Early registration available until 9/16 by clicking here. Starting at 8:30, join us at the registration table outside the Meyer Ballroom in Colorado Mesa University’s Student Center to pick up your nametag or complete day-of registration. Coffee and light breakfast served inside the ballroom.

John Marshall, Colorado Mesa University President will offer a CMU welcome to water seminar attendees.

Be a part of the conversation by taking part in our QR-code prompted engagement.

Russ Schumacher, Director of the Colorado Climate Center and the Colorado State Climatologist. A basin-wide outlook on climate impacts including findings from the recent Climate Change in Colorado study from the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University.

Dave “DK” Kanzer, Colorado River District Director of Science and Interstate Matters.  A detailed analysis of the inflow to Lake Powell and overall hydrology of the headwaters in all four Upper Basin States will be followed by a look at the storage levels of Lakes Mead and Powell with a focus on how those levels will determine long-term water planning and cuts for all seven Colorado River Basin States.

Andy Mueller, Colorado River District General Manager. The River District has spent the last twelve months working to protect West Slope water, and we have been busy. Learn about some of our most impactful projects, where we are speaking up for West Slope water users in difficult conversations, and what we’re doing next.

Water users across the state depend on the sustained flows of the Colorado River for agriculture, recreation, environmental benefits and clean drinking water. A broad-based coalition of local governments and water entities has been working for decades to secure the benefits associated with protecting the Shoshone water rights. This panel will bring together diverse voices to share how their lives and livelihoods are impacted by these critical flows.
Speakers:
Moderator: Lindsay DeFrates, Colorado River District Dep. Director of Public Relations
David Payne, Ute Water Assistant General Manager
Merrit Linke, Grand County Commissioner and Rancher
Bart Miller, Western Resource Advocates Healthy Rivers Director
Ken Murphy, Adventure Outdoors President

Join your fellow attendees for conversation and networking inside or out on the terrace.

Be a part of the conversation by taking part in our QR-code prompted engagement.

Dan Keppen, Family Farm Alliance Executive Director. What role do alfalfa and hay crops play in local, state, and national economies? How are those producers working under water restrictions and earlier, hotter summers?

This session explores the intricate dynamics of water rights and curtailment, particularly in the context of agricultural producers. Farmers and ranchers in the upper Colorado River basin have frequently faced natural water shortages due to climate change, however, long term legal restrictions are not as common. In contrast, regions like the Rio Grande and Republican River Basins are dealing with permanent water cutbacks, which have serious effects on local economies and communities.
Speakers will share what they’ve learned and what they wish they had known fifty years ago. They will discuss the impact of water cutbacks on families, communities, and food security both from local and state-wide perspective. This panel will highlight the real stories of farmers and their struggles, as well as possible solutions to these challenges.
Speakers:
Moderator: Zane Kessler, Colorado River District Director of Government Relations
Robert Sakata, Colorado Department of Agriculture Water Policy Advisory
Marc Catlin, Colorado House District 58 Representative
Cleave Simpson, Colorado State Senate District 6 and Rio Grande Water Conservation District General Manager

Join the buffet line to grab lunch, catch up with other attendees, and then return to your seat for a lunchtime keynote.

Be a part of the conversation by taking part in our QR-code prompted engagement.

Zak Podmore, Journalist and Author Journalist and author, Zak Podmore, will present the lunchtime keynote address with a different perspective on river operations and the value of the Colorado River by examining the crisis at Lake Powell and its links to the overdevelopment of water (especially in the Lower Basin) as well as climate change. What are the implications of the design issues within the Glen Canyon Dam that make water deliveries challenging at low reservoir levels? Is there a positive side of the crisis in the remarkable ecological rebirth that’s already unfolding within Glen Canyon? And do we have an opportunity to rethink the role of Glen Canyon Dam in the Colorado River system?

The Bureau of Reclamation owns and operates the infrastructure which forms Lakes Mead and Powell. In 2007, in response to the growing impacts of the Millennial Drought, the seven Colorado River Basin states (CO, UT, WY, NM, NV, CA, and AZ), agreed to the 2007 Interim Guidelines which govern the operations of the nation’s largest reservoirs. However, those operational guidelines will expire in 2026, and the Colorado River Basin has seen continued levels of historic drought. All seven states have gathered again to develop operational proposals which will be submitted to the Bureau of Reclamation in the fall of 2024. This panel will convene experts to discuss the following questions which are central to these ongoing negotiations:
Where do the post-2026 interstate guideline negotiations currently stand? Are there specific examples of how are we seeing history repeat itself in these high-stakes conversations? Are there factors at play today that we haven’t seen before? What are we missing in these conversations? This panel will dive deep into what lessons we can learn from history as we take stock of where we are as a basin today.
Speakers:
Moderator: Dave Kanzer, Colorado River District Director of Science and Interstate Matters
Russell Callejo, Bureau of Reclamation Project Manager
Taylor Hawes, The Nature Conservancy Colorado River Program Director
Lorelei Cloud, Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council Vice Chairman, and CWCB Director for the San Miguel-Dolores-San Juan Basins

Join your fellow attendees for conversation and networking inside or out on the terrace.

Lauren Ris, Colorado Water Conservation Board Director. The Colorado Water Conservation Board mission is to conserve, develop, protect and manage Colorado’s water for present and future generations. The CWCB represents water users across the state, including the headwaters communities on the West Slope. Director Ris will present on the projects and priorities of the state as they overlap with the interests of West Slope residents.

Funded through the Community Funding Partnership, the Sonoran Institute is leading Growing Water Smart workshops and education for communities along the western slope. Their work has supported communities in asking and tackling the hard questions: What policies do we need to change to implement the changes we need? What goals do we need to set to ensure we can support our community in the future? What cultural messages do we need to start to promote? Listen in to our local water provider leaders on how they have taken steps towards water conservation and their goals to further support their communities into the future.
Speakers:
Moderator: Amy Moyer, Colorado River District Director of Strategic Partnerships
Matt Langhorst, City Glenwood Springs Director of Public Works
Nina Waters, Summit County Commissioner
Preston Neill, Town of Ridgway Town Manager

What is the power of regional dollars in leveraging federal and state funding? Colorado River District Director of Strategic Partnerships Amy Moyer will premier a new short film about the success of Accelerator Grants and explain their importance with a focus on policy implications and the need for creative, nimble solutions when it comes to water project funding.

Be a part of the conversation by taking part in our final QR-code prompted engagement.

Wrap up the day with a drink and conversation with fellow water professionals outside (weather permitting) on the terrace overlooking the beautiful Colorado Monument.