2014 Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference Come Hell or High Water! October 7-9, 2014 Westin Riverfront Resort Avon, CO
A special thanks to:
AGENDA - AT A GLANCE
The full agenda can be found on pages 6-9 of this packet Monday, October 6 5:00-7:30pm
Early Registration and Vendor Tabletop/Poster Session Set-up in the Hotel Lobby
8:30am-1:30pm 8:00am-5:00pm 8:30am-11:30pm 11:30-12:45pm 1:00-2:30pm 2:30-3:00pm 3:00-4:30pm 5:00-6:15pm 6:15-8:00pm
Tuesday, October 7 Vendor Tabletop set-up in Riverside Foyer Area , Posters set-up in Gondola A , and Silent Auction in the Rapids Room Registration, Hotel Lobby 5 Concurrent Pre-Conference Workshop Options, Various Rooms and Times Conference Partner Organizational Meetings, Various Rooms Conference Welcome and Plenary Session I, Salons II/III/IV Break. Visit Tabletops (Riverside Foyer ) and Silent Auction (Rapids Room) Plenary Session II, Salons II/III/IV Cocktails, Library and Lobby Terrace Evening Banquet Dinner, Awards Presentation, and Keynote Address, Riverside Ballroom Salon (Salons I/II/III/IV)
Wednesday, October 8 7:00-8:15am 8:00-8:15am 8:30-10:00am 10:00-10:30am 10:30am-12:00pm 12:00-1:30pm 1:30-3:00pm 3:00-3:30pm 3:30-5:00pm 5:00pm 5:30-8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm
Breakfast, Maya Restaurant Day 2 Overview & Logistics Presentation, Maya Restaurant Concurrent Tracks, Various Rooms Break. Visit Tabletops (Riverside Foyer ), Posters (Gondola A ), and Silent Auction (Rapids Room ) Concurrent Tracks, Various Rooms Lunch, Maya Restaurant Concurrent Tracks, Various Rooms Break. Visit Tabletops (Riverside Foyer ), Posters (Gondola A ), and Silent Auction (Rapids Room ) Concurrent Tracks, Various Rooms
7:00-8:15am
Breakfast, Riverside Salon III & IV
8:00-8:15am 9:00am-1:00pm
Winners - Pick up your Silent Auction bargains! Day 3 Overview and Logistics Presentation, Riverside Salon III & IV Post-Conference Field Workshop, Meet in Riverside Foyer
Posters Close Social Event ("River Idol" Karaoke Contest, pizza, and beer), Riverside Terrace and Ballroom Silent Auction Closes Vendor Tabletops Close Winners - Pick Up Your Silent Auction Bargains!
Thursday, October 9
TABLE OF CONTENTS Agenda At a Glance.........................Inside Cover Summary of Events..........................1-2 Host Ads...............................................3-5 Full Agenda.........................................6-9 Speaker Bios and Abstracts..........10-29
Poster Session Descriptions.....30-32 Sponsor Ads...................................34-39 Maps..................................................40 - Inside Cover List of Vendors...............................Inside Cover Sponsor Logos...............................Back cover
2014 Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference
SUMMARY OF EVENTS 2014 Conference Theme- Come Hell or High Water! The annual Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference works to expand cooperation and collaboration throughout Colorado in natural resource conservation, protection, and enhancement by informing participants about new issues, innovative projects, and through valuable networking. This year’s conference, Come Hell or High Water!, will explore the spirit of community resiliency in the wake of the 2013 floods, wildfires, and other risks to our watersheds. Do you use Twitter?
Be sure to tweet about the conference using #2014SCW and don’t forget to follow us @SCWConference! We’ll be tweeting reminders and updates. Tell us what you learned in each session and post pictures of how much fun you’re having! If you need help using Twitter, go to the conference website where we have a short tutorial! www.coloradowater.org/Conferences
Tuesday Morning Workshops - times vary, check full agenda for specific workshop times
CFWE’s Water Educator Network Evaluation Capacity Development Training Colorado Foundation for Water Education and OMNI Institute This evaluation series will be tailored to member needs, utilizing an experiential/hands approach designed to help participants do evaluation as they are deepening their evaluation knowledge and skill base. Gathering Participant Wisdom to Communicate Pine Beetle Impacts on Water Quality and Supply Stuart Cottrell and Michael Czaja, Colorado State University This interactive workshop will gather participant experiences, insights, and ideas about the impacts of tree mortality from mountain pine beetle infestation on water quality and supply. Getting Involved in Colorado’s Water Plan Jacob Bornstein, Colorado Water Conservation Board This workshop will allow participants a chance to comment on the initial draft chapters for inclusion in the draft going to the Governor on December 10th. CDPHE Non-Point Source Program Workshop Lucia Machado, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control Division This workshop covers topics of interest for folks who might be planning to or might already be addressing nonpoint sources of pollution. Demysify Data Sharing Lynn Padgett, Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council & Kelly Close, Leonard Rice Engineers This interactive session will bring you up to speed and demonstrate the CWQMC’s Colorado Data Sharing Network (CDSN) tools which include interactive mapping utilities, data download tools, data analysis tools, and highlight an upcoming web services tool that will turn data into information that can be displayed real-time on your website for your purposes.
Silent Auction – opens Tuesday morning and closes Wednesday at 8:00pm
Meander through the Riverside Foyer to check out amazing deals from outdoor gear and trips to stunning arts and crafts. Show your support for the Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference hosts by bidding on your favorite items! The silent auction closes at the Social Hour on Wednesday evening. 1.
Summary of Events, continued
Tuesday Afternoon - Conference Plenary Sessions I & II This year’s conference will kick-off with exciting back-to-back plenary sessions where attendees will hear lessons learned by various agencies from flood-affected communities and current trends in Colorado Water Policy. These Plenaries are not to be missed! Poster Sessions Be sure to check out the 2nd Annual Poster Session taking place Tuesday and Wednesday in Gondola A. Get a sticker from each poster you visit. Once you have a sticker from each one, you are eligible for an exciting raffle prize! Conference Keynote – Tuesday at 7:30pm A Story of Speed, Obsession, and Grace in the Heart of the Grand Canyon Kevin Fedarko, author of The Emerald Mile, will be giving a thirty-minute presentation that offers a unique glimpse into the Grand Canyon while raising some disturbing questions about its future. Book Signing by Kevin Fedarko Keynote Speaker Kevin Fedarko will be signing copies of his book after the banquet! Don’t have a copy yet? Don’t worry - The Bookworm of Edwards is coming to us and will have The Emerald Mile for sale. Be sure to stop by to support local businesses and get your very own copy of Kevin’s book signed! Concurrent Conference Tracks – all day Wednesday Conference partners have developed a diverse and engaging agenda based on timely efforts, past feedback, and abstract proposals. The three concurrent tracks offer distinct perspectives on a variety of topics. Try to attend one presentation from each track! Social Hour – Wednesday at 5:30pm Come down to the Westin’s Riverside Terrace & Ballroom to have too much fun with water! Conference partners guarantee a memorable celebration to close the 9th Annual Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference. At 6:30pm, come sing your favorite water song during our “River Idol” karaoke contest and show conference participants (and judges) what you can do! MC’d by The Greenway Foundation’s Executive Director, Jeff Shoemaker, this event is guaranteed to be a great time. We will have pizza and beer from our esteemed beer sponsors to keep the party going to 8:00pm. Thursday Morning Workshop Camp Hale Field Workshop The workshop will feature National Forest Foundation and USFS White River National Forest speakers to discuss the history, hydrology, and upcoming restoration work for the Camp Hale site. Camp Hale is located between Red Cliff and Leadville in the Eagle River valley and was a U.S. Army training facility constructed in 1942 for the 10th Mountain Division. Soldiers were trained in mountain climbing, Alpine and Nordic skiing, cold-weather survival as well as various weapons and ordnance. When it was in full operation, approximately 15,000 soldiers were housed there. Additionally Camp Hale has variously served as a WWII Prisoner of War Intern Site, a CIA Training Site for Tibetan Guerillas, and a Youth Training Center. Today is a National Historic Site and is being restored to improve watershed viability, ecosystem function, and water storage for the Front Range. A tour bus will pick up attendees from the Westin at 9am and return at 1pm. Due to limited bus space, pre-registration is required. Please bring walking shoes, a rain coat, and a water bottle. Water and snacks will be provided.
Don’t forget to fill out our ONLINE EVALUATION! It’s easy! Thank you for your input! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014SCW The ATTENDEE LIST can also be found online at: www.coloradowater.org/2014attendeelist 2.
The Colorado Watershed Assembly’s mission is to provide support for collaborative efforts among diverse stakeholders to protect and improve the conservation values of land, water, and other natural resources of Colorado’s watersheds. For more information, visit www.coloradowater.org! Our programs include: • The RIVER WATCH PROGRAM is a statewide, volunteer-run water quality monitoring program of the non-profit Colorado Watershed Assembly in partnership with Colorado Parks & Wildlife and is comprised of volunteers from over 125 different public, private, and charter school groups, watershed organizations, and private individuals that monitor over 300 different river sites throughout Colorado each year. • The INFLOW NETWORK is an on-line, timely information source focused on funding opportunities, conferences, training programs, events, job openings, and important watershed news. • Our WATERSHED PLANNING SERVICES program offers watershed planning services to local non-profit watershed groups to assist in the development of local stakeholder partnerships for the creation and implementation of communitydirected watershed plans. • The Assembly led the creation of the COLORADO HEALTHY RIVERS FUND, which provides tax payers the opportunity to contribute a portion of their tax return to assist locally-based conservation groups in their efforts to protect our land and water resources. The CHRF is part of the Colorado Check-off Program. Don’t forget to donate in April 2014! • Since 1999, the Assembly has partnered with other organizations in hosting the ANNUAL SUSTAINING COLORADO WATERSHEDS CONFERENCE, providing educational forums, training modules, and networking opportunities for watershed groups across the state.
Want to become part of an organization that works for healthy watersheds? Join the Colorado Watershed Assembly by becoming a member today! Donate at www.coloradowater.org 3.
Keeping the Green Line green! Our mission is to promote the conservation, restoration, and preservation of Colorado’s riparian areas and wetlands. • Foster a practical and scientific understanding of riparian areas. • Promote sound management through demonstration & education. • Advance communication for all people interested in riparian areas.
P.O. Box 19636 Boulder, CO 80308 4.
info@coloradoriparian.org www.coloradoriparian.org
CFWE on the Radio: Connecting the Drops The quality water information you crave is now available over radio airwaves and online thanks to a collaboration between CFWE and Community Radio stations. Hear monthly stories including: -Flood recovery -Water for agriculture -The energy/water nexus -And much more
Citizen’s Guide to Transbasin Diversions NOW AVAILABLE Learn about the history, benefits, costs and negotiations of these controversial water supply projects. Read and order online. 5.
