Julie Caine

What was that? Tell me a little bit about what that is.

What was that? Tell me a little bit about what that is.

And so there's another person there that you hung out with. Tell me a little bit about Richard Potashin.

And so there's another person there that you hung out with. Tell me a little bit about Richard Potashin.

Why were you talking to him?

Why were you talking to him?

See, with both Noah and Richard, you were out in the field in their, you know, in their valley. And, you know, you went on sort of, I don't know if I would call them adventures, but you went.

See, with both Noah and Richard, you were out in the field in their, you know, in their valley. And, you know, you went on sort of, I don't know if I would call them adventures, but you went.

They were adventures. Yeah.

They were adventures. Yeah.

I mean, this is something you and I talked about a lot as we were working on this and like conceptualizing it. Like, what is this about? What is it really about? And what is it really, really about? Really, really, really about.

I mean, this is something you and I talked about a lot as we were working on this and like conceptualizing it. Like, what is this about? What is it really about? And what is it really, really about? Really, really, really about.

And I know one of the things that we talked about is this idea of that Roosevelt sort of, you know, we have to make decisions based on the greatest good for the greatest number. How do you think about the idea of the greatest good for the greatest number?

And I know one of the things that we talked about is this idea of that Roosevelt sort of, you know, we have to make decisions based on the greatest good for the greatest number. How do you think about the idea of the greatest good for the greatest number?

Yeah, I love when our episodes get into a kind of philosophical place, which a lot of the times that's what's happening behind the scenes, dear listeners, is we're like, okay, we're going to tell this story about the LA Aqueduct. Why are we doing it? Why now? What's different about the way we're going to tell this story?

Yeah, I love when our episodes get into a kind of philosophical place, which a lot of the times that's what's happening behind the scenes, dear listeners, is we're like, okay, we're going to tell this story about the LA Aqueduct. Why are we doing it? Why now? What's different about the way we're going to tell this story?

Is there anything that really stood out, an aha moment you had while you were reporting or...

Is there anything that really stood out, an aha moment you had while you were reporting or...

I love hearing that, Anya. I think that's just a perfect place to end our conversation. And it was really great working on this episode with you. Ditto. It is. Working on many things with you. Day in and day out. Okay, well, everybody, really thanks a lot for listening to this with us. And if you want to hear more of these really cool bonus episodes, behind the scenes, how did we make this?

I love hearing that, Anya. I think that's just a perfect place to end our conversation. And it was really great working on this episode with you. Ditto. It is. Working on many things with you. Day in and day out. Okay, well, everybody, really thanks a lot for listening to this with us. And if you want to hear more of these really cool bonus episodes, behind the scenes, how did we make this?

What's some tape we didn't play for you kind of episodes? Sponsor free, meaning no ads. And you want to just support more work like this, please consider signing up for ThruLine+. You can find out more at plus.npr.org. And we'll be back with another bonus episode just for ThruLine Plus supporters next month. Until then, thanks a lot and have a good one.

What's some tape we didn't play for you kind of episodes? Sponsor free, meaning no ads. And you want to just support more work like this, please consider signing up for ThruLine+. You can find out more at plus.npr.org. And we'll be back with another bonus episode just for ThruLine Plus supporters next month. Until then, thanks a lot and have a good one.

And, you know, when you first started talking to me about this, what I realized is my knowledge of the L.A. Aqueduct kind of comes from this 1974 Roman Polanski movie called Chinatown. Yes, a classic. It really is. But that's fictionalized, but it's fictionalized around a lot of the story of L.A. kind of moving from a dusty small town to becoming this paradise.

And, you know, when you first started talking to me about this, what I realized is my knowledge of the L.A. Aqueduct kind of comes from this 1974 Roman Polanski movie called Chinatown. Yes, a classic. It really is. But that's fictionalized, but it's fictionalized around a lot of the story of L.A. kind of moving from a dusty small town to becoming this paradise.

Hey, everybody. It's Julie Cain. I'm the showrunner and one of the editors on ThruLine. And we're going to do something kind of special today. In the spirit of giving, we want to give you a preview of our monthly bonus episodes, our plus episodes. Usually these are just for our ThruLine Plus supporters because we want to give them a little bit extra for their support. And we're so grateful.

Hey, everybody. It's Julie Cain. I'm the showrunner and one of the editors on ThruLine. And we're going to do something kind of special today. In the spirit of giving, we want to give you a preview of our monthly bonus episodes, our plus episodes. Usually these are just for our ThruLine Plus supporters because we want to give them a little bit extra for their support. And we're so grateful.

