The Sustaining Colorado Watersheds (SCW) conference has been held annually for the past 18 years to bring together knowledgeable and engaged community members, scientists, ecologists, water managers, educators, community leaders, young professionals, policymakers and regulators to share knowledge, network, and discuss current issues facing Colorado’s watersheds. We are excited to present the theme for the 2023 conference: "Beyond the Banks: Expanding Perspectives to Change our World." As always, the conference aims to explore innovative and inclusive approaches to watershed management that address the unique challenges we face in Colorado. This year’s Beyond the Banks theme emphasizes the need to expand our thinking, incorporate new perspectives, explore paradigm shifts, and collaborate across disciplines and sectors to continue solving complex problems. We can't wait to hear from you! We are accepting abstracts online through May 22, 2023. The agenda Committee will meet to discuss which submissions work best with this year's theme and will inform you by late June or early July if your abstract has been accepted.
The Natural Areas Explorer is here! The Explorer is your guide to the outdoors all summer long. Choose from various activities such as Junior Naturalists, skygazing, stewardship, group hikes and so much more! All events are free and open to the public. View the Explorer online to see all the programs and sign up on Engage to register. Registration opens one month prior to the event.
On May 8th, 2023, representatives from the City and County of Denver and Adams County, the State of Colorado, and U.S. government gathered to celebrate and sign a historic intergovernmental agreement that will result in a multi-million-dollar investment in flood risk management, ecosystem restoration and recreation on Denver area waterways - specifically, the South Platte River and two of its tributaries. The Waterway Resiliency Program will restore a 6.5-mile stretch of the South Platte River from 6th Avenue to 58th Avenue in Denver and Adam Counties, creating more inviting spaces for plants, animals and people, and reducing flood risks along Weir and Harvard Gulches.
The EPA Extends Federal Protection To Tribal Waters
To maintain a healthy, functioning river requires managing the entire river corridor—the channel, floodplain, riparian areas and wetlands, and the connected aquifer—as a single interdependent system. Advances in river science have helped identify the physical extent of a river corridor required for maintaining river processes and ecosystem services. For example, hi-res satellite imagery is used to identify a fluvial hazard zone (i.e., the natural geomorphological floodplain) where natural processes occur. This extent of the natural floodplain is generally larger than the FEMA regulatory floodplain, requiring communities to broaden how they plan for and manage land within the river corridor. Further information on the fluvial hazard zone is available above and from the Colorado Water Conservation Board FHZ Program website.
The Water Information Program (WIP) is a public information program in Southwest Colorado sponsored by a variety of organizations. WIP provides balanced educational programming and resources to the people of the San Juan and Dolores watersheds, and serves as an unbiased forum to discuss water in southwestern Colorado, publish objective and balanced information, promotes water education & outreach, and produces educational workshops and festivals related to water. 30 partner organizations in southwestern Colorado—from water districts, utilities, private stakeholders and environmental advocates—make WIP possible.