June 5th, 2023 | CEOS Webinar | CDPHE. The Water Quality Control Division and the Department of Local Affairs are hosting a webinar to help communities use the State Revolving Fund for drinking water and wastewater projects. This webinar will cover: The benefits of the State Revolving Fund (SRF) program, an overview of the SRF process, the eligibility survey, how to complete the survey, what information you will need, and why the eligibility survey is so important. There will also be a live demonstration and one-on-one help with Colorado Environmental Online Services (CEOS) account set up, navigating CEOS, and completing the annual eligibility survey.
June 6th-8th, 2023 | Volunteer Crosscut Saw & Ax Training | SJMA. This class is for SJMA volunteers who are interested in learning to use and maintain crosscut saws safely and efficiently. Successful participants will get a recommendation toward certification by the U.S. Forest Service.
June 7th, 2023 | After the Flames Webinar Series | COCO. Join COCO as they host Chris Sturm, Watershed Program Coordinator with Colorado Water Conservation Board, for a presentation and discussion in working to understand the susceptibility of Colorado’s watersheds to post-wildfire impacts and to plan and prepare for them before fires occur. The Wildfire Ready Watersheds Program provides guidance to help predict where and what post-fire impacts will be felt in local communities. The program provides a detailed work plan that community groups can use to refine and add detail to the study in ways that reflect local priorities and values. Importantly, the Wildfire Ready Watersheds Program also provides guidance on actions that may be taken to reduce the impact of these post-fire hazards on infrastructure and natural resources – both before, and after, a wildfire occurs.
June 7th, 2023 | Learning Exchange Series: Dimensions of Urban and Community Forestry | Webinar. The Michigan State University Forest Carbon and Climate Program (MSU FCCP) will be co-hosting this webinar in collaboration with The Society of American Foresters (SAF) as part of our 2022-23 Forests + Climate Learning Exchange Series. This session will feature Asia Dowtin from the Michigan State University Department of Forestry and Beattra Wilson from the USDA Forest Service, who will present “Dimensions of Urban and Community Forestry".
June 7th-8th, 2023 | The Future of Forests. As wildfires continue to ravage the west, burning more and more of the landscape, many are left wondering, how will these fire-affected forests will recover? In this FREE teacher workshop, University of Colorado Boulder curriculum developers lead participants through “The Future of Forests”, a MS/HS curriculum connected to NGSS life science standards that explores patterns of post-fire recovery (or lack thereof) across the west and inspires classrooms to engage in citizen science using NASA's GLOBE Observer land cover app. Participants will engage with online interactives from the National Forest Service, authentic datasets, and App-based labs in this 2-day online teacher workshop.
June 8th, 2023 | Beetling Herding: A New Tool for Tamarisk Biocontrol on the White River | RiversEdge West. The workshop will start at 9:00 am at the Weiss Conference Room of Colorado Northwestern Community College in Rangely, CO. The second half of the workshop will take place in the field, approximately 20 minutes from the college. A bag lunch will be provided. View the agenda here.
June 9th, 2023 | San Juan Nature Hikes | SJMA. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, join SJMA staff and volunteers for an interpretive naturalist hike! Learn about wildflowers, ecology, wildlife, geology, and cultural history in our beautiful San Juan Mountains. They are excited to offer this fun and educational hike every Friday, starting June 9 - September 29.
July 10th-14th, 2023 | Durango: Crossroads of agriculture and education. If you’re new to Agriculture in the Classroom or if you’d like to learn about agriculture and natural resources in the southwest, this five-day course is for you. Ranching, farming, produce, water, and integrating agriculture into your school are just a few of the topics that you will learn about through on-site tours and presentations from industry experts. PreK-12 formal and informal educators in all disciplines from across the Four Corners region and beyond are welcome. Registration of $95 includes 2.5 Continuing Education Units (37.5 clock hours) and 3 graduate level credits from Colorado State University
June 15th, 2023 | Nonprofit Financial Leadership | Community Resource Center. Build your organizational capacity around nonprofit accounting practices, financial oversight, and internal controls. Join for an overview of the critical components of financial management for nonprofit organizations. This workshop will provide participants with an understanding of basic financial management terminology, policies and best practices for success. Topics include understanding a nonprofit board of director’s financial oversight responsibilities, best practices around internal controls, year-end reporting requirements, an overview of financial statements including cash flow, and statement of activities.
June 16th, 2023 | Automated Weeder Demos. See machines in operation on the CSU Arkansas Valley Research Center weeding onions and broccoli (both are also proxies for other low and high density crops possible). Learn more about leading automated weeders for vegetable farms (removing weeds both between and in row). Meet company representatives for more information.
June 22nd, 2023 & August 29th, 2023 | SRF Regional Workshop | Colorado State Revolving Fund. During the workshops, they will cover topics including State Revolving Fund basics, funding options for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, planning, asset management, available technical assistance, and current and upcoming regulations. They will answer questions about specific projects and discuss situations unique to your community. Local government decision-makers, finance staff, and operators should attend. Private non-profits that operate drinking water systems should also attend. RSVP’s are open for the La Junta workshop - please RSVP by June 15, 2023.
