Need a Summer Read? Check Out These H2O Books
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Looking to add the perfect water-themed book to your summer reading list? Here are a few recommendations.
General Counsel
Marcia Scully
says
Colossus: The Turbulent, Thrilling Saga of the Building of Hoover Dam
by Michael Hiltzik is one of her favorites and a part of Metropolitan history.
Archivist
David Keller
suggests
Water and Los Angeles: A Tale of Three Rivers, 1900-1941
by William Deverell and Tom Sitton,
William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles
by daughter Catherine Mulholland, and
The Great Thirst: Californians and Water- A History
by Norris Hundley, which
David
says, “is to my mind, the best single-volume work on water and California.”
“No reading list is complete without
Cadillac Desert
by Marc Reisner,” says AGM and Chief Administrative Officer
Shane Chapman
. He also recommends
Beyond Chinatown
by Steven Erie and
Dividing the Waters: Governing Groundwater in Southern California
by William Blomquist, which he says is a rare classic.
Tom Philp
, Met's Strategic Communication and Policy Advisor, is reading Mark Arax’s new book,
The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California,
a compelling story about agriculture and water politics.
And what about GM
Jeff Kightlinger
? An avid reader and history buff, his extensive collection includes the titles mentioned above and many others including
Water is Worth Fighting For
by John Fleck,
Let There Be Water
, a NY Times bestseller about Israel's water issues by Seth Siegel, and
Water and the Shaping of California
by Sue McClurg
.
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Met Staff Help Relocate a Family of Canadian Geese
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With the Toronto Raptors NBA win fading to the background, a new Canadian squad caught the attention of Metropolitan staff last week. A family of six Canadian geese was found struggling during annual routine dewatering of Metropolitan’s Etiwanda Reservoir in Rancho Cucamonga.
In a nest out of sight in a far corner of the reservoir beneath some steps, the family was left with little water and soaring temperatures in the concrete-lined reservoir.
WSO’s
Jessie Franco
was able to add water to the reservoir from nearby sprinklers, long enough to sustain the goose family for Environmental Planning Services
Brenda Marines
to coordinate their relocation. Contract biologist
Bill Wagner
and a small team of biologists assembled with nets used for deep sea fishing, a few dog carriers and a mission.
Enticed with bread, and luckily seasonal molting which prevented the geese from flying away, the adults were cornered, captured and placed in separate carriers. The four goslings were also quickly captured and placed in carriers.
“We found them a really nice spot at Lake Skinner in a cattail-lined cove,”
Bill
said. The release wasn’t a simple task, he explained. “If the goslings got separated too far during the release, the family would have dismantled,” he said.
Luckily they recognized each other and reformed their family again, he said. Now they are in “waterfowl heaven,” swimming in an open body of water.
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Following an Unexpected Path to Eagle Rock Control Center
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If you ask
Roni Santos
about his journey to becoming a system operations technician at the Eagle Rock Control Center he’d tell you “it’s been a wild ride."
Roni’s
introduction to Metropolitan was in 2001, working as a security guard at the Jensen Treatment Plant. While working full-time, he was also studying at California State University, Northridge with a plan to pursue a career as a Spanish teacher.
But after a few years at Jensen, his friendly demeanor and work ethic caught the attention of one of the electricians, who recommended he apply to Met’s Apprenticeship Program. In 2008, he took a chance and did just that. After a few anxious months of waiting, he received the call telling him of his acceptance into the program.
Starting as an apprentice,
Roni
worked his way up through the O&M Technician classifications until 2018, when he successfully bid for his current position.
Roni
has enjoyed every twist and turn of his career here. “Working here is so dynamic, each day is different and I feel as if I’m constantly learning something new” he says. He has done all kinds of work, from routine maintenance at different power plants and helping with flow change to power and water scheduling and outages.
He appreciates that his work schedule allows him time to pursue his two passions - traveling and competing in an adult soccer league. His co-ed league consists of nearly 100 members and he has been a pivotal player for the last five years.
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