Borgias to present on Indigenous rights in rural-urban water conflicts

Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, 3 – 4 p.m.
Ruch Engineering Building, Room 301

The Department of Geology presents “Indigenous Rights and Coalitions for Water Justice in Rural-Urban Water Conflicts” with Sophia Borgias from the School of Public Service at 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, in the Ruch Engineering Building, Room 301. Enjoy a cookie and coffee social hour before the seminar at 2 p.m. in the Environmental Research Building main lobby.

Abstract for Borigas’ seminar: “Conflicts over large rural-to-urban water transfers are often framed as clashes between agriculture and cities, a characterization that belies the diverse interests at play. This presentation offers a critical reassessment of the water conflicts over the Los Angeles Aqueduct, one of oldest and most famous inter-basin water transfers in the American West. Based on in-depth archival, ethnographic, and collaborative research, it examines long-overlooked histories of Indigenous dispossession and ongoing struggles for land and water rights in the Owens and Mono basins of eastern California. In addition to tracing connections between past and present, the research sheds light on diverse visions for the future of the region, as Indigenous leaders, environmentalists, and ranchers join forces to fight for water justice.”