This story is the first in an occasional series about the drought’s effects on health. Andrea Castillo’s reporting was undertaken for the California Health Journalism Fellowship, a program of USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism.
How are rivers and health linked in California's Central Valley? Ezra Romero paddles down the San Joaquin River in Fresno to discuss public access to a natural resource in a city that ranks last in the nation for access to parks and has some of the worst health disparities in the state.
Dr. Thomas Cole is the public health officer for Madera County. His state-appointed job puts him in close contact with the the Madera County Public Health Department. The department's programs include AIDS, bioterrorism preparedness, child health and disability prevention, communicable disease control, breast cancer screening and child immunization.
