August 19th - 20th, 2024 | Stream Improvement Training. The Nature Conservancy is hosting a hands-on riparian restoration workshop designed to benefit the White River watershed. This two-day event is perfect for landowners, agricultural producers, natural resources professionals, and anyone passionate about protecting our streams and rivers. For more information, please contact Joe Leonhard at joseph.leonhard@tnc.org. Sign-up HERE.
August 23rd, 2024 | Northern Water is hosting a Native Grass Workshop that will include an in-depth look at best practices for installation, management, selection, irrigation and weed management. The workshop will also look at other alternative turf options, tree selection and protection. After lunch, attendees can take part in an optional tour to view native grass installations throughout Northern Colorado. If you would like both the workshop and tour, register HERE. The workshop will be free to attend, register HERE.
August 24th, 2024 | SLV Farmer-to-Farmer Field Day from 8:30am-3:00pm. This is a great time to see some conservation practices at work and ask questions. Transportation and lunch provided. MHCD is also partnering up with Center Conservation District and Rio Grande Conservation District for a Soil and Water Connection Workshop on Friday, August 23rd from 6:00-8:00pm. Register HERE for the Workshop, Field Day, or both.
September 4th, 2024 | Join Colorado Open Lands for a live online presentation to learn how our tool – the conservation easement – has protected species such as elk, Gunnison Sage-Grouse, cutthroat trout, and more! Live Presentation and Q&A on Wednesday, September 4 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Register HERE!
September 10th - 12th, 2024 | Northern Colorado Prescribed Fire Train Exchange (NOCO TREX) - Grasslands Prescribed Fire Workshop in Greeley will have two components: 1) Grasslands Prescribed Fire Workshop in Greeley September 10-12th; 2) On-call implementation window for 5 days (M-F) of prescribed fire in Northern CO between Sept 16-Oct 31, 2024. Apply HERE.
September 17th - 19th, 2024 | Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper Training in Aspen, CO is an EPA WaterSense labeled Professional Certification Program for Irrigation System Audits. The course provides landscape professionals with hands-on demonstrations and education on proper plant selection, landscape water use, irrigation system design and maintenance, controller programming and operation, and sustainable landscaping. Learn more HERE.
September 18th, 2024 | Climate Resilience Training for Water Sector Utilities: Resiliency is a part of public safety. In an effort to ensure safe and resilient water systems for rural communities, EPA’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative and EPA Region 8 are hosting a free in-person training for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities, including Tribal utilities in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. This training will cover topics including tools to build a climate risk assessment, adaptation strategies to mitigate drought, wildfire, severe weather, flooding, and other climate threats, a utility case study from Cortez Sanitation District (CO), regional climate trends and projections, and utility infrastructure financing. Learn more or register HERE.
September 23rd & 24th, 2024 | National Stormwater Center - Colorado CSI MS4 Webinar. Designed for Municipal personnel (MS4), this course will focus on permit regulations and compliance to restore and maintain the waters of the United States. Permits require certifying officials to select qualified stormwater personnel. Gain an in-depth understanding of stormwater permits, the six minimum control measures, how to conduct inspections, and the authority, demeanor, and discretion of stormwater inspectors to enhance your credentials.
October 5th, 2024 | Plant a Residential Rain Garden! Join Groundwork Denver in installing a rain garden for a Sheridan neighbor! You’ll learn about local environmental justice issues, how rain gardens help restore the ecosystem, and how to plant a rain garden. Then, we’ll get to installing the rain garden! What are rain gardens? They look a lot like any other garden, but are specially-designed to conserve water, reduce stormwater runoff, and enhance local water quality. Register HERE.
The COOLER Climate Leadership Institute (COOLER-CLImates) is a pilot program with the goal of building a community where UNC students and faculty, and local organizations learn together, support each other, and collaborate on projects that fit their common interests/needs and help address climate change resilience in the region. The program will run from Sep 2024-April 2025. A stipend may be provided for participants. Applications due September 2nd, 2024. Learn more HERE.
Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP) and its supporters recruit enthusiastic Coloradoans committed to agriculture and rural Colorado. They should be recognized as emerging leaders who are directly involved in agriculture, agribusiness, rural industries, rural communities or natural resource management. Individuals may be in the early or middle phase of their leadership career, and are looking for that next level of training or experience. CALP provides practical, applied experiences similar to graduate school. The CALP program will be a unique lifetime experience for each participant. Applications will be accepted until September 1st. Learn more HERE.
EPA's Office of Research and Development and Office of Water host this free webinar series to communicate current research, regulatory information, and solutions for challenges facing small drinking water systems. See the upcoming schedule or past recordings HERE.
Webinar Recording: Overview of Prescribed Fire Liability in State Law. Lawyer Sara Clark provides an overview of prescribed fire liability in state law, including definitions of liability and how state laws defining liability interact with certified burn manager programs, tribal sovereignty and cultural burning, and prescribed fire insurance. This webinar is intended for those who are new to the issue of prescribed fire liability or those more experienced who would like an overview of the subject, especially anyone about to engage on similar policy initiatives in their state or jurisdiction.
Online Course: Leave No Trace 101 Course. This is an introduction to Leave No Trace and the actions we can collectively take to protect our planet. In this course we share helpful information with a simple framework of minimum impact practices to apply when spending time outdoors.
Watershed Academy’s new Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module Ready - The EPA Watershed Academy has released their new Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management Module. This module is intended for water quality and hazard mitigation professionals that are interested in integrating water quality issues and/or nature-based solutions into state or local Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMPs) and highlights the benefits of working across water quality and hazard mitigation programs. Modules in this series can be used as training tools to help planners from both worlds explore activities of mutual interest and benefit. Case studies and examples are provided to assist hazard mitigation planners with integrating water resource programs into HMPs and help watershed planners understand the synergies between water resource plans and HMPs. Visit this link to begin the course!
Colorado Water and the American West teaches students about the rich history of water in the Western United States, how native communities used it, and the American approach to water management. The western United States is a region with a long history of water challenges. In the American West, over 40 million people depend on the Colorado River, now listed as one of the most endangered rivers in America. MSU Denver developed the non credit Professional Water Studies courses for people interested in safeguarding this precious resource. Taught by MSU Denver faculty, courses are one month long, fully online, and self-paced to accommodate the schedules of busy professional students.
The Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership presents 14 videos to help community members learn about how water is managed, restored and monitored in the upper Uncompahgre River watershed. Take advantage of this education resource to learn about your watershed including mine reclamation, water monitoring, recreational use, water conservation, drinking water and wastewater treatment and distribution, aquatic life, water scarcity, agricultural use, management, infrastructure, and more. Watch the video series HERE.
The American Stormwater Institute, LLC now offers live and online courses that deal with developing the knowledge and skills required to conduct stormwater inspections. Our courses are based on a “Real World” attitude of finding implementable solutions to the challenges that stormwater inspectors face every day. The state and federal regulations require that “QUALIFIED PERSONS” conduct inspections related to stormwater permits. The overarching goal of the ASI classes is to ensure that our students are well qualified to conduct these inspections. For a list of all classes offered click HERE.
Non-standard MS4 Permit PDD Template and Program Strategy Templates. SPLASH members and SEMSWA worked with CP Compliance to create resources to educate permittees. It may also assist permittees with the implementation of the new Non-standard MS4 Permit. Please click HERE to access the material.
MSU Denver developed the noncredit Water Studies courses for people interested in safeguarding this precious resource. Students will learn history, law, management, and water trends in Colorado and the American West. The courses have recently been improved, offering the same high quality, but shortened to meet your busy schedules. The course structure has been redesigned for each class to be one month long to improve the learning experience and accommodate the schedules of busy professional students. Click HERE for more information.
The River Network’s August 2024 edition of River Voices is now out. This month, our summer of federal funding continues, with a deeper dive into how groups can access current funding opportunities. Learn about EPA’s WaterTA support and hear from the American Flood Coalition about funding for resilience. Listen HERE.