 – Many individuals across the network have been reflecting on River Rally. Read about the Fair Farms approach from Waterkeepers Chesapeake, the Urban Waters Learning Forum workshop on addressing racial equity in environmental spaces, the achievements of Urban Waters award winners Gail Heffner and Dave Warners, and reflections from first-time attendee Kate Fritz. Want to share your Rally story? Contact us.
