California water expert William Kahrl will present “Death in the Almond Orchard: Five Simple Questions to Resolve California’s Water Crisis” at 6 p.m. Friday, May 1 at Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library. Sponsored by the Friends of the Madden Library, the event is free and open to the public.

From the creation of California’s wild and scenic rivers system to the current battle over Governor Jerry Brown’s twin tunnels proposal, Kahrl has been involved in nearly all of California’s major modern water wars.

Kahrl is the award-winning editor of “The California Water Atlas” and author of the definitive history of the Southern California water system, “Water and Power.” He has served as an adviser to all three of California’s largest public water districts as well as governmental agencies in the U.S. and abroad where he has aided in the resolution of conflicts over critical natural resources.

For the second time in five years, California is in the grip of a crippling drought. Farmers are battling for water allocations and homeowners are facing new restrictions on their water use while state and local agencies press for a long-term solution to restore reliability to California’s water system.

Kahrl offers his perspective on the challenges California is facing and what must be done to heal the damage to the water system, economy and environment. He separates the issues that have been resolved from the questions we still need to address, and helps explain what is at stake for the interest groups involved. Organizers say the event is designed to inspire a lively and thought-provoking discussion that offers a fresh perspective on the topic.

The evening starts with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the program at 6:45 p.m. Parking and admission to the event are free, but RSVP is requested by April 24. Enter code “Libwater2” for registration.

For information or assistance with special accommodations, contact Sharon Ramirez at 559.278.5790 or sramirez@csufresno.edu.

Related links:

Madden Library

Friends of the Madden Library

Event RSVP (enter code Libwater2)