MONDAY OCTOBER 6 5:30-7:30pm
CONFERENCE AGENDA
Early Registration and Vendor Tabletop/Poster Session Set-up in the Hotel Lobby
TUESDAY OCTOBER 7 Time
Activity
Location
8:00am-5:00pm
REGISTRATION
Hotel Lobby
8:00am-1:30pm
VENDOR/POSTER/SILENT AUCTION SET UP Vendor Tabletop Set-Up Posters Set-Up Silent Auction
Times Vary 8:30-10:00am 10:00-11:30am 8:30am-12:00pm 8:30-11:30am 9:00-11:30am
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
11:30-12:45
PRE-CONFERENCE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS
CDPHE Non-Point Source Workgroup Colorado Data Sharing Network CFWE Evaluation Capacity Development Training CWCB Getting Involved with Colorado’s Water Plan CSU Gathering Participant Wisdom to Communicate Pine Beetle Impacts on Water Quality and Supply Colorado Watershed Assembly (CWA) Colorado Riparian Association (CRA)
Riverside Foyer Area Gondola A Rapids Room Riverside IV Riverside IV Whitewater Room Gondola B/C Riverside III Riverside I/II TBD
MAIN CONFERENCE BEGINS AT 1:00PM
1:00-2:30pm
PLENARY SESSION 1: Flood Recovery from Agency Perspectives & Lessons Learned
Riverside Ballroom (Salons II/III/IV)
Welcome from Randy Mandel, 2014 Conference Chairperson Overview & Introductions by Kevin Houck, CWCB Presenters: Julie Chang, New York Rising Community Recovery Program Brad Case, City of New Orleans Dept. of Hazard Mitigation Iain Hyde, Deputy Chief Recovery Officer, State of Colorado
2:30-3:00pm
BREAK
Tabletops in Riverside Foyer Posters in Gondola A – Be sure to get your passport stamped! Silent Auction in Rapids Room
3:00-4:30pm
PLENARY SESSION 2: Trends in Water Policy Overview & Introductions by Nicole Seltzer, CFWE
Riverside Foyer Gondola Foyer Rapids Room Riverside Ballroom (Salons II/III/IV)
Presenters: What will be in Colorado’s Water Plan? James Eklund, CWCB Could the Ballot Initiative Process Upend Colorado’s Water Plan? Fiona Smith, Colorado Water Congress What is the Legislature’s Role in Crafting State Water Policy? State Representative Diane Mitsch-Bush
5:00-6:15pm 6:15-8:00pm
COCKTAILS & APPETIZERS EVENING BANQUET DINNER
Awards Presentation Keynote Address: A Story of Speed, Obsession, and Grace in the Heart of the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko, author of The Emerald Mile Book signing with Kevin immediately after the banquet
6.
Library & Lobby Terrace Riverside Ballroom (Salons II/III/IV)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8 Time 7:00-8:15am
Activity BREAKFAST
Location Maya Restaurant
8:00am: Day 2 Overview & Logistics
8:30-10:00am
CONCURRENT SESSSION 1 - See page 3 for details Watershed Coalition Strategies for Flood Recovery Engaging Partners Conservation Planning
10:00-10:30am
BREAK
Tabletops in Riverside Foyer Silent Auction in Rapids Room Posters in Gondola A- Be sure to get your passport stamped!
10:30-12:00pm
12:00-1:30pm
LUNCH
1:30-3:00
CONCURRENT SESSION 3 - See page 4 for details Resiliency: What does this really mean? Collaborative Water Management Water Quality
BREAK
Tabletops in Riverside Foyer Silent Auction in Rapids Room Posters in Gondola A- Be sure to get your passport stamped!
3:30-5:00pm
5:00pm 5:30-8:00pm
Riverside Foyer Rapids Room Gondola A
CONCURRENT SESSION 2 - See page 3 for details Flood Recovery Priority Projects Groundwater Wildfire & Communities
3:00-3:30pm
Gondola B Riverside Salon III Riverside Salon IV
Gondola B Riverside Salon III Riverside Salon IV Maya Restaurant
Gondola B Riverside Salon III Riverside Salon IV Riverside Foyer Rapids Room Gondola A
CONCURRENT SESSION 4 – See page 4 for details Stream Assessments Stream Corridor Case Studies Impacts in the 21st Century Posters Close
Gondola B Riverside Salon III Riverside Salon IV
DINNER & SOCIAL EVENT
Riverside Terrace & Ballroom
6:30pm:“River Idol” Karaoke Contest MC’d by The Greenway Foundation’s Jeff Shoemaker 8:00pm: Silent Auction closes 8:30pm: Winners – Pick up Silent Auction Bargains! 8:00pm: Vendor Tabletops Close
THURSDAY OCTOBER 9 Time 7:00-8:15am
Activity BREAKFAST
Location Riverside Salons III & IV
FIELD WORKSHOP AT CAMP HALE
Meet in Riverside Foyer
8:00am: Day 3 Overview & Logistics Winners – Pick up your Silent Auction Bargains at Registration!
9:00am-1:00pm
This year's post‐conference Field Workshop will feature National Forest Foundation and USFS White River National Forest speakers to discuss the history, hydrology, and upcoming restoration work for the Camp Hale site. A tour bus will pick up attendees from the Westin at 9am and return at 1pm. Due to limited bus space, pre‐registration is required. Please bring walking shoes, a rain coat, and a water bottle. Water and snacks will be provided.
7.
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 8 - CONCURRENT SESSIONS Gondola B
Riverside Salon III
Riverside Salon IV
Watershed Coalition Strategies for Flood Recovery
Engaging Partners
Conservation Planning
Moderator: Casey Davenhill, CWA
Moderator: Rusty Lloyd, Tamarisk Coalition
Tap Into the Crowd: How to Use Crowdfunding Sites to Fundraise for Your Organization Megan Maiolo-Health, Trees, Water, and People + A model for hyperlocal urban watershed education Darren Mollendor, Denver Public Works + Financing Strategies for Colorado Watersheds Michael Feeley, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
From Weeds to Willows: Partnering with Conservation Corps & BLM to Restore the Dolores River Peter Mueller, The Nature Conservancy & Mike Wight, Southwest Conservation Corps + Perpetual Conservation Easements and Natural Disasters: What could possibly go wrong? Molly Fales, Montezuma Land Conservancy & Courtney Bennett, Colorado Cattleman’s Agricultural Land Trust + Grabbing a Seat at the Table: How Conservation Groups Try to Shift the Status Quo Theresa Conley, Conservation Colorado
Moderator: Chris Sturm, CWCB & CRA
Session 1 8:3010:00am
Boulder Creek Coalition St. Vrain Creek Coalition Lefthand Creek Coalition Julie McKay + Big Thompson River Restoration Coalition John Giordanengo + Little Thompson River Restoration Coalition Gordon Gilstrap + Fish Creek/Fall River Coalition Julie Ash + Fountain/Cheyenne Creek Coalition Larry Small + South Platte River Coalition Sheryl Trent + Coal Creek Coalition Chris Garre
Flood Recovery Priority Projects Moderator: Jeff Crane, Crane Associates
Session 2 10:30am12:00pm
8.
2013 Flood Recovery: Flood Mitigation Using the Emergency Watershed Program Rob Molacek, NRCS + Jamestown Response to Flood and Debris Flows of September 2013: The Importance of Community, Agency, and Consultant Cooperation and Collaboration Graeme Aggett, AMEC Tara Schoedinger, Town of Jamestown + Idlewylde Dam Removal Greg Dewey, City of Loveland + US36: Estes Park to Lyons – Emergency and Permanent Flood Repair Project Abra Geissler, CDOT & Julian Maskeroni, Federal Highway Administration
Wildfire & Communities Groundwater Moderator: Gil Barth, CRA Groundwater Challenges & Solutions for CO Watersheds Dave Colvin, Leonard Rice Engineers + Sustainable South Metro: Creating Resilient Water Supplies for South Metro Communities Eric Hecox, South Metro Water Supply Authority + Aquifer System Age Dating & Vulnerability Mapping Tools to Guide Land Use Decision Making Sean Chambers, Cherokee Metro District & Tristan Wellman, USGS
Moderator: Polly Hays, USFS Wildfire Impacts on Cache la Poudre River Water Quality Jared Heath, City of Fort Collins Utilities + Assessing Wildfire Mitigation Outreach strategies in the Wildland-Urban Interface Elizabeth Koebele & Adrianne Kroepsch, University of Colorado Boulder + RWEACT: A Community Response to West Fork Complex Fire Heather Dutton, Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation & Tom Spezze, Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team
9.
SPEAKER BIOS AND ABSTRACTS
Tuesday, October 7 Pre-Conference Workshops 8:30 - 12:00pm Workshop times vary, check the agenda for more specifics. Getting Involved in Colorado’s Water Plan Jacob Bornstein, Colorado Water Conservation Board Jacob Bornstein is the Interbasin Compact Committee and Basin Roundtable Coordinator for the Colorado Water Conservation Board. He is also part of the team that supports Colorado’s Water Plan and the Statewide Water Supply Initiative. Formerly Jacob was director of the Colorado Watershed Network, program manager for the Roaring Fork Conservancy, and a business statistical and scientific methods consultant. He holds a Master of Sciences degree from the University of Massachusetts. Abstract: Public comments for initial draft sections of Colorado’s Water Plan are due October 10th. This workshop offers an opportunity to learn more about the water plan as a whole and discuss several of the chapters related to the environment & recreation, watershed health & management, and meeting Colorado’s environmental and recreational gaps. The workshop will allow participants a chance to comment on the initial draft chapters for inclusion in the draft going to the Governor on December 10th. CFWE Water Educator Network’s Evaluation Capacity Development Training Colorado Foundation for Water Education and Emily Love, OMNI Emily Love is an Advanced Researcher and has been at OMNI Institute since 2011. Emily completed her doctorate at the University of Colorado, Boulder specializing in education policy with an emphasis on qualitative research methods. Throughout graduate school, Emily developed expertise in participatory methods such as digital storytelling, PhotoVoice, and community asset mapping. At OMNI Institute, she has had the opportunity to lead evaluations that range in content and design, including youth substance use, water resources, public land management, leadership development, early childhood, preconception health, and statewide surveillance of sexual orientation data. In addition, Emily has enjoyed facilitating participatory evaluations with communities, ensuring that the process and outcomes are empowering for all participants. Emilys very first project when she came to OMNI was evaluating the Water Leaders Program in partnership with the Colorado Foundation for Water Education. Abstract: OMNI will facilitate a series of three evaluation trainings with a select group of 15 Water Education Network participants beginning in the fall of 2014. The evaluation series will be tailored to member needs and will utilize an experiential/hands approach designed to help participants do evaluation as they are deepening their evaluation knowledge and skill base. Three OMNI evaluation staff members will co-facilitate each training to ensure that participants are able to work in small groups with an evaluator to focus on the unique needs of their organization. The first training of the series will take place at the Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference in October of 2014. The first training will focus on evaluation basics. During the three hour session, we will explore the value of evaluation and its connection with programming; understand key terms and definitions; learn about evaluation methods and develop (or refine) an evaluation plan. In addition, to developing a foundation of evaluation knowledge, participants will work in small groups to advance their unique evaluation goals. OMNI evaluation staff will structure the training to ensure that each participant is able to leave with actionable next steps. Depending on participant needs identified through the first training, the final two sessions in the series may include: conducting a needs assessment, effective data management, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and reporting to constituents and funders. Gathering Participant Wisdom to Communicate Pine Beetle Impacts on Water Quality and Supply Stuart Cottrell, PhD, Associate Professor and Michael Czaja, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Dr. Cottrell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University (CSU) where he serves as the Academic Coordinator of the Master of Tourism Management and coordinator of the undergraduate concentration in Global Tourism. At CSU, he teaches courses in ecotourism, sustainable tourism development, and tourism research. His research focus includes sustainable tourism development, travel and tourism behavior, visitor impact management, and public perceptions of mountain pine beetle impacts on natural resources and water quality. Present projects involve a National Science Foundation grant to examine land management agency and water provider perception of pine beetle impacts on water quality and monitoring the socio-cultural impacts of sustainable tourism development in Europe’s protected areas in Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Romania, Poland, and Sweden. Mike Czaja received his Ph.D. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University (CSU) in December, 2012. A retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, he is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the university. His interests include research in the human dimensions of wildland fire management, water resources, and other natural resource-related issues. Mike also serves as a fire prevention volunteer with the Canyon Lakes Ranger District, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, and a volunteer wildland firefighter (FFT 2) and public information officer (PIOF) trainee with the Emergency Services Section, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. His hometown is Paonia, Colorado. Abstract: This interactive session will gather participant experiences, insights, and ideas about the impacts of tree mortality from mountain pine beetle infestation on water quality and supply. In small groups, participants will brainstorm key ideas related to water quality and supply and identify associated key messages. Ideas generated from each group will be clarified and 10.
