The Call for Papers for the 2019 Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference "The Human Element" has been extended until April 19, 2019. You are cordially invited to submit ideas for presentations at the 14th Annual Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference. The 2019 conference will explore the influence of The Human Element on water and watersheds in Colorado and the West. This highly popular event expands cooperation and collaboration throughout our state for natural resource conservation, protection, and enhancement by informing citizens groups, agencies, legislators, researchers, and practitioners about current issues and through networking opportunities. To learn more and submit your abstract go to SCW Call For Papers.
Colorado Trout Unlimited Spring Raffle. The winner will enjoy a two-day float for two down the Gunnison Gorge with Black Canyon Anglers. This is Colorado's signature wilderness flyfishing experience! The trip includes lodging and dinner the night prior to the launch. On the float all meals are taken care of, if rental equipment is needed, it will be provided. For the launch, you'll need to hike in about one mile into the canyon with your personal gear, and from there you'll enjoy a memorable two-day one-night float through the legendary Gunnison Gorge with an accomplished guide. Valid through October 2019, subject to availability. $10 per ticket or $25 for 3. Drawing will be held Saturday April 27, 2019 at 8:00pm at the Colorado Trout Unlimited Rendezvous which will be at Hotel Colorado, Glenwood Springs, CO. Online Ticket Sales end April 25th, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. Click HERE for more details.
The Associated Press reports that federal legislation has been introduced on a plan to address the shrinking supply of water from a river that serves 40 million people in the West. Arizona’s Sen. Martha McSally and Rep. Raul Grijalva introduced identical bills Tuesday and vowed to move them quickly through the chambers. Lawmakers from Colorado River basin states signed on as co-sponsors. The states want congressional approval by April 22nd so that Mexico will join some states in contributing water to Lake Mead on the Arizona-Nevada border. For the full article, click HERE.
APRIL 25th: Reg. 84 Stakeholder meeting (9:00 - 11:00 a.m.) CDPHE Main Campus, Room C1A
We are in the middle of hosting a stakeholder process regarding the use of reclaimed water to irrigate commercial and noncommercial crops. The stakeholder process runs from October 2018 through May 2019. During the process several work groups have been formed. Work groups collaborate to develop information to present to the commission during the rulemaking in October 2019. Your participation and input is encouraged. Visit the Regulation 84 stakeholder website HERE.
APRIL 25th, 2019: Consortium for Research and Education on Emerging Contaminants (CREEC) meeting will be at 2:00 p.m. at a location to be determined. Brett Blackwell from EPA in Duluth will be one of the presenters. Details to follow. Learn more about CREEC HERE.
MAY 1st, 2019: The Watershed Wildfire Protection Group meeting 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. The location will be - Buffalo Mountain Room Summit County Commons 0037 Peak One Drive Frisco, CO 80443. More information can be found HERE.
MAY 1st, 2019: Abstract submissions are due for the San Juan Mining and Reclamation Conference and Innovation Expo - September 24-27, 2019. This year, the two events are combined. Registration is OPEN for accepting abstract submissions for presentations & demonstrations. The Call for Abstracts and the link to Registration can be found HERE.
MAY 2019 WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION - HEARING NOTICES
The following Notices of public triennial informational hearings have been posted on the commission’s website HERE.
"The Basic Standards for Groundwater" Regulation #41 (5 CCR 1002-41);
"Site-Specific Water Quality Classifications and Standards for Ground Water" Regulation #42 (5 CCR 1002-42);
"Dillon Reservoir Control Regulation" Regulation #71 (5 CCR 1002-71).
FY2019 Section 319 nonpoint source project funding
MAY 14th, 2019: Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony to honor an amazing story unfolding right now in the Middle South Platte River Alliance community. It's all about how a huge, $3.5 flood-recovery project came to happen despite all odds. It's about great progress for Colorado's river environment. And about a win-win in an agricultural community. With an unusual collection of players who don't often collaborate, the largest ditch company working with the feds, the state, and a local river coalition to build a new structure that accommodates fish and boats too. Click HERE for more details about government & agriculture collaborating on river project.
MAY 21st, 2019: Reg. 84 Stakeholder meeting (9:00 - 11:00 a.m.) CDPHE Main Campus, Room C1A
We are in the middle of hosting a stakeholder process regarding the use of reclaimed water to irrigate commercial and noncommercial crops. The stakeholder process runs from October 2018 through May 2019. During the process several work groups have been formed. Work groups collaborate to develop information to present to the commission during the rulemaking in October 2019. Your participation and input is encouraged. Visit the Regulation 84 stakeholder website HERE.
2019 Request for Water Process. In January, the Colorado Water Conservation Board and Colorado Water Trust opened up the second year of their Request for Water Process. The Request for Water Process streamlines and enhances an existing CWCB program that provides benefits to water right owners for using their water rights to help keep rivers and watersheds healthy. If you'd like to learn more, Colorado Water Trust is hosting a 2019 Request for Water Process Webinar on April 25th, 2019 1:00 p.m. MDT, register HERE. The Request for Water Process website also has the details and resources to answer your questions HERE. Contact the Water Trust at (720) 570-2897 or send an email to RFW@ColoradoWaterTrust.org with specific questions. The deadline for submitting preliminary water right offers is June 30th, 2019.
The Walton Family Foundation released their 2018 Annual Report, which can be found HERE.
Colorado Drought Plan Visualization Story Map - The Colorado Water Conservation Board has launched an interactive dashboard displaying drought vulnerability at the state and county level based on Colorado's 2018 Drought Plan. The platform is an Esri Story Map that provides visual summaries of Colorado drought risk by sectors, using images and graphs to allow users to interact and engage with data. Find it HERE.
The Hill reports that the House and Senate approved a seven-state agreement Monday night designed to reduce use of water from the parched Colorado River by drought-stricken Western states. The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan Authorization Act will leave in place federal protection for the Salton Sea, according to KESQ Palm Springs. The plan will spread the effects of expected cutbacks on the river and protect the levels of Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the river's two largest reservoirs. The entire article can be found HERE.
Help Middle Colorado Watershed Council’s project with a 5 minute survey! The Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP) is an on-going project-identifying plan that needs your support! Do you recreate on the river at all? Fish? Swim? Boat? Riverside picnic? Take their river users survey to begin to help quantify just how much waterways are used for recreation and enjoyment. Want to learn more about the IWMP? Visit this quick Post Independent column HERE.
The March 2019 Drought Update, a summary of the drought information presented at the March 19th Joint Water Availability & Flood 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.
Center for Health & Environmental Justice is exploring the possibility of working on a national campaign around water contamination. Several bills related to clean water have been introduced last year. These relate to testing school pipes, testing and repairing pipes within HUD housing, and testing and repairing older pipes in cities and towns that need new infrastructures. They are monitoring water related legislation that will be reintroduced this year. CHEJ would like to understand better where and what water concerns people in the network have in terms of drinking water, infrastructure and contaminated water sources. Please let them know whether or not there is a water related issue in your community, even if you are not working on it at this time.
Colorado Water Trust thanks their RiverBank Sponsors! Their Annual RiverBank Celebration is on June 11th at the Denver Botanic Gardens this year - check out all the cool benefits sponsors receive HERE! Would your company like to get your name out as supporter of healthy Colorado rivers, too? Click HERE to learn about sponsoring RiverBank.
A press release from Rio de la Vista came out earlier this month on the new San Juan Luis Valley Wetland and Wildlife Assessment, which is the focus of Salazar Center talk at ASU. Read the full release HERE.