We invite you to catch up with SSD attorneys and clients through this snapshot of our press releases, alerts, events and media coverage.

Upcoming Events

• Are you attending the California Women Lawyers Annual Conference in San Francisco on May 4? Watch out for Theresa Barfield, CWL board member and District 2 Governor.
• We look forward to visiting with clients and colleagues at the ACWA Spring Conference, May 8-11 in our hometown of Sacramento, CA. Shareholder Paul Simmons will speak at the CLE session “Federal Reserved Rights: Coming to a Water Source Near You?” Panelists will discuss recent judicial applications of the federal reserve right doctrine that may affect the water supplies on which ACWA members depend, as well as the issues those cases pose.  
• On May 9, Managing Shareholder Tess Dunham will address attendees of the Central Valley Clean Water Association Annual Conference. Her topic “CV-SALTS – What it Means to Your Permits and Your Community” is one of six presentations designed to help members understand and address environmental issues that will shape the future of wastewater regulation.
• Catch Ramsey Kropf at the Colorado Water Law Conference on June 8. Her presentation will address the recent US Court of Federal Claims case from the Klamath Basin in Oregon, where the court addressed competing claims by farmers, fish, and tribes.  She will also cover how this matter translates to Colorado water law principles and other westerns states.
• The 33rd Annual Water Law & Policy Conference takes place on June 11 and 12. Kelley Taber joins panelists in discussing “Practical Perspectives on California WaterFix,” with her take on “Judicial Challenges by Water Users.”
• Also on June 11, Ramsey Kropf heads to Sun Valley for the Idaho Water Users Association Annual Water Law & Resource Issues Seminar, where she will offer an update and outlook on the Klamath Basin Takings Case.
• Ramsey Kropf continues the theme in Seattle on June 18 and 19 at the LSI Seminar Tribal Water in the Pacific Northwest. During the panel on “Recent Key Cases Relating to Tribal Water Rights,” she will focus on implications from the Klamath Basin’s takings case.

Client Voices

• We are pleased to represent the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District in the California Water Curtailment Cases and had the opportunity to describe the District’s latest victory for The Recorder in an article titled “Court Finds State’s Drought Efforts Violated Jurisdiction and Due Process” (published 3/26/28, subscription required) and for the California Ag Network in “Irrigation Districts’ Court Victory Reestablishes Certainty for Irrigation Water.” For more background, please read our Policy Alert. Articles were authored by members of the litigation team, including Mike Vergara, Theresa Barfield and, Lauren Bernadett
• 5/31/18 Update: Congratulations to BBID on being recognized via historical declaration for its commitment to protect the oldest water rights in California. In remarks read into the Congressional Record from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) congratulated BBID for receiving the Association of California Water Agencies’ 2017 Excellence in Water Leadership Award. He also recognized the District’s “bold actions in defending the water rights of the farming communities within their area of service.” We appreciate the opportunity to work on this meaningful and impactful case moving forward.
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In Case You Missed It

• Theresa Barfield moderated a panel of esteemed bench officers for the Sacramento location of the award-winning “So You Want to Be a Judge? Pathways to the State and Federal Bench” series, developed by the California Women Lawyers. This program was designed to offer insight and advice about the judicial appointment process in California and to help increase the number of women and diverse candidates who seek to obtain appointment to the bench. Theresa joined the CWL Board of Governors last fall, and, as District 2 Governor, hosted the March Board meeting in her offices overlooking Capitol Mall. Through April 30, CWL will accept applications of candidates for election to vacant District Governor seats.
• Richard Deitchman prepared remarks for the National Association of Environmental Professionals 2018 Annual Conference in Tacoma, WA. Rich and his fellow panelists on the session titled “Klamath Basin Water – Resilience and Restoration” shared diverse perspectives to describe the challenges, the science, the agreements, and the future that define water conversation in the Klamath Basin.
• The 23rd Annual Western Water Law Conference (CLE International) took place in Las Vegas this past February. Colorado office shareholder Mike Gheleta served as co-chair and presented a topic titled “Litigation Over Management Plan for Klamath Basin Complex Wildlife Refuges: Can Farming and Wildlife Continue to Co-Exist?” Joining him on the podium was our newest shareholder Aaron Ferguson, who reported on the Delta Tunnels and California WaterFix during a panel session covering water infrastructure improvements.
• SSD publishes Policy Alerts on case decisions, legal trends and key developments within the fields of water, natural resources, environmental, public land, public agency, toxics and hazardous waste, and land development law.

Published April 13, 2018; updated May 13; updated June 7