2021 Regional Spotlight: California

Agenda

Tuesday, June 1 – Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Welcome to the National Waterways Conference’s (NWC) Regional Spotlight! NWC is the only national organization that represents all of the entities that interface with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers including state and local governments, waterways shippers, carriers, farmers, flood control organizations, levee boards, port authorities, industry and regional associations, dredging contractors, water supply districts, hydropower producers, engineering consultants and more. The purpose of the Regional Spotlight is to create and/or strengthen connections, not only with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE/Corps), but with each other.

Tuesday, June 1, 2021 (all times are in Pacific Daylight Time)

1:00pm – 2:00pm Welcome/Update from the South Pacific Division Commander

USACE’s South Pacific Division is comprised of ten states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. BG will give an overview on the division, as well as discuss key initiatives and projects within the Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco districts.

Rick Johnson, Executive Director, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency
Julie A. Ufner, President and CEO, National Waterways Conference
Tom Chapman, P.E. Senior Project Manager, HDR Engineering, Inc.*
Brigadier General Paul E. Owen, Commander, South Pacific Division, U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers (confirmed)

*Note: Mr. Chapman will serve as Master of Ceremonies as well as a moderator unless noted in the agenda. Mr. Chapman previously served as Commander and District Engineer of the Sacramento District, USACE.

2:00pm – 2:15pm – Break

2:15pm – 3:45pm How USACE Districts Work/How to Better Engage

During this session, we will hear from several USACE district leaders who will share priorities of their districts, as well as give best practices on how non-federal sponsors and stakeholders can more effectively engage their offices.

Brigadier General Paul E. Owen, Commander, South Pacific Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (confirmed)
Colonel Julie A. Balten, Los Angeles District, USACE (confirmed)
Colonel James Handura, Sacramento District, USACE (confirmed)

3:45pm – 4:00pm – Break

4:00pm – 5:00pm New to the World of Civil Works – Where to Start

Representatives in several key USACE division and district offices will discuss what they do and how to best engage with the offices for various infrastructure projects. Some of the questions they will be answering include the process to get studies and projects authorized by USACE; key terminology used by USACE (and what it means); what USACE needs from sponsors; best practices for engagement; and more.

Cheree Peterson, Program Director, South Pacific Division, USACE (confirmed)
Stu E. Townsley, Deputy District Engineer for Project Management, San Francisco District, USACE (confirmed)
Tambour Eller, Deputy District Engineer for Project Management, Sacramento District, USACE (confirmed)
David Van Dorpe, Deputy District Engineer, Los Angeles District, USACE (confirmed)

5:00pm – 6:00pm Breakout Rooms

Breakout rooms offer the participants a way to engage more informally with speakers and other participants on a variety of subjects. Note: While only eight people at a time can be shown on camera in each room, the rooms hold up to 100.

Breakout Room 1 – South Pacific Division (5:00pm—5:30pm PT)
- Cheree Peterson, Program Director, South Pacific Division, USACE (confirmed)
Breakout Room 2 – San Francisco District
- Stu E. Townsley, Deputy District Engineer for Project Management, San Francisco District, USACE (confirmed)
Breakout Room 3 – Los Angeles District
- David Van Dorpe, Deputy District Engineer, Los Angeles District, USACE (confirmed)
Breakout Room 4 – Sacramento District
- Tambour Eller, Deputy District Engineer for Project Management, Sacramento District, USACE (invited)
Breakout Room 5 – Latest Washington DC Happenings in the Water Realm
- Julie Minerva, Partner, Carpi & Clay, Washington, D.C. (confirmed)
Breakout Room 6 – Legal Issues in the Water Resources World
- Scott L. Shapiro, Managing Partner, Downey Brand, Sacramento, Calif. (confirmed)

Wednesday, June 2 (all times are in PDT)

1:00pm – 1:40pm Welcome/View from USACE Headquarters

Participants are welcomed back to Day 2 of the Regional Spotlight by Mr. Tom Chapman. Mr. Sturdivant will give a high-level overview about some of the USACE products, policies and programs coming down the pike for the nation such as the “Revolutionize Civil Works” initiative, status of levee safety engineering circular and pending rulemaking in the Section 408 and P.L. 84-99 programs and status of implementation guidance for the Water Resources Development Act of 2020.

Tom Chapman, P.E. Senior Project Manager, HDR Engineering, Inc.
Pete Sturdivant, P.E., Interim Chief of Engineering and Construction, USACE (confirmed)

1:40pm – 1:45pm Break

1:45pm – 3:00pm Real-Life Examples of USACE and Stakeholders Working Together

In the words of Fredrik Nael, “It takes both sides to build a bridge.” In this session, we feature several examples of stakeholders working proactively with USACE toward a common goal. Ms. Smith will discuss the San Rafael Federal Channel dredging project and how they worked with USACE to address permitting and regulatory challenges; Mr. Bessette and Mr. Howell will review how USACE and the flood control agency successfully moved forward with the Feather River West Levee Project; and Mr. Woodside will discuss several Orange County Water Agency ecosystem restoration collaborations with USACE. The speakers will give unique insights into how challenges were overcome, while building stronger working relationships with their USACE districts.
Navigation
- Talia Smith, Department of Public Works, City of San Rafael (confirmed)
Flood Control
- Michael Bessette, Executive Director, Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency (confirmed)
- Elizabeth “Beth” Salyers, Senior Project Manager, Sacramento District, USACE (confirmed)
Ecosystem Restoration
- Greg Woodside, Orange County Water District (confirmed)

3:00pm – 3:10pm Break

3:10pm – 3:55pm California’s Role in Corps Projects

While every state in the nation handles water infrastructure projects differently, these differences are especially unique in California. Throughout the state, California’s role and responsibilities for studies and projects can differ wildly, based on the USACE district involved, the part of the state and the type of project. The panel will explain the state’s various roles to give participants a better understanding on when and where the state will be involved. (Thanks to Larsen Wurzel & Associates, Inc. for sponsoring this session!).

Gary Lippner, Deputy Director, Flood Management and Dam Safety, California Department of Water Resources (confirmed)
Kristopher A. Tjernell, Deputy Director, Integrated Watershed Management, California Department of Water Resources (confirmed)
Leslie Gallagher, Executive Officer, California Central Valley Flood Protection Board (confirmed)

3:55pm – 4:05pm Break

4:05pm – 5:00pm Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations and Water Supply

Much of California’s flood control and water supply systems utilize the same facilities and are heavily dependent on what is happening upstream. For example, California is very dependent on multipurpose reservoirs that are located outside of urban areas. Not only recreational, but these dams also rely on snowmelt to supply water downstream. However, in recent year due to climate change and more extreme weather events, snowmelt is occurring earlier in the year and overlapping with California’s rainy season. This leaves residents, businesses and industries more vulnerable to both flooding and drought. However, Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) can better inform decisions on when to retain or release water. This panel of experts will explain how FIRO works, the role atmospheric rivers play, and the challenges and benefits of FIRO.

Ted Craddock, DWR Deputy Director, State Water Project, California (confirmed)
Marty Ralph, Director, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, Scripps institution of Oceanography (confirmed)
Joe Forbis, Flood Operations, Sacramento District, USACE (confirmed)
Randi Field, Central Valley Project Operations, Bureau of Reclamation (confirmed)