summarized as part of a final discussion among the session participants. Anticipated results will be an improved understanding of the perceptions of the water supply and quantity challenges for mountain pine beetle-impacted areas. Participants will assist the research team in the development of a collaborative learning process, with feedback to community groups, water providers, and others. The end result of this National Science Foundation-funded project will be the development of key messages for placedbased science education and citizen science educational programs. CDPHE Non-Point Source Program Workshop Lucia Machado, Colorado Department for Public Health and Environment, Non-Point Source Program Lucia Machado has been the NPS Coordinator for the state of Colorado for the past 7 years. She has worked in the field of nonpoint source pollution for 17 years; she also has worked with water quality monitoring and water quality standards. Lucia has a degree in Biology from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil and a master degree in public administration from Arizona State University. Abstract: The Colorado Nonpoint Source program is again offering the NPS workshop. The workshop covers topics of interest for folks who might be planning to or might already be addressing nonpoint sources of pollution. The Colorado NPS program offers funding for many different types of approaches to addressing NPS pollution, information and technical assistance. The workshop is an opportunity for NPS program staff to present program and project specific information and for folks to interact with staff. The series of modules will cover topics such as program strategy update, proposal development and planning for NPS projects. The Colorado NPS program team will deliver the presentations and be available for one-on-one discussion during the workshop and during the conference. Drop-ins are welcomed. Coffee and other breakfast refreshments will be provided to participants. Demystify Data Sharing Lynn Padgett, Colorado Data Sharing Network, and Kelly Close, Leonard Rice Engineers Lynn Padgett is Co-Owner of MtnGeoGeek, LLC which provides Project Coordinator services to the Colorado Data Sharing Network (CDSN), a project of the Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council designed to increase the amount of high-quality, publically accessible, water quality data being actively managed and shared in Colorado. The CDSN makes available a robust data management and analysis tool-kit which includes a database and built-in analysis tools known as the Ambient Water Quality Monitoring System (AWQMS), along with companion tools that include an online interactive exceedance mapper, an online GIS utility, training and tutorials, and coming soon, dynamic “RESTFUL” web services to allow data to be converted into information displayed directly on your website. Lynn has been Project Coordinator of the CDSN since 2009. The CDSN data and tool-kit can be accessed at http://www.ColoradoWaterData.org. As Project Coordinator, Lynn has led the CDSN through a platform transition to its current database framework “WQX”; facilitated the design, creation and deployment of the exceedance mapper and RESTFUL web services; designed, programmed and deployed the CDSN on-line GIS application and GIS shapefiles; and created numerous training and tutorial materials. During her period as Project Coordinator, CDSN has tripled the amount of data being managed in AWQMS which is currently 2.3 million records, and quadrupled the number of data providers uploading data into the system. Lynn holds a degree in Geology from Western State Colorado University, and in addition to consulting through her company MtnGeoGeek, LLC, Lynn has worked as a geologist, hydrologist, GIS specialist, wetland scientist, and web designer for consulting and engineering firms as well as the BLM and USGS. She is also currently serving her second term as Ouray County Commissioner and participates on a number of local, state and national committees. Lynn can be contacted at cwqmc@coloradowaterquality. org and 970-258-0836. Kelly Close has been working in western water resources engineering since 1992 and is most interested in applying computer technologies to meet challenges unique to this field and provide relevant data management and data integration solutions to her clients. Kelly has a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the U of CO & a minor in Applied Math. Kelly also enjoys gaming, movies, and music, in particular playing guitar and piano and taking the stage with friends to sing and generally rock out. Abstract: Do you currently have all the resources you need to collect all the data you need from all water bodies, when you need it? Do you count on using others’ data but have a hard time accessing it and/or getting into the same format as your other data? Are you engaged in watershed planning, Water Quality Control Commission Basin Hearings, other regulatory processes requiring data, restoration or protection efforts? Do you wish the majority of the data you need was easily accessible by you, in one format, in one place, with built-in filtering, charting, graphing, mapping tools to help in analysis and extracting useful data? If you answered yes to the first question, please share! But most of us need more resources to quickly and efficiently access existing data collected by ourselves and/or others to use data more than once, increase efficiencies, and access data relevant for our own queries and analyses in a single format in a single place. The Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council (CWQMC) has been successfully sharing water quality, biological and physical habitat data from lakes, reservoirs, rivers and ground water through the Colorado Data Sharing Network project for over a decade. As a result, many data providers and data users are realizing significant benefits in cost savings, efficiencies, making better informed and thus better decisions, and achieving program goals with increased effectiveness. This interactive session will bring you up to speed and demonstrate the CWQMC’s Colorado Data Sharing Network (CDSN) tools which include interactive mapping utilities, data download tools, data analysis tools, and highlight an upcoming web services tool that will turn data into information that can be displayed real-time on your website for your purposes. We will showcase examples of what can be accomplished when data is shared, in a common format, with guidelines, security and relevancy. See what we can build together that none of us can afford to build or sustain individually. Chances are high your organization is losing money by not using CDSN to manage data and turn more data efficiently into information. 11.
Plenary Session I Tuesday 1:00 - 2:30pm
Flood Recovery from Agency Perspectives and Lessons Learned
Moderator: Kevin Houck Colorado Water Conservation Board Kevin Houck is the Chief of Watershed & Flood Protection for the CWCB, and is responsible for supervising and directing the work of professional staff, multiple consultant contracts, and seasonal/temporary staff. He is a Certified Floodplain Manager and a registered Professional Engineer and has been with the CWCB for 11 years. He works frequently with the Board, the Attorney General’s Office, the Legislature, and other stakeholder groups to develop and implement new statutes, regulations, and policies that are pertinent to the agency’s mission. He also has project management responsibility for levees, multi-hazard mitigation planning, flood response and preparedness activities, and engineering design. He previously served as the Community Assistance Program Manager and Project Engineer prior to his appointment as Section Chief. Kevin is the Chair of the Colorado Flood Task Force. He is a past Chair of the Colorado Association of Stormwater & Floodplain Managers, and past Board Member for the Association of State Floodplain Managers. He has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Washington State University and a master’s degree from the University of Colorado-Denver. He has never been busier in his 20 year career than in the past year. Flood Recovery from Agency Perspectives and Lessons Learned Panel: Julie Chang, Ecology and Environment, Brad Case, City of New Orleans, and Iain Hyde, Deputy Chief Recovery Officer, State of Colorado Julie Chang is an accomplished global business leader for complex and high-profile energy, resilience, economic, and environmental sustainability projects. She is recognized as an insightful systems-based thinker who effectively leads and facilitates the work of cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary technical teams to produce innovative environmental programs and plans. Ms. Chang develops environmental strategies and investment plans, helping communities and organizations prioritize projects based on their economic and environmental impacts. As a Principal level consultant at Ecology and Environment, Inc., she develops climate action plans and energy strategy plans, and prepares disaster resilience and community reconstruction plans. Ms. Chang has a Master’s in Business Administration from MIT and a degree in International Relations from Tufts University. She is on the Board of the New York League of Conservation Voters, Westchester Chapter and is a member of the Green City Advisory Committee for the City of Yonkers. Brad is the Director of Hazard Mitigation for the City of New Orleans. Created in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Hazard Mitigation Branch of the City’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is responsible for developing and implementing mitigation policy throughout the City of New Orleans. This includes maintenance and implementation of the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, administration of all FEMA mitigation programs for private property and infrastructure and advancing the awareness of mitigation concepts and practices for communities and businesses. The Mitigation Office also represents the City throughout the state and the country to advance the sustainability and resilience of the City and to share our own experiences with others. Iain Hyde serves as the Deputy Chief Recovery Officer within the Governor’s Recovery Office. He recently joined the Recovery Office with seven years of professional experience in emergency management and disaster recovery. Previously, he worked at the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management as a Mitigation Specialist and later as the agency’s Recovery Manager. While at the Division, he worked on a range of issues including pre and post-disaster recovery planning, infrastructure, watershed and environmental restoration, hazard mitigation, economic and community development and disaster case management. He also administered both federal and state mitigation and recovery grants and wrote grant proposals. Before he joined the State of Colorado, Iain worked in the private sector on hazard mitigation planning projects and disaster recovery operations, including supporting implementation of the temporary housing program following the 2008 Iowa Floods. He has worked professionally or volunteered on wildfire, flood, tornado and hurricane disasters in Colorado, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, and Iowa.
Plenary Session 2 Tuesday 3:00 - 4:30pm
Trends in Water Policy
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Moderator: Nicole Seltzer Colorado Foundation for Water Education Nicole Seltzer inspires curiosity, advocates for learning and creates community for the people of Colorado through great water education. She is the Executive Director of the Colorado Foundation for Water Education, a non-profit organization whose vision is that all Coloradans make more informed water resource decisions through exposure to accurate and balanced water information. Nicole developed a passion for water issues while at the University of Kansas, and then expanded her knowledge with a Masters degree in Water Resources from the University of Vermont. She previously performed community and media relations work for the U.S. EPA and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, and volunteered on several non-profit Boards including the Colorado Watershed Assembly. She has led the Foundation through a period of growth resulting in doubled staffing levels, new programs reaching younger audiences, a 60% larger budget and new partnerships across Colorado. Nicole’s work interests spill over into her personal life: most of her vacation time is spent guiding various inflatable boats down Western rivers.
What will be in Colorado’s Water Plan? James Eklund, Colorado Water Conservation Board James Eklund is the director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board. As a lawyer and a government official, Eklund is already a disappointment to much of his family on the Western Slope. He is redeemed in their eyes, however, because he drinks whiskey and fights over water (but never at the same time). The CWCB protects the state’s water with responsibilities ranging from the Colorado Water Plan to Flood preparedness and response. Eklund is a graduate of Stanford University and the University of Denver College of Law (neither of which, his father is quick to note, made him any better at cleaning ditches or irrigating pasture). The Upper Colorado River endangered fish he most identifies with is the Razorback Sucker because he thinks of himself as sharp but also somewhat gullible. Could the ballot initiative process upend Colorado’s Water Plan? Fiona Smith, Colorado Water Congress Fiona Smith manages outreach and communications for the Colorado Water Congress, a membership organization established in 1958 to provide leadership on key water resource issues and serve as the principal voice of Colorado’s water community. She received her BA in Geology from The Colorado College. Prior to working with CWC, she worked in the realm of communications and outreach for a number of environmental organizations out of Telluride, Colorado. Abstract: The planning process that has absorbed the lives of many in the water community over the past decade, is based upon our Prior Appropriation System as outlined by the Colorado Constitution. Currently in our state, to adapt that constitution one need only rally public support and raise a significant amount of money to pass a ballot initiative in the general election. Since 2002, seven Public Trust Doctrine ballot initiatives have been proposed to amend the Colorado Constitution. The Public Trust Doctrine would undermine our current water allocation system and everything that relies upon it- including Colorado’s Water Plan. Does the drafted water plan address the issues of concern to ballot initiative proponents within our Prior Appropriation System? These types of ballot initiatives are of great concern to Colorado’s water community. With a system that allows for relatively easy adaptation of our Constitution, we need to be proactive in protecting the system we believe in, and adapting to the values of our state’s population. What is the legislature’s role in crafting state water policy? State Representative Diane Mitsch-Bush State Representative Diane Mitsch Bush is honored and proud to serve Eagle County and Routt County: two beautiful headwaters counties with several critical watersheds. Diane moved to Steamboat Springs from St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1976, the 100-year drought ski season. See www. dianeforcolorado.com Diane earned her BA Summa Cum Laude and her PhD from the University of Minnesota. She served on the social science faculty at University of Arizona, Colorado State University, and Colorado Mountain College, Steamboat Springs. At CSU, she earned tenure with a unanimous vote and published widely in peer reviewed social science journals. She was twice named CMC faculty of the year. Diane served as a Routt County Planning Commissioner, 1996-2006, focusing on the connection between land use, water and energy efficiency/conservation, energy, and multimodal transportation. In 2006 she was elected as Routt County Commissioner, District 3, reelected in 2010. As State Representative for Colorado House District 26-Eagle County and Routt County, Diane serves on the: House Transportation and Energy Committee House Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee Interim Joint House/Senate Water Resources Review Interim Joint House/Senate Transportation Legislation Review In the Colorado House Diane has earned the reputation for working across the aisle and bringing people together for common sense, fiscally responsible solutions. All of her bills have passed with bipartisan support, including HB14-1030, co-primed with Rep. Don Coram (R-Montrose) that cut red tape in the permitting process for small (less than 10MW) hydropower, while preserving community and environmental values. She has cosponsored several water conservation/efficiency bills and SB 14-115.
