Fishing Poles on the shore at Skaguay Reservoir. Division of Wildlife. Michael Seraphin, Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Photo taken: 7/7/2002.

MARCH 2nd, 2018: Colorado Water Wise is hosting a free Water Smart Landscape Pro Event hosted by Colorado Springs Utilities. When budgets are limited, it can be challenging to maintain existing trees while planning for a healthier urban canopy. Learn from City of Boulder experts about how they approach issues such as Emerald Ash Borer, limited water scenarios and long range planning. Gain insight in how to care for the most valuable plants in the landscape while creating a future where trees are an integral part of our communities. Find more details HERE.

MARCH 5th, 2018: Enjoy this free workshop by Colorado Ag Water Alliance and Bookcliff Conservation District on Ag Water Workshop: Stream Management Plans. This will take place at the Rifle Branch Library from 5:00pm-7:30pm. Register HERE.

MARCH 7th and 14th, 2018: Join River Network Drinking Water 101 webinar series: Understanding the Basics of Drinking Water Sources, Treatment, and Quality. These two webinars will provide an introduction and overview of drinking water processes, policies, and protection. Maria Lopez-Carbo, Deputy Division Director for Standards & Risk Management in EPA’s Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water will lead these sessions designed for those just starting to work on this issue or looking for a refresher on some key components of drinking water treatment. Learn more HERE.

MARCH 8th, 2018: The Forest Service Department of Forest Management in partnership with the National Forest Foundation are featuring Forest Landscape Restoration and Water Peer Learning Session. Recognizing the importance of Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Programs (CFLRP) and other landscapes in providing high quality freshwater to downstream communities and instream biota, this webinar seeks to:

Discuss the effects on water quality, quantity, and timing from the different types of forest management and restoration activities that occur on National Forest System lands (thinning, prescribed fire, roads, etc.).
Enhance understanding of the regional variabilities in responses of water quality and quantity to forest management.
Provide an overview of monitoring methods and case studies practitioners can use to better understand the connection between forest management activities and water quality and quantity in their area.

Join the waitlist for this exciting webinar HERE.

MARCH 8th, 2018: Announcing EPA’s Water Quality Modeling Webinar: “Introduction to EPA’s Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) v3.” EPA’s Water Modeling Workgroup is hosting a series of webinars to help water quality professionals better understand surface water quality modeling and how models can be used to solve common problems that face water quality regulators. The webinars are focused on modeling as it applies to the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), Standards, and Water Quality Permitting Programs, but they are applicable to a wide range of audiences. These two hour webinars cover everything from modeling basics (e.g., model setup and calibration) to applied water quality modeling of different pollutants. Click HERE for pertinent details and to register.

MARCH 9th, 2018: Snow to Stream: A Workshop and SNOTEL Field Trip in Carbondale, Colorado. In Colorado, snow is more than a type of weather; it's a way of life. What might be less apparent is what snowpack means in terms water, soil moisture, and forest health, and how climate variability is impacting it all. Join Water Education Colorado and Roaring Fork Conservancy for this day-long workshop and field trip exploring the nexus between climate, snow, and water! This workshop and field trip will be geared toward educators, but is open to the public and will be interesting for anyone wishing to learn more about these topics. The afternoon will feature a unique opportunity to visit a SNOTEL site at the top of McClure Pass! Participants will learn how to conduct a snow course survey and will then have the opportunity to collect samples themselves. They'll finish the day by snowshoeing to the actual SNOTEL site. Participants will walk away with the knowledge and resources to educate others about snow science, climate, forest health and more. Learn more and register HERE.

The Center for Watershed Protection presents Watershed and Stormwater Webcast Series:

Stream and BMP Monitoring- March 21, 2018, 1-2:30 PM EST
Bioretention Design Modifications- May 16, 2018, 1-2:30 PM EST
Retrofitting the Urban Environment: What’s New?- June 20, 2018, 1-2:30 PM EST
Stormwater and Green Infrastructure for Combined Sewer Systems- September 12, 2018, 1-2:30 PM EST
Innovations in Stream Restoration Design and Construction- October 10, 2018, 1-2:30 PM ES
It Ain’t Easy Getting Green: Incentivizing Watershed Programs- November 14, 2018, 1-2:30 PM EST

Find pricing information and registration HERE.

MARCH 29th, 2018: Water Education Colorado invites you to the 2018 Climate and Colorado's Water Future Workshop in Lakewood, Colorado. Curious about how Colorado's climate impacts the management our water? In Colorado we always hear about snowpack, river levels, and weather changing on a daily basis, but how does it all connect and what does the future of our water resources look like with a variable climate? This workshop will explore the potential impacts of climate change on Colorado's water future and explore how we can meet our demands for water—agricultural, household and business use, plus environmental and recreational benefits—and still deliver water downstream to satisfy interstate agreements. Participants will walk away with a comprehensive look at the relationship between our water resources and the climate and get a unique opportunity to tour the National Ice Core Laboratory! Find more information HERE.

