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Iva Warner papers
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Title: Iva Warner papers
Dates: 1963-1994
Collection Number: Consult repository.
Creator/Collector:
Warner, Iva May, 1912-2005.
Sonoma
County
Tomorrow.
Sonoma Land Trust.
Tomorrow.
Sonoma Land Trust.
Extent: 4 boxes
Online items available
Repository:
Sonoma State University Library
Rohnert Park, California 94928
Abstract: Balancing an integrated program to maintain environmental quality along Coastal California, Iva May Warner has faced nearly
insurmountable odds for over a decade. Joining two former Feinstone Award (the Sol Feinstone Environmental Award, given by
State University of New York) recipients, the late Dorothy Erskine of San Francisco and Sylvia McLaughlin of Berkeley, she
opposed a dam on the Russian River, mustering expert testimony on engineering, geology, earthquake analysis, biology and stream
degradation from some 200 citizen volunteers. Even though the Warm Springs Dam is being built today, a number of modifications
were effected that provide safety features and ameliorate environmental degradation. Warner was prominent in the effort to
form the state Coastal Commission to protect the coastline from over-development, and the succeeding Coastal Act of 1976,
both of which have had significant results. Her other projects have included opposition to aqueducts which could have opened
all of
Sonoma
County
to development, protecting the fishery in the Eel and Russian rivers, proposing land disposal waste water reclamation, implementation
and monitoring the
Sonoma
County
and Santa Rosa General Plans, farmland preservation, and opposition to stream channelization. Another focus was to pass the
State Water Conservation Initiative, an attempt to revise water law established in 1928. Iva Warner was an active member and
president of the environmental group
Sonoma
County
Tomorrow, and participated in battles over coastal development and protection of North Bay waterways.
Sonoma
County
to development, protecting the fishery in the Eel and Russian rivers, proposing land disposal waste water reclamation, implementation
and monitoring the
Sonoma
County
and Santa Rosa General Plans, farmland preservation, and opposition to stream channelization. Another focus was to pass the
State Water Conservation Initiative, an attempt to revise water law established in 1928. Iva Warner was an active member and
president of the environmental group
Sonoma
County
Tomorrow, and participated in battles over coastal development and protection of North Bay waterways.
Language of Material: English
Collection is open for research by appointment.
The library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claimants of literary
property.
[Identification of item]. Iva Warner papers. Collection Number: Consult repository.. Sonoma State University Library
Biography/Administrative History
Iva May Warner was born in Otay, California on October 21, 1912. She had an older brother and sister from her father’s previous
marriage. She never married or had children and died in 2005 at the age of 93 in Petaluma,
Sonoma
County
, California. Iva had an interesting and full life as an activist, environmentalist, school teacher and as president of
Sonoma
County
Tomorrow - an organization interested in the “quality of life in
Sonoma
County
”.
She was a leading player in the fight to keep Warm Springs Dam, which created Lake Sonoma, from being built. She lost the
fight to not have the Dam built, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers redesigned the Dam so it would be more sensitive to
the environment and future potential earthquakes.
Iva’s roots in
Sonoma
County
went back two generations as her grandfather led a wagon train west from Illinois to the Dry Creek Valley which was downstream
from the site of the Warm Springs Dam.
Sonoma
County
, California. Iva had an interesting and full life as an activist, environmentalist, school teacher and as president of
Sonoma
County
Tomorrow - an organization interested in the “quality of life in
Sonoma
County
”.
She was a leading player in the fight to keep Warm Springs Dam, which created Lake Sonoma, from being built. She lost the
fight to not have the Dam built, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers redesigned the Dam so it would be more sensitive to
the environment and future potential earthquakes.
Iva’s roots in
Sonoma
County
went back two generations as her grandfather led a wagon train west from Illinois to the Dry Creek Valley which was downstream
from the site of the Warm Springs Dam.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection is comprised of four boxes of materials and one scrapbook.
Environmentalists -- California --
Sonoma
County
, (Calif.)
Sonoma
County
, (Calif.)
Political activism --
Sonoma
County
(Calif.)
Sonoma
County
(Calif.)
Public lands -- California --
Sonoma
County
(Calif.)
Sonoma
County
(Calif.)
Warner, Iva May, 1912-2005.
Sonoma
County
Tomorrow (Organization).
Sonoma Land Trust (Organization).
Sonoma
County
(Calif.).
Warm Springs Dam (Calif.).
Environmentalists.
Activists.