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Keynote Address Dinner, Tuesday 7:30 - 8:00pm A Story of Speed, Obsession, and Grace in the Heart of the Grand Canyon Kevin Fedarko, Author Kevin Fedarko has written for Outside, Esquire, National Geographic Adventure, and other publications. He studied political science at Columbia University and Russian history at Oxford before joining the staff at Time Magazine, where he worked primarily on the foreign affairs desk. His first book, The Emerald Mile, won a National Outdoor Book Award and the Reading the West Award, and was short-listed for a PEN Literary Sports Writing Award. He lives in Flagstaff and works as a part-time whitewater guide in the Grand Canyon. Abstract: Fedarko’s work for Outside Magazine has taken him to some of the word’s most dramatic places, from Kashmir’s Siachen Glacier to Everest Base Camp and Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His deepest connection, however, is to the river where he spent nearly a decade researching and writing The Emerald Mile, a chronicle of the most ferocious flood in the modern history of the Grand Canyon. This thrilling portrait of the runoff of 1983—a surge that threatened to take out the Glen Canyon Dam while serving as a hydraulic catapult for a tiny wooden dory and a quest for a historic speed record—offers a true-to-life adventure story in the heart of the most iconic landscape feature in the country. In the year since the book’s debut, however, The Emerald Mile has also emerged as a platform for advocating against a roster of developments that threaten to permanently destroy the canyon’s unrivaled grandeur. Fedarko’s presentation will blend storytelling with conservation, beauty with ugliness, and inspiration with a sense of outrage over what now besets the crown jewel of America’s national park system.
Wednesday, October 8 8:30 -10:00am
Watershed Coalition Strategies for Flood Recovery
Moderator: Chris Sturm Colorado Water Conservation Board & Colorado Riparian Association Chris Sturm obtained his bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Georgia. He worked for several years in education around natural resources, until he landed at the City of Thornton, where he served as a Senior Water Resources Analyst for seven years. That job led him to his current position with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, an entity formed in 1937 to engage in water policy formation and water planning for the state. At the CWCB, Chris serves as the Stream Restoration Coordinator, a position he has held since 2007. In this capacity, he leads the CWCB’s activities related to watershed restoration, flood protection, and water supply development. Wateshed Coalition Strategies for Flood Recovery Presentations by: Julie McKay, John Giordanengo, Gordon Gilstrap, Larry Small, Julie Ash, Chris Garre, & Sheryl Trent Julie McKay, Boulder Creek Coalition, St Vrain Creek Coalition, and Lefthand Creek Coalition Julie McKay, M.A., is Boulder County’s Transportation Planning Manager. She is currently leading the county’s Comprehensive Creek Planning Initiative, which includes several multiagency coalitions and watershed-level planning studies to facilitate creek recovery throughout the county. Her two decades of professional experience in the public and private sectors includes planning, conflict resolution, and designing and implementing public engagement, agency decision-making, and multiagency collaborative processes. Ms. McKay has a Master of Arts degree in International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and an undergraduate degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She grew up in Wyoming and has lived in Colorado since 1998. Chris Garre, Coal Creek Coalition Currently serving his third year as president of The Environmental Group, a 501c3 non-profit organization, Chris is co-chairing the Coal Creek Watershed Coalition with Emily Troisi, and he chairs TEG’s Citizens for Sustainable Water Management project. His time is split between Coal Creek Canyon on the Front Range and Paonia on the Western Slope where he works as Executive Director of the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition. He likes chocolate. Sheryl Trent, South Platte River Coalition Sheryl Trent is the Economic Development Director for the City of Evans as well as the Executive Director of the Evans Redevelopment Agency. She was instrumental in the aftermath of the flood in creating opportunities for recovery and redevelopment, and continues to oversee long range planning for the City of Evans as they move through the complicated and frustrating process. She has secured over $10,000,000 in grants during her 6 years with Evans, and is currently guiding the effort to create a citizen based Coalition to take the future of the South Platte River to the next level.
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Gordon Gilstrap, Little Thompson River Watershed Restoration Coalition Gordon Gilstrap is the President of the Board for the Big Thompson Conservation District as well as chairperson for the Little Thompson Watershed Restoration Coalition Steering Committee and a member of the Big Thompson River Restoration Coalition Steering Committee. All of these positions are unpaid and Gordon has logged over 1,000 hours of volunteer service to river restoration leadership. He is a 2014 recipient of the Colorado Governor’s Service Award for Community Leadership in flood recovery. Prior to his retirement in 2004, Gordon was the General Manager and Director of Global Trade for Hewlett-Packard with functional
responsibility for $2.1B of HP operational expense and management of 325 customs, export administration and logistics personnel in 53 countries. Gordon resides in Loveland, Colorado. John Giordanengo, Big Thompson River Restoration Coalition After 17 years of experience in Ecological Restoration and Natural Resources, John founded AloTerra Restoration Services, LLC as a means to expand his commitment to the field of Ecological Restoration. Beginning his career as a volunteer planting riparian shrubs/trees along the Green River in Washington State, he completed his MS degree from Colorado State University in 2000 and has helped to plan and implement over 160 restoration-related projects ranging from riparian and wetland restoration to postfire restoration. John serves on the Board of the High Altitude Revegetation Organization and the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, and has served on several other NR committees and boards throughout Colorado, including the Colorado Native Plant Society. Responding to some of Northern Colorado’s most severe natural disasters, John co-founded the High Park Restoration Coalition and the Big Thompson River Restoration Coalition. Larry Small, Upper Fountain/Cheyenne Creek Coalition Larry Small holds a degree in Electrical Engineering/Mathematics from the West Virginia Institute of Technology and an Honorary Doctor of Management from the Colorado Technical University. He retired in 2001 from Lockheed Martin Corporation where he served as Director of Turkish Operations. Mr. Small was elected the Colorado Springs District 2 City Council Member in 1991. In April of 2003 he was elected to a City Council At-Large seat and in 2005 he was elected to serve as Vice Mayor. In April 2007 he was reelected to his At-Large seat and re-elected Vice Mayor. Mr. Small was instrumental in helping pass Senate Bill 141 in 2009 to create the Fountain Creek Watershed, Flood Control and Greenway District. He was appointed Colorado Springs representative to the District Board in 2009 and served as Chairman in 2011. Mr. Small was appointed Executive Director of the District in April 2011 by the District Board after he left elected office and is currently serving in that capacity. Julie Ash, Fish Creek/Fall River Coalition Julie Ash is a senior water resource engineer with Walsh Environmental and a registered Professional Engineer in Colorado. She has 19 years of experience in river restoration and engineering to support ecological restoration projects. Julie focuses on restoring natural form and function to damaged systems to maximize habitat value and help restore health and resiliency given today’s reality of myriad and unavoidable constraints. She believes that intact natural systems, with their inherent resiliency, are the key to successfully meeting the diverse and often competing goals that we place on these areas…and that protecting them is the best way to protect ourselves. Julie also serves on the Executive Board of the Colorado Riparian Association, helping plan the Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference each year. Julie’s work with the Riparian Association over the last 17 years has ranged from President to Secretary to Membership Committee. With either hat on, Julie loves to talk about anything riparian- or stream-related. Be sure to find her at the conference this year to talk shop!
Engaging Partners
Moderator: Casey Davenhill Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners & Colorado Watershed Assembly Casey is a graduate of Metropolitan State University of Denver with a degree in Accounting and nearly 30 years of accounting experience having worked for an international accounting firm and numerous small businesses and non-profits as a consultant. As Administrator for the Colorado Watershed Network and the Colorado Watershed Assembly, Casey has a long history of coordination with River Watch and other important programs and projects that have been facilitated by these two organizations. In 2013 Casey became the Executive Director for the Colorado Watershed Assembly and oversaw the successful renewal of the important River Watch contract. With the assistance and support of outstanding staff and Board of Directors, Casey has expanded services to the water quality community and increased the capacity of the Colorado Watershed Assembly to provide administrative and financial management support to professional associations and citizen coalitions. Cherry Creek is Casey’s home watershed and she has directed the watershed forum: Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners for over 10 years. Working with a growing and diverse group of Partners, Casey has promoted conservation and stewardship in the Cherry Creek basin and the urban S. Platte River through active volunteer restoration programs to train and support school and community groups as well as outreach to the educational community to provide teacher training workshops, science fair support and service learning opportunities. Casey has participated in the planning and implementation for numerous guiding documents and represents the community as a participant in the Cherry Creek Working Group, the League of Women Voters, the Urban Waters Partnership and is the Education Liaison for the Interbasin Compact Committee’s Metro Roundtable. Tap Into the Crowd: How to Use Crowdfunding Sites to Fundraise for Your Organization Megan Maiolo-Heath, Trees, Water, and People As a Coloradoan with a strong passion for the environment, Megan has developed a keen interest for natural resource policy, conservation, and management. Professionally, she enjoys using her nonprofit marketing, communications, and fundraising experience to further the missions of nonprofits who are working to conserve the environment. Abstract: Crowdfunding for social causes is quickly changing the online fundraising landscape for nonprofits. Organizations that strategically crowdfund have the ability to mobilize their current base while, at the same time, acquiring new donors in order to fund important projects and/or events. This presentation will cover the basics of organizing and executing a successful online crowdfunding campaign to raise funds and awareness for your nonprofit organization’s mission. In addition, we will cover some of the top crowdfunding platforms currently available to nonprofits.
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Learning at the Water Source: A watershed protection approach with sustainable cross-leveraged benefits Darren Mollendor, P.E.,Denver Public Works Darren is a 20 year veteran in the Civil and Environmental Engineering field. He has more then 10 years in the environmental educations arena with a primary focus on pollution prevention and stream health. Abstract: Using the “Keep It Clean Neighborhood Environmental Trios” (KIC-NET) outdoor classroom model developed in collaboration between the City and County of Denver and environmental education nonprofit, Earth Force, Inc., a watershed approach to stormwater protection is successfully being implemented throughout the urban corridor of Denver and the Cherry Creek Watershed. Over the next two-years, Learning at the Water Source will launch in ten additional schools located in the central southeastern portion of the South Platte River Basin Eligible Geographic Area. By the end of summer 2016, a total of 1,500 students are expected to be in the program, an additional 750 students will join the nearly 750 students currently engaged in this program. Denver Public Works is confident in delivering this expanded Learning at the Water Source program to meet pollutant source mitigation needs to protect the South Platte River and Cherry Creek Watersheds while adding value to participating communities and schools. With the overall goal of achieving significant environmental and educational gains for students and educators while building a community culture of environmental engagement in a hyper-local way, offering youth service-learning projects to improve community water quality. Financing Strategies for Colorado Watersheds Michael Feeley, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP As co-chair of Brownstein’s Government Relations Department, Mike coordinates the firm’s lobbying and public policy work in multiple states and integrates the state work with the firm’s Washington, DC office. In Colorado, he provides representation before the legislative and executive branches for clients such as FedEx, Comcast, SAS, Colorado State University, Corrections Corporation of America and the Colorado Auto Dealers Association. At the federal level, he leads the Brownstein team providing representation for the City of Aurora, Colorado and Jefferson County, Colorado. Mike served in the Colorado State Senate from 1993 to 2001 and was selected by his caucus to serve as the Senate Minority Leader for seven of his eight years in office, from 1994 to 2001. As a member of the General Assembly’s Executive Committee, Mike was responsible for policy and administrative oversight of the Colorado Legislature. During his last year in office, in a Rocky Mountain News survey of his Senate colleagues, Mike was chosen as the Senate’s “Most Effective Member,” a remarkable honor for a member of the minority party. Abstract: Colorado’s diverse watersheds present unique and varied challenges. An increasing interest in a watershed-based approach to water quality management has led to the establishment of numerous local and regional watershed initiatives in Colorado. The initiatives reflect a great diversity of organizational models and functional roles. The purpose of legislation creating a “toolbox” for local and regional watershed initiatives is to provide a diverse array of discretionary tools for locally controlled watershed initiatives to acquire capital for water quality improvement projects and for mitigation of flooding, drainage, erosion problems, point and non-point pollution sources within the watershed.