MARCH 29th, 2018: Urban Watersheds Research Institute presents: Regional Statistical Hydrology and Flood Prediction training. BIG DATA and its use is the new wave sweeping much of current technology and appears to be the direction in which much of hydrologic analysis is being done and will increase in application over time. This class will bring to you the cutting-edge information in how to use the data available from public agencies (mostly USGS) to conduct hydrologic analysis, if for no other reason than to calibrate distributed rainfall-runoff models such as SWMM, HEC-MHS, etc. You will be eligible to receive 1.5 CEU's or 15 PDH's. You will receive 12 ASFPM Core CEC’s for CFM certification. Find everything you need to know HERE.

SPRING 2018: For the first time One World One Water Center will offer a Water Studies Online Certificate through Metropolitan State University of Denver! Participants are required to complete four courses: Water Law, U.S. Water Concerns, Colorado Water and the American West and a final capstone project. For more information and to register: click here.

APRIL 24th-26th, 2018: Join FLOW 2018, Managing Rivers, Reservoirs, and Lakes in the Face of Drought in Fort Collins, CO.There is a limit to the number of attendees that can be accommodated, so don’t miss your chance to join this international gathering of instream flow specialists, practioners, water managers, and scientists to learn practical tools and strategies for sustaining and protecting ecological values of water during droughts and periods of water shortage. There are still openings to present a poster describing strategies and tools that conjunctively maintain the viability of rivers, reservoirs, and lakes associated with mitigating drought. Day 1: A daylong training session where you can select 2 of the 4 available training sessions (1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon) on: FERC hydropower licensing, water law concepts for dealing with drought, reducing uncertainty in riverine ecosystems during environmental change, or handling information in water management issues. Days 2 and 3: Presentations by internationally recognized experts providing examples on the use and need of effective laws, policies, science, and public participation to meet water management objectives for rivers, reservoirs, and lakes under drought conditions. Access the program HERE; register HERE; book hotel rooms HERE.

MAY 14th-18th, 2018: Larimer County is holding the annual Ranger Excellence School. Early registration is now available. Please go to our website listed below to find out more information and register your staff early. It will be held at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland, Colorado. This year They are offering courses in Ranger Leadership, Wildlife Encounters, Scene size up, low angel rescue training, OC/Pepper Spray Certification, Baton Certification, Medical, Driving, and Self Defense , just to name a few. They will also have demonstrations on e bikes, Wildlife K9s, Drones, and a Helicopter Evacuation demonstration. This is a dynamic and hands on training in all the areas a park ranger needs to be an effective asset to their agencies. This is open to not only rangers but all other staff in Natural Resources that are interested. More information can be found HERE.

WATER EDUCATION COLORADO'S WATER FLUENCY PROGRAM

A professional development course for non-water professionals. Learn the language of water and develop tools for navigating water management and policy issues so you can lead with confidence. Water is critical for every aspect of community vibrancy, from industry to commerce to agriculture, tourism, health, and the environment—but it isn't always clear how policy and management decisions around water trickle down to affect other sectors or vice versa. This comprehensive program will help you make those connections. Four in-person classroom days; water-focused site visits; and online discussions and homework between classroom days. The scheduled program dates are:

May 22 and 23 in Pueblo
June 22 in Colorado Springs
July 20 in Fountain

The topics will include:

Colorado's water resources (the role of water in society, the economic value of water, ties to public policy, emerging issues)
Legal and institutional frameworks (water law and administration, project planning and approval, interbasin projects and agreements)
Water resource management (watershed health, environmental protection, water quality, natural disasters)
Colorado water for the future (assessing supply and meeting demand, ecosystem values, conservation and land use, alignment of resources and policies)

Registration is open from February 14, 2018-April 14, 2018 or until the class is full. The class will be capped at 35 people to ensure a quality experience. Find out more HERE, and register HERE.

JUNE 4th-7th, 2018: COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL MARKETING WORKSHOPS with Doug McKenzie-Mohr, Ph.D. This two-day workshop provides a comprehensive introduction to community-based social marketing and how it is being applied throughout the world to foster behaviors that protect the environment and promote health and safety. Those who attend the workshop will learn the five steps of community-based social marketing (selecting behaviors, identifying barriers, developing strategies, conducting pilots, and broad scale implementation) and be exposed to numerous case studies illustrating its use. Explore this more and register HERE.

JULY 9th-12th and 16th-19th, 2018: Mountain Studies Institute (MSI) accepts high school students rising to 11 or 12th grades, or recent high school graduates (with occasional exceptions for younger students). Students from San Miguel, Ouray, Dolores, San Juan, La Plata, Archuleta, and Montezuma counties are invited to apply. Join the San Juans' most immersive and engaging mountain science program! During the two week, rigorous field course program, students explore topics and careers in the sciences and natural resources by day, and camp and explore in the evenings. During the program, interns gain hands-on experience contributing to real-world environmental science projects. Students work side-by-side with a small group of other interns from across the San Juan Mountains. The program is led by mentors from MSI and more than 20 local science professionals. Students interact with natural resource managers and researchers in the field to learn about ecology, geology, hydrology, wildlife, and forestry. They will dive into topics such as air and water quality, climate change, mine reclamation, fen restoration, and forest health. Find more information HERE!