Dear Water of Users:
Nothing like a huge fire to change your perspective on a watershed, like the Rim Fire in the Tuolumne River Watershed! As well as the plans of Wholly H2O.
Since we were founded in 2009, Wholly H2O has been connecting the dots between people, technology, policy and education about water conservation and water reuse. Only four and a half years ago, “graywater” and “rainwater harvesting” were still outside the norm, and for most, unheard of. Wholly H2O has been a leader of the pack in California in making these laws and practices the norm in California. Yeah, Go Us!
Moving our focus to watersheds over the last year means that we are now moving into educating not only the state and local governmenta,l water agencies, and leading businesses, but going to directly to the people to make sure they have a connection to their watershed. Hence starting with the Tuolumne River, source of water to nearly 3 million people in San Francisco, the Bay Area and the upper watershed.
We began this December with the opening of the fascinating and quite moving art show, Standing with the Watershed. The two-month exhibit aims to expose the energy and vitality of this watershed and water system before, during and after the Rim Fire. The stories and impressions exhibited use the Fire as a point of reference but extend deeper into the human relationship with this watershed and the causal relationships behind environmental disasters. The show is inspired at times by the tragic beauty of the natural landscape engulfed in flames and its people reeling in the fire’s path and aftermath. Other moments the show draw us in to the urban side of the water system sharing impressions where this water is used by 2.5 million of the urban residents in the Bay Area. Please don’t miss the opportunity to see the show before January 29, 2014. You’ll be deeply moved.
But, no, we are not stopping there. Taking advantage of the 4 million people that pass through Groveland, CA on the borders of Yosemite National Park, which holds the headwaters of the Tuolumne River, Wholly H2O is building RIM, River in Motion – A Watershed Experience. This education center is taking it’s cues for developing clever, interactive, engaging and beautiful ways to communicate the life of the Tuolumne River watershed, and watersheds in general, focusing on the changes the Rim Fire is bringing to the watershed and linking all to end use. Yupper, we’re still stuck on water reeuyse, but driving people to know and respect their water source – their watershed – to make the full circle complete.
For those of you whom have benefitted from a Wholly H2O forum, from being on a panel, from making connections to the best person/technology, from our website, and from Standing with the Watershed, hit the little button and donate $20 or more.
We’re worth it, don’t you think? DONATE NOW!
Thank you for your vital support. We are one of those nonprofits that really, truly can not make it without your MONEY!!!!
Thank you all for loving Wholly H2O!
Happy Holidays!
Elizabeth Dougherty, PhD
Founder and Director