Conservation Planning
Moderator: Rusty Lloyd Tamarisk Coalition Rusty Lloyd is the Program Director for the Tamarisk Coalition, which is a non-profit organization located in Grand Junction, CO. Rusty earned his BS in Park Resource Management from Kansas State University and is currently pursuing his Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver. From 1997 to 2004 he worked for state and federal land managing agencies in Kansas and Colorado which include Kansas Wildlife and Parks, Colorado State Parks, Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service managing natural resources and wild land firefighting. From 2004 to early 2011, he was the Director for a youth and young adult employment program called Western Colorado Conservation Corps. Currently as the Program Director for the Tamarisk Coalition, he oversees the organizations programs and projects while working with staff and partners to address river health issues associated with invasive plant species in the West US. Rusty is passionate about spending time in the outdoors, any chance he gets with his wife Jami and three children. From Weeds to Willows, How Conservation Interests Partnered with Conservation Corps Groups and the BLM to Implement Landscape Scale Restoration on the Dolores River. Peter Mueller, The Nature Conservancy & Mike Wight, Southwest Conservation Corps Peter leads The Nature Conservancy’s conservation and restoration work on the Dolores and San Miguel rivers. His work on the Dolores combines the multi-year riparian restoration project with other efforts to protect and enhance the Dolores River’s health below McPhee Reservoir. In other watersheds, Peter recently completed work with the Colorado Basin Roundtable developing their conservation and recreation plan for the Basin Implementation Plan. Prior to his work with Conservancy, Peter had a twenty-year career as an outdoor instructor, teacher and principal in Colorado schools and with Colorado Outward Bound. Peter has a bachelor’s degree in Government from Colby College and a Master’s in Education from Harvard University. Mike is a Prescott College grad with a degree in Ecology and Natural History. His early work with the Forest Service in a variety of trails and fire positions helped introduce him to conservation projects. From this experience Mike went on to lead volunteer service projects, become an Outward Bound river instructor, serve as Project Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, direct a corps program focused on invasive species mitigation and serve as Academic Director for an alternative high school. Since 2010 he 16.
has been River Restoration Director with the Southwest Conservation Corps (Durango, Colorado) focused on supporting multiple corps programs across the West collaborating with large scale, multi-year watershed habitat restoration initiatives on the Dolores, Escalante, Verde and Gila rivers. Mike has trained and mobilized over 500 corps members and managed more than a million dollars in grant funding, collaborating with multiple agencies and partners to coordinate woody invasives treatment along rivers in the front and backcountry. Abstract: This presentation will focus on how the Dolores River Restoration Partnership has relies on conservation corps groups to accomplish three compelling goals. In the fall of 2011, former BLM Director Bob Abbey sat down at river’s edge to share a sandwich with a small group of twenty-year olds from the Western Conservation Corps out of Grand Junction. The conversation began, Mr. Abbey reflected, with how to maintain the giant Stihl chainsaws, then shifted to what meals they most enjoyed cooking and eating in the dusty basecamps. Clearly touched by the spirited stories, Mr. Abbey asked what would they be doing if they weren’t here taking on one the west’s most wicked weeds. A wiry young women with long tangled braids looked right at Mr. Abbey reflectively, “I’d be on the streets…I honestly don’t where I’d be.” Her response was not filled with what might have been dread, but instead an incredible sense of optimism and confidence as if to say, look at what we are accomplishing. The Dolores River Restoration Partnership embarked on what will ultimately be one of the largest, best coordinated and widely acclaimed riparian restoration efforts we have seen in the west. Much of this success is rooted in the Partnerships trio of goals: riparian restoration, training and employing a new generation of land stewards and a commitment to education and outreach. Learn more about our ambitious conservation, education and outreach goals and how three Conservation Corps organizations from the southwest have kept us financially afloat and personally inspired to stay the course on this $5.0 million, ten-year restoration project to benefit the riparian, aquatic and human communities of southwest Colorado and southeast Utah. Perpetual Conservation Easements and Natural Disasters: What could possibly go wrong? Molly Fales, Montezuma Land Conservancy & Courtney Bennett, Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust Molly Fales is the Stewardship Director at the Montezuma Land Conservancy where she addresses any issues that arise once a property is encumbered with a conservation easement. Previously, she worked as the Legal Fellow at the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust. Molly is an attorney with experience working with conservation easements both as land trust staff and as a landowner. She has degrees from Dartmouth College and the University Of Oregon School Of Law. Courtney Bennett joined Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust as their Conservation Programs Assistant and Colorado Open Land Fellow in January of 2014. Before joining CCALT, Courtney worked with the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. She has over five years of experience in Land Conservation and degrees from Washington State University and Fort Lewis College. Abstract: The increasing prevalence of wildfires and recent catastrophic flooding events prompted Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) to examine the interaction between conservation easements and disaster planning. With support from Great Outdoors Colorado and several other Colorado-based land trusts, CCALT set out to learn how prepared the conservation community is to deal with disasters on conserved land. CCALT examined our own easement language along with easement terms from eight other conservation organizations to identify language that can both help and hinder an organization when dealing with natural disasters. CCALT came up with a set of recommendations for land trusts to consider when drafting easements to allow for greater flexibility when addressing natural disasters on conserved land. CCALT also conducted several case studies to better understand the interplay between wildfire, floods, and conservation easements. The case studies address how the 2013 catastrophic flood affected conservation easements held by the Estes Valley Land Trust and the effects of wildfires on conserved land held by Palmer Land Trust and CCALT. These case studies provided insight into areas where land trusts were prepared to handle a natural disaster and areas where there was room for improvement. Through this research, CCALT learned about different ways land trusts can contribute to both prevention and restoration efforts. Grabbing a Seat at the Table – How “Conservation” Groups Try to Shift the Status Quo Theresa Conley, Conservation Colorado Theresa Conley is the Water Advocate at Conservation Colorado a statewide conservation organization working to protect Colorado’s air, land, water, people and quality of life by mobilizing Coloradans and electing conservation-minded policy makers. Theresa Conley has a broad background in environmental advocacy, litigation, grassroots organizing, and local and national campaign work. In her position as Water Advocate she is based in Denver and works extensively on statewide water policy including Colorado’s Water Plan. In her spare time, Theresa enjoys skiing, hiking, and getting out onto our many waterways in Colorado. She earned a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a J.D. from California Western School of Law in San Diego, California. Abstract: Advocacy is the process by which a group or individual aims to influence public policy – it can be directed at a candidate, issue, legislation, resource allocation, or a host of other issues. This presentation will discuss different ways organizations can advocate to create policy that protects some of our most precious resources – air, land and water. Advocacy can be an effective way to create change, generate awareness about an issue, and build public support. The good news is that Coloradans – whether natives, newbies, and native-ish – all care about the environment and will engage on the issue. But creating policy or passing a bill takes preparation and strategy. Advocacy entails ,research planning,building coalitions, learning to effectively communicate your message, and both the ability and willingness to change course. From influencing an issue to influencing a policy maker, there are a host of potential advocacy and organizing tools that organizations can use to mobilize citizens, educate decision makers, or shape the discourse on an issue. To start with, doing your homework is 17.
essential. Conducting advocacy research through polls and data on public opinion you examine the playing field - how do people feel about the issue, who supports or opposes, why, what should your message be, who should deliver it, and how do you know if it’s working. Then you can begin to put this information into context and determine opportunities to advance change. We will discuss goals, tactics, outcomes, and perhaps most important, the ability to stop and pivot.
Wednesday, October 8 10:30am - 12:00pm
Flood Recovery Priority Projects
Moderator: Jeff Crane Crane Associates & Colorado Riparian Association Jeff, principal of Crane Associates, has long been an advocate for Colorado’s rivers. In 1996 he launched the North Fork River Improvement Association (NFRIA) with a project on the North Fork of the Gunnison River in west-central Colorado, a project which would become a template for the many other community projects that followed. Since then he has become a committed activist for restoring rivers to their natural function and integrity while meeting the social and economic needs of stakeholders. To provide the necessary planning and implementation expertise to accomplish this much needed work, Jeff created Crane Associates which over the past twenty years has accomplished dozens of restoration projects and aided many communities in organizing around and planning for managing and improving their river corridors. To take this local success story statewide, Jeff helped to start the Colorado Watershed Assembly in 1999 and became its first Executive Director. Shortly after the devastating flood of September 2013 on the Colorado Front Range, Jeff was tapped by the Colorado Water Conservation Board to assist communities in identifying local needs, developing emergency bank stabilization projects, organizing watershed master planning projects and advocating for local natural stream restoration. Jeff enjoys river rafting, skiing, bicycling and hiking with his family. 2013 Flood Recovery: Flood Mitigation Using the Emergency Watershed Program Rob Molacek, NRCS Robert (Rob) Molacek, P.E. is a civil engineer with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Rob works out of the Colorado State Office in Lakewood and has been with NRCS for eight years. Rob has been actively involved in numerous water resource, floodplain and stormwater management projects both in the private and public sectors since beginning his career in 1991. Following the Colorado 2013 floods, Rob assisted with the management, design and construction of flood mitigation projects that were funded with NRCS’s Emergency Watershed Program (EWP). Rob earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering (Water Resources) and a M.B.A (Project Management) from the University of Colorado. Rob is a Colorado native and lives in Fort Collins. Abstract: On September 9-15, 2013, an extreme flood event hit six major Front Range watersheds and 14 counties in Colorado. The flood resulted in an estimated $2 billion in property damages. In response to this presidential declared disaster, several counties pursued flood mitigation funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Emergency Watershed Program (EWP). Over $14 million in EWP flood mitigation funds were provide to six counties in the Front Range. The EWP funding resulted in the construction of nearly 120, private property, flood mitigation projects over an 8 month period. This presentation will provide an overview of EWP, how it is implemented and what was achieved. Jamestown Response to Flood and Debris Flows of September 2013: The Importance of Community, Agency and Consultant Cooperation and Collaboration Graeme Aggett, AMEC & Tara Schoedinger, Town of Jamestown Graeme is currently the Water Practice Lead at AMEC Earth & Infrastructure, and is based in AMEC’s Boulder, Colorado Office. Tara is the Mayor of Jamestown, Colorado, located 12 miles northwest of Boulder. Tara received her B.S. in Business at the University of Colorado in 1993. She has worked in the Information Technology industry for over 20 years as a software engineer and project manager. In addition to her professional career, Tara has served on the all-volunteer Jamestown Town Board since 2004 and as Mayor since 2010, and was recently re-elected for a third 2-year term. She serves on the Towns Drinking Water and Fire/EMS Committees. Since the September Flood, her role as Mayor has become full-time and includes the Towns flood recovery efforts. Tara has lived in Jamestown for 14 years. Abstract: Natural Hazard/Emergency Management has radically evolved in the past two decades. The focus of expectations has changed from a pure emergency response to a proactive ‘risk management’ approach involving disaster mitigation, prevention, and risk communication. These shifts typically involve a whole-of-government approach that sees community safety as a total system; locally focused and integrated planning; the need for greater community participation; community-centric, rather than agency-centric approaches; risk management and multi-disciplinary approaches; improved use of technology; the need for greater cost effectiveness and public accountability; the need to form and enhance partnerships and to reduce organizations isolation; and the need for sophisticated skills in risk management and communication. This discussion paper will highlight how some of these paradigm shifts were exemplified in the Jamestown flood response and recovery experience, highlighting some of the very important benefits of committed and consistent community, agency and consultant cooperation and collaboration in flood recovery efforts, while highlighting success stories, challenges, and lessons learned. 18.
