Water is one of Nevada County’s most precious natural resources and the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) is a primary steward of this resource. While NID is blessed with a pristine high Sierra watershed, in the coming decades climate change will have a profound impact on the District and the communities it serves. Karen Hull, NID Division III Director and Board President, will be the guest speaker at AAUW Nevada County Branch’s Saturday, November 18th meeting, where she will discuss how the District is preparing for a future of extreme drought and flood, including how NID’s “Plan for Water” will help ensure its communities’ water future. She will also present the District’s approaches for addressing aged infrastructure and provide an overview of the District’s latest information on the regional impact of climate change.
The meeting will be held at Peace Lutheran Church, 828 West Main Street, Grass Valley, 9:30 – 11:30 am. It is free and open to the public.
With more than 270,000 acres within its service territory, NID is one of the largest and most complex water districts in California. The District’s water originates as snowmelt found in 70,000 acres of high elevation watershed near the headwaters of the Yuba River, Bear River and Deer Creek. NID employees manage water around the clock, moving supplies to one of 29 reservoirs, and later releasing water destined for drinking to one of six water treatment plants for filtration and purification. Annually, the District provides some three-billion gallons of high-quality drinking and irrigation water for 25,000 homes, businesses, and farms, including enough for 30,000 acres of agricultural land.
A 4th generation Californian, Hull earned an MA degree from California State University Sacramento. Spending a large part of her career at University of California Davis where she served as Associate Vice Chancellor, Hull has significant experience overseeing large, complex operations and a strong background in leadership, financial management, strategic planning, and collaborative problem solving. She is also a local flower farmer growing a variety of spring flowers for the commercial market under the name Bodacious Blooms.
For more than 75 years, the AAUW Nevada County Branch has been striving to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Membership is open to individuals with an associate, baccalaureate or higher degree from a qualified educational institution. For individuals interested in participating in branch interest groups and other activities, but who have not had the opportunity to complete a degree, the Nevada County Branch offers “Friends of AAUW” membership. For more information: www.nevadacounty-ca.aauw.net