Water Course

California Water Course

Science, Management and Policy

Announcement: Due to high demand, the course registration was closed on Jul/29

          Registration (Closed)          Description          Calendar          Content          Materials          Guidebook          Water System Self Assessment

Course Description

Objective: Provide relevant and applied education of water science, policies and management to residents, businesses, community water advocates, and entry level professionals in California.

Audience: any person interested in water issues and solutions in California, including water advocates, community leaders and entry level professionals.

Minimum requirements: Course enrollees should have basic knowledge of arithmetic and algebra

Student learning objectives: At the end of the course, the student will be able to
●  identify the natural and human-made components of their water system and recognize how they are connected
●  distinguish the water policies that apply in their region of interest,
●  evaluate the current water management in their region of interest, and
●  critique and propose alternative water management alternatives for their region of interest

Length: 40 hours total. 2 hours of video content, 14 hours self-guided content, and 24 hours of in person events

Certificate of Completion: This is a Pass/Fail course. You have to attend the all the group meetings and submit your Water System Self-Assessment assignments. If completed successfully, you will receive a certificate of completion.

Important Dates
Deadline to Register: July 31, 2025 - Registration closed on Jul/30 due to high demand​​​!
Kickoff meeting (remote): August 2nd, 8:30 to 10 am 
Group meetings: Aug 23rd (In person at UC Davis), Sep 27th (remote) and Oct 25th (hybrid), 9 am to 4 pm

The California Water Course it's a different course of water in California, because it is:

(1) Self-guided, you can take it at your own pace, you only need to attend three in-person meetings,
(2) Self-interest driven, each assignment is tailor towards the interest of each of the participants,
(3) Authenticated, meaning that the course is based on real-world examples,
(4) Question driven, meaning that the content is based on asking questions rather than explaining topics,
(5) Flipped-classroom, the theory and homework is done on your own, and the hand's on training is done during in-person events, and
(6) Bilingual, you can take the class in English or Español.

Course Content

Module 1 - Water systems and basic concepts of hydrology

Module 2 - Water policies in California

Module 3 - Water budgets

Course Materials

Freely available at:

 Facebook search: californiawatercourse
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/californiawatercourse/

 Instagram Search: californiawatercourse
 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/californiawatercourse/

 Tiktok Search: SamuelSandovalSolis
 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@user7868176383407?_t=8pfQloImBWV&_r=1

 Youtube Search: Samuel Sandoval Solis 
 YouTube Chanel: Module 1 (EnglishSpanish), Module 2 (English, Spanish), and Module 3 (English, Spanish)

 

Course Calendar

 

Date

Time

Location

Session

What is due?
Guidebook - Videos Water System Self Assessment

Intro.

Wed Jul/30 Midnight --- Registration deadline    
Sat Aug/2 8:30-10:00 am Zoom Kickoff Meeting (agenda, presentation, video, bios)    

Module 1 - Water Systems

Sat Aug/16 --- Here in the website Release - Guidebook, videos and Water Systems Self-Assessment     
Sat Aug/23 9:30 am Guidebook. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Deadline to read/watch the guidebook/videos (Module 1) X  
Sat Aug/23 9:15-4:30 pm UC Davis. Instructions
Parking: Parking lot 15 or Quad Parking Structure
Event in: PES & Veihmeyer Hall
1st. group session  (in-person) (instructions, agenda, presentations, water policy map, and handouts)    
Mon Sep/22 Midnight Google drive
(Instructions)
Deadline. Module 1 Water System Self Assessment   X

Module 2 - Water Policies

Mon Sep/22 --- Here in the website Release - Guidebook and Water Sysytems Self Assessment    
Sat Sep/27 9:30 am Guidebook. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Deadline to read the guidebook (Module 2) X  
Sat Sep/27 9:30-4:30 pm Zoom 2nd. group session (remote)(Agenda and presentations)    
Mon Oct/6 Midnight Google drive
(Instructions)
Deadline. Module 2 Water System Self Assessment   X

Module 3 - Water Budgets

Mon Oct/6 --- Here in the website Release Guidebook and Water System Self Assessment    
Sat Oct/28 Midnight Guidebook. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Deadline to read the guidebook (Module 3) X  
Sat Oct/25 9:30-4:30 pm Zoom 3rd group session (hybrid) (Agenda, Presentations)    
Mon Nov/3 Midnight Google drive
(Instructions)
Deadline. Module 3 Water System Self Assessment   X

 

Guidebook

Module Document IG FB TT YT or Videos

Module 1. Water Systems

Module 1 (pdf)

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1. What is a water System?
2. What is a basin?
3. What are the natural elements of a water system?
4. What are the human-made elements of a water system?
5. What are the key water cycle events to remember?
6. How human activities and climate change are affecting the water cycle?
7. How Many water Systems are there?
8. How Water moves naturally in California?
9. How snowmelt driven rivers function (high elevation)?
10. How rainfall driven rivers function (mid elevation)?
11. How rainfall and aquifer driven rivers function (low elevation)?
12. How grounwater moves underneath the valleys?
13. How urban water systems works?
14. How agricultural systems works?
15. How hydropower systems works?
16. How flood protection systems works?

Module 2. Water Policies

Module 2 (pdf)

       

What policies apply at all times in the State of California? 
What policies apply to surface water users? 
What policies apply to groundwater users? 
What policies apply for recycled water users? 
What policies apply for environmental flows?
What water policies apply to tribes?
What other policies apply for agricultural production?
What other policies apply for cities?
What is a key water principle that water sysytem follow?

Module 3. Water Budgets

Module 3 (pdf)

        What is a Water Budget?
What is a control volume and how it applies to the water budget of my water system?
How is a water budget for surface water basins?
How is a water budgets for groundwater basins?
How is a water budget for cities?

IG .- Instagram, FB.- Facebook, TT.- Tik Tok, YT.- Youtube

Water System Self-Assessment 

File with the instructions to submit your Water System Self-Assessment Assignment

Module Materials
Module 1. Water Systems

Template for your Water System

Example of Pajaro Valley

Module 2. Water Policies

Template for your Water System

Example of Pajaro Valley

Module 3. Water Budgets

Template for your Water System

Example of Pajaro Valley