Idlewylde Dam Removal Greg Dewey, City of Loveland Greg Dewey is a civil engineer working in the Water & Power Department for the City of Loveland, CO. He has worked in the private sector as a consultant as well as the public sector at local, state, and federal levels for over 20 years. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Colorado and holds a bachelor degree in civil engineering from Colorado School of Mines. Having grown up farming in northeastern Colorado, Greg understands the value of water and his work specializes in navigating complex water rights issues. Abstract: The City of Loveland, CO holds a hydropower license for the Idylwilde Hydroelectric Project [FERC Project No. P-2829], which is located in Larimer County, Colorado on the Big Thompson River along U.S. Hwy. 34 approximately fourteen miles west of the City of Loveland, Colorado and fourteen miles east of the Town of Estes Park, Colorado. The Idylwilde Hydroelectric Project components include a dam and reservoir on the mainstem of the Big Thompson River, a 9,500 -foot long pipeline delivering water from the dam to a downstream power plant in the Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park, a tailrace to return flows to the Big Thompson River, and electrical transmission line connecting the power plant to a local grid. The Idylwilde Project (Project) is municipallyowned; however, the Project is situated on City, private, and United States Forest Service (USFS) property. The City has been granted an easement by the USFS for use of USFS land. The Project has a rated generating capacity of 900 kilowatts (kW). During the Project’s entire existence (since 1925), the Project has only been inoperable in 1976 after the Big Thompson Flood of 1976 destroyed the dam and original hydroplant until those structures were rebuilt in 1981, and most recently subsequent to the Big Thompson River Flood of September 2013 Flood. The Project’s current license and Forest Service easement expire March 8, 2016. A renewal would extend the FERC license for an additional 30 years. The City wishes to surrender the FERC license because several major components of the hydropower facility were severely damaged during the September 2013 Flood. Damaged and/or displaced components included the dam, the power plant, and portions of the pipeline (penstock). The state of Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is responsible for repair of the 2013 flood damages to US Highway 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon. The road repair required extensive amounts of road fill material to reconstruct the roadway. One source of road material included the sediment deposited in Idylwilde Reservoir and the concrete from Idylwilde dam. The city, with approval from the appropriate state and federal agencies, was given permission to allow the dam and impounded sediment to be used for road fill material. The City does not intend to rebuild the damaged components, as it is economically infeasible to repair them and re-initiate operations. Consequently, the City will decommission the Idylwilde Hydroelectric Project [FERC Project No. P-2829] in entirety. As of spring 2014, the dam and impounded sediment were removed and the free-flowing stream reconfigured through the dam and reservoir site. The City continues to work with the USFS in determining a permanent stream configuration at the dam site. This presentation will highlight the collaboration between Loveland, CDOT, USFS and private landowners in removing the dam and restoring the free-flowing stream through the former dam site. Photos documenting this collaboration will be shown. US 36: Estes Park to Lyons - Emergency and Permanent Flood Repair Project Abra Geissler, CDOT & Julian Maskeroni, Central Federal Lands Highway Division - FHWA Abra Geissler, Professional Engineer, has been with the Colorado Department of Transportation since 2011. Abra is responsible for designing, constructing, and maintaining state highways and interstates out of the Boulder Residential Engineering Office. Abra was the CDOT project engineer on the US 36 project. Julian Maskeroni is a civil engineer for the Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD), a branch of the Federal Highway Administration. Julian has worked for 4 years as a project engineer in CFLHD’s Construction Branch. He is experienced in administering construction contracts by providing staff leadership and contractor direction and control to ensure a quality project. He most recently was the project engineer on Phase I of the US 36 Estes Park to Lyons Flood Repair Project. Julian holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University in 2010 with a Minor in Construction Management. Contact him at Julian.j.maskeroni@dot.gov. Abstract: One of the most heavily damaged roadway systems from the September 2013 flooding was US 36 from Estes Park to Lyons. The river undermined the roadway embankment, causing washouts of road sections. CDOT contacted Central Federal Lands (CFL), a division of the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA), to pursue a partnering opportunity. The Project team was formulated and the Project criterion was given: construct a safer and more resilient roadway that will ensure connection between Estes Park and the Front Range when another similar flood event occurs. The Project was split up into two phases, Phase I was structured to address the emergency repairs and was completed in July 2014. Phase II addressed the permanent repairs and was completed in October 2014. The flood event presented an opportunity for the US 36 Project to take a holistic corridor approach and partner with stream restoration experts while rebuilding the highway. CDOT and CFL sought out the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and Crane and Associates to help guide the stream restoration efforts. The Team leveraged materials, equipment, manpower, and expertise onsite to responsibly rebuild the corridor by identifying how the river and road interact with each other. The priority of the US 36 stream restorations was to utilize onsite resources to stabilize the stream in the near term and stimulate aquatic, riparian, and plant habitat. Stream stabilization and wildlife promotion efforts included creating low and high flow channels, installing energy dissipaters and tree root balls, building fishing holes and passive recreational accesses, and contouring river banks.
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Groundwater
Moderator: Gil Barth S.S. Papadopulos and Associates and Colorado Riparian Association Dr. Barth specializes in hydrologic investigations assessing subsurface flows and the exchange between surface and groundwater systems. His expertise includes a wide range of field, laboratory, analytical, and numerical techniques that he uses to develop conceptual models of flow, and evaluate surface/groundwater interaction. He specializes in the application of sensitivity and prediction uncertainty methods to improve calibration and remediation design, and to help understand the limitations of the methods used. Groundwater Challenges and Solutions for Colorado Watersheds Dave Colvin, Leonard Rice Engineering Dave Colvin is the Groundwater Group Manager at Leonard Rice Engineers responsible for coordinating and organizing teams of diverse subject matter experts and providing technical leadership to solve today’s water resource challenges. He is a collaborative hydrogeologist with over 18 years experience in groundwater services, water resources, and project management. Dave aims to help water managers deal with hydrologic extremes and water quality issues by developing groundwater as a high quality, sustainable water supply that provides added benefits of storage and treatment. His current focus is on riverbank filtration, soil aquifer treatment, and alluvial recharge solutions for water reuse, mitigation of hydrologic variability, and integrated water resource management. Dave is happiest while playing in the mountains with his wife and two daughters. Abstract: Groundwater has long been viewed as both a challenge and solution for water resource managers. This unseen resource suffers from misconceptions and lack of understanding that hamper its role in water management. The mysteries and complexities of groundwater complicate water rights and regulations, and make quantity and quality less certain. Despite these hurdles, modern scientific understanding of groundwater systems supports the use of aquifers, not only as a water source, but also for storage and treatment. While exploitation of deep non-renewable aquifers was seen as drought resistant supplies in the past, today’s sustainable practices encourage integrated water management between surface and groundwater supplies. The evolution of groundwater use in Colorado has been shaped by our limited water supplies and the acceptance that groundwater and surface water interact. For this reason, Colorado is seen as a leader in groundwater science, regulation, and administration. This presentation will introduce the groundwater track by discussing where we find Colorado groundwater, how it is managed, how it is moving from challenges to solutions, and what we do that makes Colorado groundwater different from other states. Sustainable South Metro: Creating Resilient Water Supplies for South Metro Communities and Stream Restoration Eric Hecox, South Metro Water Supply Authority As the Executive Director of SMWSA, Eric is responsible for assisting SMWSA in its efforts to bring renewable water sources to the South Metro area. SMWSA is a regional water entity that plans, develops and sources regional renewable water supply projects for its 14 member water providers in Douglas and Arapahoe Counties in Colorado. Most recently Eric was the Section Chief of the Water Supply Planning Section at the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). Prior to joining the State, Eric served as a Natural Resource Specialist to the Bureau of Land Management’s National Science and Technology Center under a Presidential Management Fellowship. Eric received his B.A. in biology from Lawrence University and prior to graduate school was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Zimbabwe. He earned a Masters of Science in Environmental Science in Water Resources and a Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Abstract: This presentation will discuss the successes and challenges of the South Metro area transitioning from a non-renewable water supply to a renewable water supply and in the process turning the Denver Basin Aquifer into the region’s most robust drought supply. The metro area south of Denver is home to over 300,000 people served by 14 independent water providers who are all completely or partially on groundwater that is running out. 10-years ago these providers came together to form the South Metro Water Supply Authority (SMWSA) in order to develop regional renewable water supply projects. This presentation will discuss the successes and challenges of transitioning from a non-renewable water supply to a renewable water supply and in the process turning the Denver Basin Aquifer into the region’s most robust drought supply. With the veto of the Two-Forks Project in 1990, the South Metro area was left with few water supply options. The region embarked upon a series of studies and organizational structures to identify and implement solutions. These efforts are bearing fruit with the success of several local and regional efforts. This presentation will detail these efforts and engage the audience in a discussion of how to build on these successes and continue the transition towards sustainable water supplies for the South Metro area. Phase II of the El Paso County Groundwater Quality Study: Using Science-Based Approaches to Help Guide Decision Makers Sean Chambers, Cherokee Metropolitan District & Dr. Tristan Wellman, Colorado Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey Sean Chambers is General Manager of the Cherokee Metro District in the Colorado Springs area and Chairperson for the El Paso County Groundwater Quality Study. Sean’s work at Cherokee is change management focused, along with developing conjunctive use groundwater. Sean is the President of the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority. Tristan Wellman, PhD, is a hydrologist with the Colorado Water Science Center. Tristan’s fields of expertise include statistical modeling, hydrological modeling, geospatial analysis, and model development. He has worked on local water issues on the South Platte River and historic mining areas near Leadville, and has studied susceptibility of principal aquifers across the United States. 20.
Mr. Michael Rupert is a retired scientist of the U.S Geological Survey and hydrogeologist with Kerber Creek Environmental Services. Mike’s fields of expertise include groundwater geochemistry, statistical modeling, and groundwater age dating. Though not speaking at the conference, Mr. Rupert is the author of the pending technical paper this presentation is based on. Abstract: The El Paso County Groundwater Quality Study has incorporated science-based tools to help guide land-use planning and water management for the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Basin, Colorado. Historically, decisions of land-use planning and water management made by officials and their respective county planning departments were focused on regulations and used only a general understanding of how a proposed measure might affect groundwater quality. Science-based tools can provide a stronger connection between regulation and resource protection, and thus improve resource management. The presentation will emphasize the value of science-based watershed protection tools to vested water rights and the connection to public and environmental health. The need for the current study in El Paso County will be discussed, briefly covering the funding plan to move forward. Further, the nexus between septic system standards, a recent revision to State regulations, and general opportunities for science-based methods to drive decision making will also be discussed. In the present study, analyses of groundwater chemistry were used to provide insight on spatial variations in groundwater origin, age, and water quality. Spatial coverages compiled for depth to groundwater, precipitation, streams, land-use, geology, and soils were examined as potential factors that influence water quality. Logistic regression models were used to predict the probability of elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater using combinations of the strongest factors affecting water quality. The results were synthesized to develop maps of susceptibility to groundwater contamination by nitrate to aid future planning efforts.