July 18th-20th, 2023 | Project Archeology at CANM. Project Archaeology is an educational organization dedicated to teaching scientific and historical inquiry, cultural understanding, and the importance of protecting our nation’s rich cultural resources.This summer, Project Archeology participants will be investigating the Puzzle House Pueblo within the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
July 17th-August 3rd, 2023 | Earth Corps Field Studies Program | RMFI. Earth Corps is an 18-day field studies course that provides motivated, environmentally conscious undergraduate students the opportunity to live and learn in the incredible natural classroom of the Colorado mountains. The program began in 2002 and in 2014, it won the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education Higher Education Award. The application deadline is April 10, 2023.
July 17th-18th, 2023 | Water Transmission Pipeline Engineering and Management. As the population of the metropolitan areas in the United States continues to grow, the reliability of large diameter (>24 inches in diameter) water transmission pipelines become more critical than ever. This course will also provide insight into how different pipeline materials degrade over time. Join to gain an insight on how to approach large diameter pipeline management.
July 18-20, 2023 | Denver: The science of animal agriculture. A NEW, three-day professional development opportunity focused on immersive learning experiences in science education. From veterinary science to climate impacts of livestock production to food production, participants will learn directly from industry experts and be equipped with lessons and resources that can be immediately used in the classroom. While this session will be science-focused, it is open to all preK-12 grade formal and informal educators from Colorado and surrounding states. Registration of $45 includes 1.5 Continuing Education Units (22.5 clock hours) and 1 graduate level credit from Colorado State University.
July 20th, 2023 | Get Grants | Community Resource Center. Join CRC for a comprehensive grant writing workshop and learn best practices in grant writing and tips for success when writing the Colorado Common Grant Application. We will understand the essential elements included in a grant proposal and how to craft a compelling case for support through interactive exercises. A review of grant terminology, sources of grant funding, and research tools including the Colorado Grants Guide™ will be discussed.
June 21st-22nd, 2023 | Introduction to Public Water Systems. This course will introduce and review how water is used, protected, conveyed, and metered in our public water systems. The instructors will review the basics of water supply and demand, water distribution, drinking water treatment, regulatory and environmental compliance and more.
June 27th, 2023 | Hydropower 101. Hydropower is becoming increasingly important in the global energy transition, and with new considerations such as the Inflation Reduction Act it’s crucial for all in the industry to attend this one-day course—whether as a review or as an introduction to hydro and its incentives. Hydropower 101 is designed not just for water personnel, but for engineers, environmental consultants, federal and state employees, and anyone else who is curious about this realm of the industry. Stories, current challenges, and open discussions are encouraged throughout the program
June 27th-28th, 2023 | Geographic Information Systems for Water and Wastewater Utilities. The use of Geographic Information Systems in utilities is becoming more and more prevalent as many companies update their CAD systems to have more functioning asset management technologies. While GIS in utilities is similar in many of the data collection and data management functions there are some distinct differences in the water and wastewater sectors. This course will go through the fundamentals of GIS and how it applies to the industry.
August 3rd-4th, 2023 | Forest to Faucets Teacher Workshop. Each year, SJMA, Mountain Studies Institute, Water Information Program, and Fort Lewis College host a two-day, hands-on exploration of our local watersheds for teachers. This program is designed for local teachers to help their students understand where water comes from – besides the faucet. The curriculum guide is based on the children’s book “My Water Comes from the San Juan Mountains”.
August 10th, 2023 | Glenwood Springs Water & Fire Resiliency Tour | Colorado WaterWise. On this tour, we'll learn from Glenwood Water Department staff about the critical steps they took to protect their watershed and water quality in order to be able to continue to supply safe, clean water to their residents immediately following the fire and into the future. These actions have included a new pipeline to create a redundant system at the Roaring Fork pump station, a mixing vault outside the City's water plant to support water quality and provide additional system redundancy, upgrades to the water plant that allow for advanced water quality treatment given continued impacts from the burn scar area, and upgrades to No Name Creek's diversion structures to protect the raw water delivery system, reduce sediment load, and improve plant performance. Depending on weather and snowpack, this tour will visit the No Name Intake System or the City's Water Plant and Roaring Fork Intake.
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 new education resource to learn about your watershed including mine reclamation, water monitoring, recreational use, water conservation, drinking water and waste water treatment and distribution, aquatic life, water scarcity, agricultural use, management, infrastructure, and more. Watch the video series here.
Master Irrigator Program- San Luis Valley. Over four sessions, this 32-hour program reviews water law and administration, history of water development, and gives participants the tools and strategies to improve water and energy use efficiency and conservation, soil health, and profitability on their operations. Those who complete the course will also receive a $2,000 stipend. To be eligible for this course you must farm in either Rio Grande, Alamosa, Costilla, Conejos, Saguache or Mineral County. Details will be available soon here.
The American Stormwater Institute, LLC now offers courses in a live setting and online 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 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.
Colorado Master Irrigator offers farmers and farm managers advanced training on conservation- and efficiency-oriented irrigation management practices and tools. This program is the product of efforts led by several local producers, district management representatives, and others. Colorado Master Irrigator is modeled on the award-winning Master Irrigator program created and run since 2016 by the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District in the Texas panhandle. Topic experts from Colorado and adjacent Ogallala states, serve as instructors over the 32 hours of the program. Colorado Master Irrigator's interactive class format is designed to encourage peer-to-peer exchange among participants and instructors, helping forge useful contacts that graduates can reach out to after their participation in the program. Click HERE for more information.
Silt Removal - Positive Impact on Crop Yields, Water Use Efficiency, & Irrigation Systems. Presentation from the 2021 World Ag Expo on sources of silt, its impacts, and current and new methods of removal. Watch the presentation here!