Got it. And so usually the story, as far as like what I would say common knowledge might be around it, is usually told from the perspective of Los Angeles. So like the movie Chinatown, like a lot of other things, Cadillac Desert, other kind of reporting around this. But you wanted to tell this story from a different perspective.

Got it. And so usually the story, as far as like what I would say common knowledge might be around it, is usually told from the perspective of Los Angeles. So like the movie Chinatown, like a lot of other things, Cadillac Desert, other kind of reporting around this. But you wanted to tell this story from a different perspective.

So could you just talk to me a little bit about how you decided to do that and the trip that it ended up taking you on?

So could you just talk to me a little bit about how you decided to do that and the trip that it ended up taking you on?

I love that.

I love that.

And, you know, the Aqueduct opened in 1913. Is that right? And here we are in 2024. And it's still operational. This is still where L.A. gets a lot of its water from. This is about like 250. 250 miles from L.A., right? 233, to be precise.

And, you know, the Aqueduct opened in 1913. Is that right? And here we are in 2024. And it's still operational. This is still where L.A. gets a lot of its water from. This is about like 250. 250 miles from L.A., right? 233, to be precise.

Yeah. And so, I mean, it's really interesting to think about, like, this is still there, first of all, and that this is still a living story. Not all histories, not everything we tell is contemporary and still happening. But this one really is. So that's really, really interesting. So, OK, so you drove. Where did you go to to tell the story?

Yeah. And so, I mean, it's really interesting to think about, like, this is still there, first of all, and that this is still a living story. Not all histories, not everything we tell is contemporary and still happening. But this one really is. So that's really, really interesting. So, OK, so you drove. Where did you go to to tell the story?

Thank you so much if you're already a Plus listener. But if you aren't a Plus supporter yet, we hope you'll consider signing up. It supports all our work at NPR and ThruLine. You get these bonus episodes where you get to hear more about us and how we make the show. And you get to listen to every episode live. without ads. So if you're interested, go to plus.npr.org to find out more.

Thank you so much if you're already a Plus listener. But if you aren't a Plus supporter yet, we hope you'll consider signing up. It supports all our work at NPR and ThruLine. You get these bonus episodes where you get to hear more about us and how we make the show. And you get to listen to every episode live. without ads. So if you're interested, go to plus.npr.org to find out more.

And so all that water is snow melt, basically. Yeah. From the mountains, right? From the Sierra Mountains.

And so all that water is snow melt, basically. Yeah. From the mountains, right? From the Sierra Mountains.

Oh, interesting. I didn't think about that. Yeah. So you can kind of get a sense probably from your drive, just like what kind of rugged terrain is.

Oh, interesting. I didn't think about that. Yeah. So you can kind of get a sense probably from your drive, just like what kind of rugged terrain is.

So, okay. So let's look at some of the people that you met, especially in the Owens Valley. So one of the people I think you met is a man named Noah Williams. So can you just talk to me a little bit about how you connected with him in the first place, what it was like to hang out with him and what were your impressions of the landscape walking around with him?

So, okay. So let's look at some of the people that you met, especially in the Owens Valley. So one of the people I think you met is a man named Noah Williams. So can you just talk to me a little bit about how you connected with him in the first place, what it was like to hang out with him and what were your impressions of the landscape walking around with him?

Okay, so all of that said, let's get on to the episode. I am here with the fabulous ThruLine producer, Anya Steinberg. Hi, Anya. Hi, Julie.

Okay, so all of that said, let's get on to the episode. I am here with the fabulous ThruLine producer, Anya Steinberg. Hi, Anya. Hi, Julie.

And what was it like for you to sort of be there? After you'd been researching and reading and watching documentaries, et cetera, et cetera, and then you're actually in the place.

And what was it like for you to sort of be there? After you'd been researching and reading and watching documentaries, et cetera, et cetera, and then you're actually in the place.

Well, you know, we're doing this kind of behind the scenes conversation, which I love to do because so much goes into all of our episodes. And let's talk about this episode that you pitched, reported called Water in the West.

Well, you know, we're doing this kind of behind the scenes conversation, which I love to do because so much goes into all of our episodes. And let's talk about this episode that you pitched, reported called Water in the West.

It's really interesting to me to think about like that water, that resource has been manipulated by human beings for a long time. So to see like how was it used by Native people and how is it being used now by the city of Los Angeles is really interesting to sort of like compare and just see like what's some of the technology that's used? What is it?

It's really interesting to me to think about like that water, that resource has been manipulated by human beings for a long time. So to see like how was it used by Native people and how is it being used now by the city of Los Angeles is really interesting to sort of like compare and just see like what's some of the technology that's used? What is it?

And what is it that you see in the landscape once you know what you're looking for?

And what is it that you see in the landscape once you know what you're looking for?