Wildfire & Communities
Moderator: Polly Hays U.S. Forest Service Polly Hays is the Water Program Manager for the five state Rocky Mountain Region of the Forest Service. In this capacity, Polly has oversight across a broad spectrum of wildland water resource management programs, including: water quality, water rights, and watershed protection. Wildfire Impacts on Cache la Poudre River Water Quality Jared Heath, City of Fort Collins Utilities Jared Heath serves as the Watershed Technician for the City of Fort Collins Utilities’ Source Watershed Monitoring Program. Mr. Heath supports the City of Fort Collins source water protection and monitoring efforts by coordinating and leading watershed monitoring activities in the Upper Cache la Poudre River Watershed and Horsetooth Reservoir. Jared is dedicated to the implementation of science to sustainably manage, protect, and conserve the natural resources upon which our long-term well-being depends. Abstract: The Cache la Poudre River is one of the major drinking water sources for the City of Fort Collins. In 2008, the Upper Cache la Poudre River Collaborative Water Quality Monitoring Program was initiated as a cooperative effort between the City of Fort Collins Utilities, the City of Greeley and the Tri-Districts. The monitoring program consists of multiple sampling sites throughout the Upper Cache la Poudre Watershed spanning from the City of Fort Collins’ raw water intake structure at Gateway Natural Area to the upper elevations of the watershed near Cameron Pass. The collection and assessment of water quality data helps the City of Fort Collins meet present and future drinking water treatment goals. The data collected provide information to 1) determine long term water quality changes that may increase treatment costs; 2) support the design and optimization of water treatment plant processes; 3) determine impacts of human activity on water quality; and 4) support the protection of the City’s drinking water sources. In the summer of 2012, the two largest wildfires in the history of the Cache la Poudre River Watershed occurred, resulting in extensive land cover change, altered hydrology and impacts to the City of Fort Collins’ source water supply. This presentation will provide a discussion on observed impacts to watershed processes, mitigation and emergency response measures, and results of post-fire water quality monitoring. Assessing Wildfire Mitigation Outreach Strategies in the Wildland-Urban Interface Adrianne Kroepsch & Elizabeth Koebele, University of Colorado, Boulder Deserai Crow is an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Program at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where she works with Adrianne Kroepsch, Elizabeth Koebele, Lydia Dixon, Rebecca Schild, and Katherine Clifford, all doctoral students in Environmental Studies and Geography. The Crow research group studies local environmental policy processes and the role that information plays in those processes, with a geographic emphasis on the American West. In addition to the wildfire-related research on the agenda for this conference, members of the Crow group are actively studying water governance, flood policy, climate change, oil and gas extraction, wolf restoration, and environmental citizenship. Crow is affiliated with the Center for Science & Technology Policy Research at C.U., and is also the Associate Director of the Center for Environmental Journalism. Abstract: Over the past decade, the citizens of Colorado have become increasingly aware of the impacts that wildfire can have on their already-threatened watersheds. Wildfires are expected to continue to grow in size and destructive potential due to demographic and climate trends, potentially worsening wildfire effects on watershed systems. Thus, it is important to understand how to best promote effective wildfire mitigation techniques to citizens living in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) in order to reduce destruction not only of human life and property, but also of the surrounding watersheds that support these communities. This study uses data from in-depth interviews and focus groups with fire professionals and homeowners in two WUI communities in Colorado that have experienced catastrophic wildfires, as well as a cross-jurisdictional survey of fire professionals, to examine the programmatic approaches used to influence homeowners to mitigate their wildfire risk. We also examine the types of mitigation 21.
strategies being promoted by fire professionals, building directly on our previous work concerning successful mitigation information dissemination methods and limits to information effectiveness. This research can help inform more successful mitigation messages and decisions across the region that can greatly influence watershed health and community sustainability. The study was conducted by Deserai Crow, Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado-Boulder, and graduate students Adrianne Kroepsch, Elizabeth Koebele, Lydia Dixon, Rebecca Schild, and Katherine Clifford. It will be co-presented by Kroepsch and Koebele. RWEACT: A Community Response to the West Fork Complex Fire Heather Dutton, Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation and RWEACT & Tom Spezze, Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team Heather Dutton is the Executive Director of the Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation. Heather grew up on a potato farm in the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado. She obtained Bachelor of Science Degrees in Natural Resources Management and Rangeland Ecology with a Concentration in Restoration Ecology, and a Masters of Agriculture from Colorado State University. Heather has been with the Foundation since 2009. One of the greatest rewards of this position is the opportunity to work with friends and neighbors to improve the Rio Grande, which is vital to the local communities. Heather has been active in RWEACT since its inception and is the chair of the Natural Resources Committee. In her free time, Heather can be found biking, backpacking, snowmobiling, and drinking good beer. Tom Spezze is the Executive Director of the Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team (RWEACT). Tom retired from his position of Southwest Regional Manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife in 2013. He thoroughly enjoyed working with the men and woman of DOW to manage Colorado’s wildlife resources. Tom has “failed retirement” - in addition to his current role with RWEACT, Tom is working with DiNatale Water Consultants on the Rio Grande Basin Implementation Plan and Coordinating a 6 County coalition to protect the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. When Tom is not on the road to and from work, he enjoys his piece of paradise with his family in the Cochetopa Valley. He loves to camp, hunt, and ride horses. Abstract: The Rio Grande Watershed Emergency Action Coordination Team (RWEACT) was formed in July 2013 during the West Fork Complex Fire, which burned 109,000 acres on the Rio Grande National Forest (RGNF) and San Juan National Forest (SJNF). RWEACT is a collaboration between the RGNF and over 40 entities, including 3 Counties, and local, state, and federal organizations. RWEACT works to address fire-caused hazards and protect life, property, and natural resources through the Hydrology, Emergency Management, Economic Recovery, Natural Resources, and Communications Committees. Some of RWEACT’s notable accomplishments include enacting a flood warning system with advanced water measurement equipment and a doppler radar on wheels, facilitating creation of a 3 County emergency management plan; developing a communications plan for recovery and hazard updates; completing a marketing plan for the communities impacted by the fire; and implementing post-fire mulch and seeding, water quality, and runoff forecasting studies. Now, RWEACT is looking toward the future and developing plans to continue to address impacts of the fire, while partnering with the US Forest Service to improve watershed health in the Rio Grande Basin.
Wednesday, October 8 1:30 - 3:00pm
Resiliency: What Does This Really Mean?
Moderator: Nat Muilio Environmental Protection Agency Nat Miullo works for the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, in Denver, Colorado. Over a 30+ year career with industry and EPA, he has experienced many challenges including administering almost all of EPA’s Programs. Nat has worked with Several state, local and non-governmental organotins to resolve complex environmental conundrums with great success. Nat prefers a hands on approach to solving problems and has been a technical expert, project manager, enforcement officer, expert witness for the Department of Justice, manager, leader, watershed coordinator and adviser to the EPA Regional Administrator on energy and revitalization. Nat currently is EPA’s representative for the National Disaster Recovery Framework http://www.fema.gov/nationaldisaster-recovery-framework (NDRF). His current title is: EPA Region 8’s Disaster Recovery and Resiliency Adviser. Risky Business - Water and Rocks Katie Jagt, Walsh Environmental Katie’s favorite phase of water is solid (snow, not ice—after all, she was a ski racer for over 10 years), her favorite type of channel morphology is braided, and her favorite physical concept is conservation of energy. Katie is an engineer with over a decade of experience in riparian corridor restorations, river system hydraulics and geomorphic assessments. As part of her work, she has developed new methods to quantify the benefits of floodplain reconnections that are being developed into a regulatory standard for the California Dept of Water Resources. In addition, Katie has experience designing river restoration projects that provide ecosystem rehabilitation, infrastructure protection, and public safety throughout the west coast and Colorado. She has a master’s degree from UC Berkeley in Civil Engineering and spent a year as a Fulbright Fellow at TU Delft in The Netherlands studying quantitative risk management, water management history, and numerical modeling technology. Abstract: Risk-based planning process is innovative and pioneering; few communities in the United States have taken a risk-based planning approach in their river corridors. Risk is the lens through which river reaches and proposed actions are assessed and 22.
prioritized and risk-based approaches are the best method to identify and prioritize short- and long-term projects. This talk will discuss the beginnings of risk-based flood planning in The Netherlands in the 1950s, the US flood standards based on probability alone (the 100-year flood), and efforts to steer the ship in Colorado and the rest of the country toward risk based standards and approaches that address both the probability and consequence of flood events. This talk will also look at the concept of Geomorphic Risk, a topic especially relevant given the disconnect between the damage sustained in the 2013 September Floods and the regulatory floodplain boundaries. We will look at local efforts to delineate and define geomorphic risk zones, including those susceptible to avulsion, and discuss how these zones could potentially be regulated to address the consequence side of the risk equation. Enhancing the resilience of riparian/wetland ecosystems in light of climate change Andrew Breibart, Bureau of Land Management & Betsy Neely, The Nature Conservancy Andrew Breibart graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with a MESM in 2001. After graduation, he began working for the US Forest Service in California as a hydrologist. Currently, he is the hydrologist with the Bureau of Land Management Gunnison Field Office. Betsy Neely, senior conservation planner, has led regional and statewide conservation initiatives for The Nature Conservancy, Colorado Chapter for 26 years. Since 2010, she has coordinated the Gunnison Climate Working Group, a public-private partnership seeking to increase understanding and awareness of threats posed by climate change. Abstract: The Gunnison Climate Working Group works to design and implement an on-the-ground climate adaptation project to retain water and enhance the resilience of riparian/wetland in light of climate change. The GCWG comprises public agencies, academic institutions, and private organizations working to: 1) increase understanding of threats posed by climate change in the Gunnison Basin; 2) prioritize strategies and techniques for helping people and nature cope with climate change; and 3) promote collaboration and effective implementation of strategies. The GCWG includes BLM; CNHP; CPW; Gunnison County; Gunnison County Stock Growers; LFVC; NCAR, NPS; We have used techniques developed by Bill Zeedyk in “Let the Water Do the Work” by installing drift fences and rock structures. Restoring Riparian Plumbing on the Big Thompson River After the Flood Geoff Elliot, Grand Environmental Services & Dan Stubbs, Elliot and Stubbs River Restorations Geoff Elliott is Principal Earth Scientist for Grand Environmental Services, a small Colorado-based consulting firm focused upon river-riparian science, management, and restoration related to infrastructure and reclamation. Dan Stubbs is a Science Teacher, Construction Contractor, Fly Fishing Guide, and owner of 4 acres of hammered riparian bottom land along 1,000 feet of the Big Thompson River. Together, they formed Elliott & Stubbs River Restorations to work on river recovery after the September 2013 Colorado Flood. Abstract: Natural riparian plumbing guides water flow between river and riparian ecosystems. With a better appreciation for this key to watershed health, we can move beyond hard, “urban drainage” approaches needed for emergency stabilization and promote softer, more cost-effective, restoration in our river corridors. We present an overview of how water moves within river-riparian systems (“conjunctive flow”) and highlight some simple, kid-friendly techniques to monitor water levels at the property- and neighborhood-reach scale. Results support more successful revegetation, bank stabilization, and instream habitat restoration. Recent studies on the Colorado River in Hot Sulphur Springs guide restoration on the Big Thompson River west of Loveland.
Collaborative Water Management
Moderator: Brian Epstein Colorado Water Conservation Board Brian Epstein is the field hydrologist for the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Stream and Lake Protection Section. He is recognized for using creative solutions to collect data so decisions can be made with the best information available. He has been involved with water since a Rouge River Education project in middle school. Over the course of his career he has worked as a Water Commissioner, research hydrologist, and consulting hydrologist. Brian has served the community by doing water education and as a board member of the Colorado Watershed Assembly. He has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy Studies from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Hydrogeology from University of Nevada, Reno. A Public/Private Partnership to Grow the Flow: Drought, Roaring Fork Flow, and Aspen’s Water Rights Amy Beatie, Colorado Water Trust & Dave Hornbacher, City of Aspen Amy began her tenure at the Colorado Water Trust in 2007, after nearly six years practicing water litigation at two different Front Range water law firms. Prior to practicing water litigation, she clerked for the Honorable Gregory J. Hobbs of the Colorado Supreme Court. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. While in law school, she helped found the University of Denver Water Law Review, and eventually served as its Editor-in-Chief. She now sits on its Advisory Board, as well as the Advisory Board of Metro State University’s One World One Water Center and the Board of Directors of the Colorado Water Congress. In May of 2013, she received the Colorado Foundation for Water Education’s Emerging Leader award. She has lived in Colorado since 1993, although two short detours took her for a year and half to Alaska and Wyoming. 23.
