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If you would like a copy of any of the PowerPoint presentations please email jenny@wakc.com Please complete our survey to gather your feedback about the conference. Please take the time to fill it out so we can make the conference better next year. Survey link here Thank you, again, for your attendance and support. |
BAKERSFIELD, CA – The Water Association of Kern County proudly presented its Water Leader of the Year and Water Legacy Awards last Wednesday, November 8th, at its 2023 WAKC Annual Meeting held at Stockdale Country Club.
Board members and guests gathered for the 67th Annual Meeting and were excited to come together and surprise the award recipient. Scott Thayer, 2021-2023 WAKC President, welcomed everyone to the Annual Meeting and introduced the evenings agenda. Guest Speaker, Lois Henry spoke about the historic wet year, the flooding and “how we whistled past the graveyard”.
WAKC elected new officers to lead the organization; President Jason Giannelli (Old River Farming), 1st Vice President Stephanie Hearn (GEI Consultants), 2nd Vice President Dolores Salgado (Ardurra) and Secretary Kristina Budak (City of Bakersfield). We also recognized retiring Board Members; David Nixon (Arvin-Edison Water Storage District) and Tim Ruiz (East Niles Community Services District).
Every year WAKC presents the Water Leader of the Year and the Water Legacy Awards at the Annual Meeting. The Water Leader of the Year award is given for significant contributions, leadership and integrity over the past year. Steven Teglia, General Manager of Kern Delta Water District, presented the 2023 Water Leader of the Year award to Mark Mulkay.
Mulkay, who is retiring this December after a 30-year career as the General Manager of Kern Delta was singled out for his contributions over the past year as the Kern River Watermaster. Mulkay was instrumental in the success of managing the historically wet year on the Kern River. In his introductory comments Teglia recalled “The timing was perfect, Mark’s responsibilities with Kern Delta were winding down and serving as Watermaster for a short term would be a nice way to ease into retirement. Unfortunately for Mark that was not the case.” It was a term like no other before him, Teglia continued “During Mark’s nearly two-year tenure as Watermaster, the runoff from the Kern River switched from abnormally low in 2022 to historically high in 2023. What is normally an obscure role with little public interest, suddenly became the center of attention.” Mulkay’s service and acts of leadership made him a well deserving awardee for our Water Leader of the year.
Rodney Palla, President of Kern Delta Water District next presented the Water Legacy Award to honor a recipient who spent his life working in water issues, demonstrated leadership and long-term commitment to Kern County water. Palla presented the Water Legacy Award to Mark Mulkay. Palla stated “During these early years…Mark introduced a new fandangle idea called water banking. Mark was persistent in convincing the Board that Water Banking was the way of the future for Kern Delta and was instrumental in bringing a banking partner that changed the way the district would operate for years to come.”
It speaks to the magnitude of Mulkay’s tenure that he was the recipient of both awards. Palla stated “Although Mark ended his career as the Watermaster, I truly believe he will be remembered as the Master of the Kern River.” The evening was a remarkable testament to the longevity of service in the amazing individuals that represent our Kern County water community.
SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
REGISTER NOWJoin us for our 66th Annual Meeting,
November 9, 2022
Tickets & Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Join us for a Free, Family friendly event to connect our Kern County Residents to our local purveyors.
2022 Water Conservation Campaign Flyer
Join us May 19, 2022 for our 2022 Water Summit
Sponsorship opportunities now available.
We can’t thank you enough for attending the 2021 virtual Kern Coun
ty Water Summit!
We hope you enjoyed discussing crucial water topics such as the Biden Administration update on Federal Water and the report on “Effective Water Rights Response to Climate Change”. As well as analysis added by our keynote speaker, award-winning journalist and author, Mark Arax.
As promised here is the link to access the event for the next year.
Please use the same email you used to register. https://wakc.brand.live/c/kern-county-water-summit
We hope to see you again next year!
Webinar with David Serafini, US Army Corps of Engineers
David C. Serafini is the Geosciences Branch Chief for the SPD Dam Safety Production Center and is a Registered Geotechnical Engineer in the State of California. He has over 19 years of experience with the USACE working on geotechnical investigations and designs for both the Military and Civil Works Dam and Levee Safety Missions. He has also worked on risk evaluation, risk management plan alternative development and evaluation, and design of Dam Safety Modifications. He currently serves as the Lead Engineer for the Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project.
Serafini provided a brief project review of the Isabella Dam, an overview of modifications to the main dam, auxiliary dam, service spillway and new emergency spillway as well as Phase ll Construction highlights and status for each feature