What was that? Tell me a little bit about what that is.

And so there's another person there that you hung out with. Tell me a little bit about Richard Potashin.

Why were you talking to him?

See, with both Noah and Richard, you were out in the field in their, you know, in their valley. And, you know, you went on sort of, I don't know if I would call them adventures, but you went.

They were adventures. Yeah.

I mean, this is something you and I talked about a lot as we were working on this and like conceptualizing it. Like, what is this about? What is it really about? And what is it really, really about? Really, really, really about.

And I know one of the things that we talked about is this idea of that Roosevelt sort of, you know, we have to make decisions based on the greatest good for the greatest number. How do you think about the idea of the greatest good for the greatest number?

Yeah, I love when our episodes get into a kind of philosophical place, which a lot of the times that's what's happening behind the scenes, dear listeners, is we're like, okay, we're going to tell this story about the LA Aqueduct. Why are we doing it? Why now? What's different about the way we're going to tell this story?

Is there anything that really stood out, an aha moment you had while you were reporting or...

I love hearing that, Anya. I think that's just a perfect place to end our conversation. And it was really great working on this episode with you. Ditto. It is. Working on many things with you. Day in and day out. Okay, well, everybody, really thanks a lot for listening to this with us. And if you want to hear more of these really cool bonus episodes, behind the scenes, how did we make this?

What's some tape we didn't play for you kind of episodes? Sponsor free, meaning no ads. And you want to just support more work like this, please consider signing up for ThruLine+. You can find out more at plus.npr.org. And we'll be back with another bonus episode just for ThruLine Plus supporters next month. Until then, thanks a lot and have a good one.

And, you know, when you first started talking to me about this, what I realized is my knowledge of the L.A. Aqueduct kind of comes from this 1974 Roman Polanski movie called Chinatown. Yes, a classic. It really is. But that's fictionalized, but it's fictionalized around a lot of the story of L.A. kind of moving from a dusty small town to becoming this paradise.

Hey, everybody. It's Julie Cain. I'm the showrunner and one of the editors on ThruLine. And we're going to do something kind of special today. In the spirit of giving, we want to give you a preview of our monthly bonus episodes, our plus episodes. Usually these are just for our ThruLine Plus supporters because we want to give them a little bit extra for their support. And we're so grateful.

Got it. And so usually the story, as far as like what I would say common knowledge might be around it, is usually told from the perspective of Los Angeles. So like the movie Chinatown, like a lot of other things, Cadillac Desert, other kind of reporting around this. But you wanted to tell this story from a different perspective.

So could you just talk to me a little bit about how you decided to do that and the trip that it ended up taking you on?

I love that.

And, you know, the Aqueduct opened in 1913. Is that right? And here we are in 2024. And it's still operational. This is still where L.A. gets a lot of its water from. This is about like 250. 250 miles from L.A., right? 233, to be precise.

Yeah. And so, I mean, it's really interesting to think about, like, this is still there, first of all, and that this is still a living story. Not all histories, not everything we tell is contemporary and still happening. But this one really is. So that's really, really interesting. So, OK, so you drove. Where did you go to to tell the story?

Thank you so much if you're already a Plus listener. But if you aren't a Plus supporter yet, we hope you'll consider signing up. It supports all our work at NPR and ThruLine. You get these bonus episodes where you get to hear more about us and how we make the show. And you get to listen to every episode live. without ads. So if you're interested, go to plus.npr.org to find out more.

And so all that water is snow melt, basically. Yeah. From the mountains, right? From the Sierra Mountains.

Oh, interesting. I didn't think about that. Yeah. So you can kind of get a sense probably from your drive, just like what kind of rugged terrain is.

So, okay. So let's look at some of the people that you met, especially in the Owens Valley. So one of the people I think you met is a man named Noah Williams. So can you just talk to me a little bit about how you connected with him in the first place, what it was like to hang out with him and what were your impressions of the landscape walking around with him?

Okay, so all of that said, let's get on to the episode. I am here with the fabulous ThruLine producer, Anya Steinberg. Hi, Anya. Hi, Julie.

And what was it like for you to sort of be there? After you'd been researching and reading and watching documentaries, et cetera, et cetera, and then you're actually in the place.

Well, you know, we're doing this kind of behind the scenes conversation, which I love to do because so much goes into all of our episodes. And let's talk about this episode that you pitched, reported called Water in the West.

It's really interesting to me to think about like that water, that resource has been manipulated by human beings for a long time. So to see like how was it used by Native people and how is it being used now by the city of Los Angeles is really interesting to sort of like compare and just see like what's some of the technology that's used? What is it?

And what is it that you see in the landscape once you know what you're looking for?