The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency celebrated its 40th anniversary Tuesday during a lively open house gathering.
The casual affair, at the Civic Plaza Building’s Community Room, drew close to 100 people, from dignitaries in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, to farmers, various area boards, Freedom Rotary Club and community members.
With an electric 40 sign glowing at center stage, several speakers took turns highlighting lows and highs of the agency’s path through four decades.
Amy Newel, PVWMA Board Chair, paid strong praise to the “wisdom and guts and perseverance” it took for the agency to get a “30-year head start on a sustainable ground water management act.”
Marcus Mendiola, Water Conservation and Outreach Specialist with PVWMA said the agency is striving to achieve sustainability by 2040 with the crew of 14 full time employees. “Forty years ago this week the people voted, and an act of the state legislature, pushed through by Senator Henry Mello, to create PVWMA. “It’s been a struggle and a lot of work — and there is a lot of work ahead — but we’re here and we’re getting it done.”
