Spring

This class was a field-based multidisciplinary study of the ecology, geomorphology and management of rivers in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, with a focus on the Tuolumne River watershed.

The course brought together students from different scientific backgrounds to study the San Juan River watershed, covering ecology, geomorphology, and management through classroom sessions and literature reviews. It culminated in a seven-day rafting trip for field data collection and analysis.

Tuolumne Meadows, located at 8500 ft in Yosemite National Park, is an iconic example of a high-elevation Sierra Nevada meadow system. Part of the headwaters of the Tuolumne River watershed, the broad U-shaped valley is surrounded by granitic domes and peaks shaped by past glacial processes. The Tuolumne River winds through the meadow complex, fed by snowmelt from permanent snowfields on Mt. Dana and Mt. Lyell. This virtual hike takes you along the Tuolumne River through the main Tuolumne Meadow complex. The hike begins on top of Lembert Dome, with a view overlooking the meadow complex. From there you can jump down to the hike along the river, which starts at stop 1 upstream of the Highway 120 and extends for approximately 3 miles downstream to the base of the meadow at stop 49. An interpretive trail with informative videos that are based on the real interpretive trail signs located in the park can be found between stops 10 and 24.

In collaboration with the Public Policy Institute of California and other researchers, the Center prepared California Water Myths—a report highlighting eight common water myths, focusing on water supply, ecosystems and legal and governance issues. In providing information to combat these myths, the study establishes a more informed approach to water policy and management in California.

The following books and readings will provide a very good understanding of general water issues in California. We don't endorse everything they say, but most educated water wonks in California will have read most of them.

The Center for Watershed Sciences is hosting a weekly series of public speakers on California water policy in response to floods this winter, beginning Jan. 23. This course examines flooding in national and California water policy, including: large scale and small scale flood planning; legal issues surrounding flooding; flood mitigation; environmental impacts to and from flooding; including ecosystem restoration, flood mitigation, and climate change. Speakers are tentative.

This course seeks to introduced advanced undergraduate students to multidisciplinary collaborative watershed and stream analysis through combined laboratory and field study of a selected stream system. Topics relating to management of stream systems were discussed throughout with emphasis on the management of Sierra Nevada rivers in California.

This class was a field-based multidisciplinary study of the ecology, geomorphology and management of rivers in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, with a focus on the Tuolumne River watershed.

This class was a field-based multidisciplinary study of the ecology, geomorphology and management of rivers in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, with a focus on the Tuolumne River watershed.