The Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation is soliciting bids for an Upper Rio Grande Watershed Assessment. The hired contractor, in collaboration with the Upper Rio Grande Watershed Assessment Technical Advisory Team, will assess the ecological condition of the Upper Rio Grande watershed by collecting, compiling, and analyzing data characterizing riparian habitat, geomorphology, recreation, adjacent uplands, and infrastructure. Simultaneously, Project partners will assess the condition of aquatic habitat, flow regimes, and water quality through the collection of new data and the analysis of existing data. The Project will result in synthesized data detailing current conditions, causes of degradation, and prioritized projects and recommendations to increase resiliency in the Upper Rio Grande watershed. Bid Proposals will be due on August 24, 2016 at 5:00pm. Questions regarding the bid packet can be directed to Emma Regier Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation, Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project 623 Fourth Street Alamosa, CO 81101, (719) 589-2230, emma@riograndeheadwaters.org.

The Consortium for Research and Education on Emerging Contaminants (CREEC) is looking for Researchers in Behavior Change to Reduce/Prevent Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC). On September 29, 2016, the Institute for Environmental Solutions (IES) will host the quarterly CREEC meeting (http://creec.net) in Denver. The meeting will focus on behavior change methods and strategies to prevent water contamination from CECs. At this meeting, IES will provide an introduction to community-oriented preventive strategies for confronting chemical contaminants at their sources, and the natural and social science foundations on which these strategies are built. They will present IES’s proposed 2016 Save Our Water Initiative project. They are looking for speakers to present current research and professional / community projects that include behavior change analysis or strategies to reduce and prevent CECs. Suggestions for potential speakers will be most appreciated. Please contact Carol Lyons, IES Executive Director, by July 28 at Carol@i4es.org or 720-295-4437.'

Every year the Colorado Open Space Alliance (COSA) acknowledges outstanding projects through the Blue Grama (Colorado’s State grass) awards. They are asking you to nominate programs and people within the following four categories: 1&2) Outstanding Achievement for organization and individual; 3) Outdoor Recreation/Environmental Education Program; and 4) Ecological Management Program. Awards will be presented at the COSA annual conference in Estes Park, Colorado, September 12 - 14, 2016. Included below are the nomination rules for this year’s awards. The same nomination information is posted at the COSA website, www.coloradoopenspace.org.

To help celebrate National Lakes Appreciation Month, passengers at Denver International Airport (DEN) can connect with Colorado’s water through a new temporary art exhibit, “Water Brings Life to Land.” The exhibit, which can be seen at the southeast end of the Jeppesen Terminal on Level 5 through October, is a collaboration among the Barr Lake & Milton Reservoir Watershed Association and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Display cases feature different educational topics about water, including: watersheds; how too many nutrients degrade water quality; why it’s important to keep Colorado’s water clean; things to do at nearby Barr Lake State Park and other state parks; and different ways to safely enjoy Colorado’s water. The exhibit seeks to inspire travelers to be aware about living within or traveling to other watersheds, and why it’s important to protect water quality everywhere. Additional information about Barr Lake & Milton Reservoir can be found at http://www.barr-milton.org/ and Colorado Parks and Wildlife at http://cpw.state.co.us/

Help Protect Colorado's Rivers with a Colorado Trout Unlimited Protect Our Rivers License Plate. Whether you're floating, fishing, or just taking in their beauty, Colorado needs healthy rivers. With over 8,000 miles of streams and rivers its up to us- the stewards of those rivers- to protect them. By donating $25 to CTU at ProtectOurRivers.net, you can show your support to everyone on the road with your license plate!

The July 2016 Drought Update, a summary of the drought information presented at the July 19, 2016 Water Availability Task Force Meeting will be posted on the CWCB website. All of the presentations from the meeting can also be found on the CWCB website.