Sandy Gokee is Anishinaabe—Bear Clan—and lives in Ashland, Wisconsin. For the interview, we sat outside at a park overlooking Lake Superior as a storm skirted around us, so you might hear a little wind and maybe even thunder in the recording. Sandy introduces herself in her native language, Ojibwemowin. Her Ojibwe name, Wenipashtaabe, means “She Carries a Light Load. She shares her concerns about the … Continue reading Wenipashtaabe – Sandy Gokee
Mary Dougherty lives in Bayfield, Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Superior. As she says, just about as far north as you can go in the state without getting wet. She is the author of “Life in a Northern Town: Cooking, Eating, and Other Adventures along Lake Superior.” We talked about preserving the watershed of the world’s largest fresh water lake and how we need … Continue reading Mary Dougherty
Izzy Collett is the co-founder and owner of Desert Adventures, an outfitter in Boulder City, Nevada that takes clients on outdoor adventures. With more than 20 years of paddling experience, Izzy is a searcher, always looking for new answers. “Water is a finite resource. It’s not an unlimited supply. We’re on this little ball in the universe and we only have what we have and … Continue reading Izzy Collett
Colby Pellegrino is the Deputy General Manager of Resources for the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas is the driest metropolitan area in the United States with an annual rainfall of just four inches. We talked about the increasing population of Las Vegas, the unprecedented drought and the innovative water conservation programs the city has developed in the face of it … Continue reading Colby Pellegrino
David Arend was named the Deputy Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamations Lower Colorado Basin in December of 2021. His responsibilities include oversight of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. I interviewed David at the Hoover Dam near Boulder City, Nevada. “If the water’s not there, it can’t flow downstream. It’s pretty simple math. This is a hundred percent uncharted territory. We have … Continue reading David Arend
Nora McDowell is a member of the Fort Mojave Tribe in Mojave Valley, Arizona and was the chairperson of the tribe for more than 25 years. She’s a part of the leadership team for the Water and Tribes Initiative and is passionate about protecting all natural and cultural resources along the Colorado River. “The water, especially…We have to care for it. We have to speak … Continue reading Nora McDowell
Bri Hernandez Rosales is a graduate research assistant at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada and did her graduate thesis on the feasibility of rainwater harvesting for a local tribe. I interviewed Bri two days before she walked the stage to receive her master’s degree in hydrologic sciences. “Communities are trying to thrive, but the climate is changing so rapidly that they don’t have … Continue reading Bri Hernandez Rosales
Chad Taylor is the director of sales and marketing for Lake Mead, Mohave Adventures, and grew up on Lake Mead, when his dad was the general manager of Callville Bay Marina in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States, but is currently at historically low levels as the population in the … Continue reading Chad Taylor
Lisa Rutherford lives in Ivins, Utah, just outside of Saint George, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in America. Lisa spent two decades working for the oil industry in Alaska and is one of the founding board members and current advisors for Conserve Southwest Utah. We talked about water resources, smart growth, and resisting the ever-present temptation to consume. “That’s what being a good steward … Continue reading Lisa Rutherford
We’ve been working to line up these water interviews for months, and it’s a good thing. Suddenly water scarcity is everywhere in the news. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are at historically low levels. The Colorado River was listed as our nation’s most endangered watershed. The original intake pipe to deliver water to Las Vegas was suddenly exposed by lower water levels, as were human … Continue reading Water
