From the Board President

By Alana Lucia, BriarPatch Board President

“Never waste what you can’t live without.” My grandmother told me that for as long as I can remember, and usually because I was letting the water run while I brushed my teeth. Having grown up in California, I think about water a lot. It used to be that we would spend summers at the American River — swimming, rafting and catching whatever creatures we could find. Now I spend time at the Yuba plunging into her cold waters and basking in the majestic beauty. I also volunteer for Sierra Streams monitoring some of the smaller tributaries to the Yuba.

Perhaps you have seen that we are expanding to a second store and in doing so, we have expanded our definition of local to anything within our watershed. This is a much larger area that we are including, and, for me, a huge alteration in the way I think. It expands the area I feel a responsibility to care for. When you think about water, it’s really one of the most shared, recycled and communal resources we have. Every drop of water here on Earth has been here since it came to be, and has been used over and over and over again. Over time, where it has landed and flowed has shifted somewhat, with some regions getting (significantly) more or less than the patterns of the past. It’s essential that whatever precious water comes our way these days gets used mindfully, more than once (when practicable) and as gently as possible. As a tiny individual in this grand human world, how can I care for my watershed? Though I haven’t taken the time to measure my impact, I have many personal favorites: putting in plants that don’t require much water, taking quick showers, mulching the garden beds have a series of them scheduled this year that you can find on the NID website. This is an excellent opportunity to hear what they are planning and all of the things that must be considered in making their decisions. It’s also another way that BriarPatch is showing up for our community. We are voicing our opinion that water for agriculture is a priority and hoping NID allocates enough for our own farmers and ranchers before sending it to other parts of the state. We are also gaining a broader understanding of the complex politics of water in this county, this state and beyond.

“When you think about water, it’s really one of the most shared, recycled and communal resources we have. ”

well, and picking up trash I find at the rivers or beaches. Everyone has their own ways of caring. Most recently, I discovered that we are able to contribute our opinions to NID in their Plan for Water Workshops. They Most of us share a love of the water in one way or another. I hope you are able to make it to your favorite water spot this season and feel a deep sense of peace there. And if you're so called, find a way to protect it.