Water Quality Workshop: Impacting Your Farm’s Bottom Line

American Legion, Keenesburg, CO
March 5, 2019

Thank you to Brian Allmer with BARN Media, who filmed this meeting for those who could not attend.

Presentations
Click on the names below to see the presentations used in this workshop.

Water Quality as a Component of the Colorado Water Plan -
What Are We Facing in the South Platte Basin?

Mark Sponsler, Executive Director, Colorado Corn
Nicole Rowan, Program Manager, Clean Water Program

Panel 1 - Water Quality in the South Platte River: Past Issues, Current Conditions, and Future Considerations

Changes in water rights, non-point source, and point source pollution have cumulative effects on water quality and impact the use of South Platte River water. Concentrations of salts and nutrients have an economic impact.

Moderator:

Erik Wardle, CSU Water Quality Program Manager, Dept. of Soil and Crop Sciences

PANELISTS:

Troy Bauder, CSU Extension Water Quality Specialist, Dept. of Soil and Crop Sciences
Estella Moore, Nonpoint Source Mgmt. Workgroup Leader, Water Quality Control Division, CDPHE
Dick Parachini, CDPHE-Retired, Water Quality Forum, Morgan County farm/ranch

Reconvene

Clint Evans, State Conservationist, Colorado Office of the Natural Resource Conservation Service

Panel 2 – Lessons from the Field

Highlights of Best Management Practices to improve water quality in the lower South Platte River, Best Practices Implementation, and Economics & Funding

Moderator:

Daren Harmel, Director, USDA-ARS Center for Agricultural Resources Research

PANELISTS:

Larry Lempka, Irrigator from Larimer County
Mike Weber, Lower AR Valley Water Conservancy District
Sondra Pierce, Irrigator from Weld County

Panel 3 – Water Quality Is a Bottom Line Issue

Risks & Opportunities “Best Odds Bets” to protect and improve water quality in the South Platte basin.  What resources are available? What results should you expect?

Moderator:

Cindy Lair, Program Manager, Colorado State Conservation Board, Colorado Dept. of Agriculture

PANELISTS:

Cindy Einspahr, District Conservationist, Brighton Office, USDA
Kenan Diker, Agricultural Water Quality Specialist with the Water Quality Control Division, CDPHE
Phil Brink, Brink Inc. Environmental Solutions
Marc Arnusch, Colorado Conservationist of the Year 2018

Wrap-up and Closing Comments

Casey Davenhill, Executive Director, Colorado Watershed Assembly
Greg Peterson, Executive Director, Colorado Ag Water Alliance

Thank you again to the American Legion in Keenesburg, CO, for hosting this event.
A huge thanks to La Estrellita in Brighton, CO, for catering the dinner.
 We had a successful turn out with over 60 in attendance.