For over 30 years, David Hornbacher has worked in the Colorado utilities sector joining the City of Aspen in 2010. He is the Director of the Utilities and Environmental Initiatives Agency responsible for water and electric operations, hydroelectric production, environmental health and sustainability, climate action, and conservation/efficiencies programs. The City of Aspen relies on surface water from 2 local creeks and a small well field to meet the dynamic community and tourism requirements. Aspen is progressive in managing its water resources for potable and non-potable uses, ditch systems, snow making, hydroelectric generation, and is completing a water re-use system. Additionally, Aspen partnered with the Colorado Water Trust creating a pilot project to increase stream flow in the Roaring Fork River during critical periods. Previously, David was the New Business Manager for Xcel Energy, responsible for gas and electric design for the Boulder region. Earlier, David held progressive roles in multiple utility disciplines including water, wastewater, gas and electric at the Colorado Springs Utilities as the Utilities Development Manager and at the City of Longmont. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Colorado State University and sits on the Boards for CORE (Community Office for Resource Efficiency), CAMU (Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities), and MEAN (Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska). Abstract: For decades, large water diversions have reduced the amount of water flowing in the upper Roaring Fork River; only a fraction of the Roaring Fork’s native flow reaches the City of Aspen. At times, more than ninety percent of the native flow of the Roaring Fork is diverted from the river before it reaches Aspen for transmountain delivery to the Front Range and for many local water diversions serving various beneficial uses. To begin exploring long-term streamflow solutions for the Roaring Fork, in 2013, the City of Aspen used one of its senior water rights to benefit flows through a critical reach of the Roaring Fork River. On June 10, 2013, the Aspen City Council authorized a special kind of private agreement, a non-diversion agreement, with the Colorado Water Trust to bypass some water that Aspen would otherwise have diverted from this reach of the Roaring Fork. During this presentation, Amy Beatie (Executive Director of the Colorado Water Trust) and Dave Hornbacher (Director of Utilities and Environmental Initiatives for the City of Aspen) will explain how the agreement worked, its benefit to streamflow in the critical reach of the Roaring Fork through Aspen in 2013, and how it led to ongoing flow restoration efforts. Communicating drought: Colorado Springs Utilities exceeds goals, rebuilds community’s water supply Patrice Lehermeier, Colorado Springs Utilities Patrice Lehermeier, APR, is a senior public affairs specialist at Colorado Springs Utilities. She is responsible for developing and implementing strategic communications programs, with a focus on energy and water operations, as well as customer experience. In 2013, she led the organization’s drought response communications program, which was recently recognized with the prestigious Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. Prior to Colorado Springs Utilities, she was communications director at USA Cycling and served as an associate producer for NBC Olympics at the Olympic Games. Patrice earned a bachelor’s in English at the University of California Davis and a master’s in journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America and a FEMA-certified advanced public information officer. Patrice has also earned a Silver Pick Award for publications from the Public Relations Society of America. Abstract: Cities throughout the United States are facing the challenges of extreme drought. In 2013, sub-normal snowpack, lack of significant precipitation and increased demand put strain on Colorado Springs’ water supply. Water storage hit historical lows, a concern for a community that had recently endured one of state’s most destructive wildfires. To address the shortage, as well as protect public safety and health, Colorado Springs City Council implemented mandatory water restrictions and water rate surcharges. A 2013 community water-savings goal of 5.8 billion gallons (when compared to 2012) was established. The presentation illustrates the effectiveness of Colorado Springs Utilities’ nationally award-winning drought response communications program, which was created using the four-step public relations process. Through program implementation, the water-savings goal was achieved one month earlier than forecasted, and customer satisfaction with education and communications increased from 58 percent to 76 percent over the span of seven months. The presentation covers: audience research; development of strategy, objectives, messages and partnerships (including an important one with the U.S. Forest Service); earned and paid media management, including customer engagement through digital and social media; creative agency collaboration; reputation management; navigating the political environment; evaluation; and more. The Roaring Fork Regional Water Efficiency Plan – A Collaborative Local Effort toward Improving Watershed Health and Management Beorn Courtney, ELEMENT Water Consulting, Inc. Ms. Courtney has 18 years of experience in a broad range of water resources planning and policy topics, including water conservation planning, water rights investigations, hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, consumptive use and river basin modeling, and the nexus between water and land use planning. Beorn has served as project manager for a variety of state, municipal, and private clients and has provided expert witness testimony in water court and briefings to the Colorado legislature. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Colorado and has a M.S. in water resources engineering and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
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Abstract: The Roaring Fork Regional Water Efficiency Plan is a multi-stage planning effort to develop and update five Individual Water Efficiency Plans and one integrated plan for the participating water providers in the Roaring Fork Watershed: City of Aspen, Snowmass Water and Sanitation District, Town of Basalt, Town of Carbondale, and City of Glenwood Springs. Unique in its watershed emphasis, it is a bottom-up approach toward creating a Regional Water Efficiency Plan that is informed by the Individual Plans and stakeholder involvement. Each Individual Plan will include all necessary components required to meet or exceed the planning requirements of the Colorado Water Conservation Board. The Regional Plan incorporates elements from each Individual Plan and establishes a clear path forward for regional cooperation to implement and extend cost-effective water
efficiency measures in the Roaring Fork Watershed. Opportunities may include water efficiency programs to accomplish economies of scale such as water loss audits, leak detection, education, and outreach. The regional planning effort will also identify opportunities to coordinate projects and programs aimed at improving and maintaining overall watershed health. The planning effort is being managed by the Ruedi Water and Power Authority, with support and assistance from the Roaring Fork Conservancy, the Community Office for Resource Efficiency, and the Colorado River District. The project was made possible through funding by the participating water providers along with a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
Water Quality
Moderator: Aimee Konowal Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Water Quality Control Division Aimee is the Environmental Data Unit Manager for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Control Division. She and her staff monitor, assess and report on water quality in stream and lakes across Colorado. This reporting includes developing the List of Impaired Waters. Aimee has been with the Division since 2000. Aimee has a Bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in Industrial Engineering and a Masters from California University of Pennsylvania in Environmental Science. Regulation 85 Year 1 - Monitoring and Data Lessons Learned Linda Chynoweth, City of Aurora and Phil Russell, City of Englewood Linda is acting President for the Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council/ Colorado Data Sharing Network, which is a volunteer position. My goal is to make everyone first think that the place to store data and to have the available analyzing tools for their data and all the data for Colorado is the Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council/ Colorado Data Sharing Network. Environmental Quality Specialist for the City of Aurora, Aurora Water. Aurora Water supports their employees to work with stakeholders on Colorado water quality issues such as the Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council/ Colorado Data Sharing Network. Phil has been the Environmental Services Manager/Environmental Analyst at the Littleton-Englewood Wastewater Treatment Plant for 20+ years. He manages the laboratory and various research projects associated with environmental waters and wastewater. Before that he worked at the University of Denver, Denver Research Institute, as a Research Biologist and in the US Navy as a commissioned Officer. He has a BS and MS in Biological Sciences. Abstract: The process of implementation of nutrients into the Colorado Water Quality Standards created Regulation 85 Nutrients Management Control Regulation. The goal of Regulation 85 was to allow time for permit holders to address facility needs and for technology to catch-up with the more restrictive nutrient regulatory levels. Regulation 85 requires nutrient monitoring of permit holders and the data from the monitoring is to be submitted to CDPHE annually. The Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council/ Colorado Data Sharing Network (CWQMC/CDSN) is an organization that included the Regulation 85 data into its database and provided a process to submit that data to CDPHE. CWQMC/CDSN, along with everyone, had a bit of a rough time learning and succeeding in the requirements of Regulation 85 - as is common with a new process. What lessons did we learn that were a lot of work to establish this new process and what was successfully accomplished? Are there things learned that will make future data submittals to CDPHE easier? Open Source Technology for Web Based Data Analysis and Information Management Kelly Close & John Rodgers, Leonard Rice Engineers Kelly’s bio can be found on page 11. John Rodgers has been a practicing chemical and environmental engineer since 1993. His professional passions lie in the intelligent application of technology to maximize the value of information, while minimizing project costs of information management. John has a B.S. in Chemical & Environmental Engineering from the FL Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Global Studies from the U of Denver. Outside of work, John enjoys hiking, rafting, skiing, and doing all things Colorado with his wife, friends, and dogs. Abstract: A great challenge to watershed level planning is first collecting and managing the data needed to support analysis and decision making. Advanced but inexpensive data collection methods enable us to gather more data than we sometimes know what to do with. Bringing together data sources that have for years been managed by independent entities brings yet another set of issues. Incorporating results from modeling or analysis into the mix makes for a very daunting task. On top of it all, the internet is where information really needs to end up to support a collaborative watershed management approach. So how do we accomplish this without breaking the bank? We have been creating web-based, open source data management tools for the past five years to address these challenges. These modular and reusable tools can be re-assembled into custom systems as needed and are based on a simple combination of technologies - a server, a database, a web site, and some custom scripts. Our presentation will cover the open source technology and approach behind these tools, and demonstrate several applications including a Water Quality data management and viewing tool developed for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, an extensive suite of flow and meter data management tools developed for Central Colorado Water Conservancy District members and staff, and our new “Water Information Dashboard” concept, where we can build a truly custom, yet very affordable, stack of tools for water management entities, specifically tailored to their needs. 25.
Water Quality Study Seeks to Answer the Question “What was in the Flood Waters?” Skip Feeney, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Skip Feeney holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Health with a concentration in Industrial Hygiene from East Carolina University. He has worked in the water quality industry for 13 years. This includes work in regulatory, program and data management consulting for municipal wastewater treatment agencies and work in the Colorado Water Quality Control Division (Division) as a water quality assessor. In his role with the Division he was responsible for the development and implementation of a Measurable Results Project to evaluate the water quality impacts derived from infrastructure projects funded through the Division. Projects typically include investigations of water quality changes due to wastewater treatment plant improvements and characterizations of water quality in areas surrounding remediation projects of abandoned mines. Abstract: Large volumes of precipitation over a long duration occurred on the eastern slope of Colorado beginning September 11, 2013. Precipitation totals ranged from four to over 15 inches. These rains collected in drainages to produce one of the most devastating floods in Colorado history. In limited cases, drinking water systems were compromised resulting in Boil Water Advisories. A number of wastewater systems were affected resulting in raw sewage discharge to streams and rivers. Industrial facilities and agricultural operations were also impacted. At the time there was great concern about contamination within the flooded waters. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a study of the South Platte and its major tributaries. The purpose was to examine the potential health risks to citizens and relief worker while assessing the ecological impacts of the floods. Four water quality monitoring events were conducted over a period of eight months. Water quality chemistry and field parameters were collected September 26, 2013, October 28, 2013 and April 29, 2014. Additionally sediment samples were collected in March 2014. Over the length of the study, data were collected at 39 locations within the affected region. These data were compared to Colorado aquatic life use, recreational use and human health water quality standards and to available historic data for baseline comparison proposes. This presentation will convey the results and conclusions of this study.
Wednesday, October 8 3:30 - 5:00pm
Stream Assessments
Moderator: Michael Blazewicz Round River Designs Michael is founder and owner of Round River Design and has 15 years experience working to restore degraded rivers in the Northeast, Northwest, and Colorado. He has been the lead field investigator and author of numerous River Corridor Management Plans. These plans include watershed and reach-wide analysis of geomorphic and habitat conditions followed by project prioritization and conceptual design development – with the goal of long-term conflict reduction and system resilience. In Colorado, Michael has been working with the Water Conservation Board, the Nonpoint Source Program, and Watershed Assembly to monitor stream channel restoration sites and develop monitoring methods. He recently authored a handout for Colorado communities on erosion hazard reduction and is developing preliminary erosion hazard maps for several pilot streams. In this postflood year he has been the lead permit author for the NRCS-funded emergency flood recovery work; co-designed and installed channel restoration projects for several large post-flood rehabilitation projects; and has been an active contributor to the Estes Park and St. Vrain master plans. Healthy Rivers and Flow Need Assessments: Methods, Tools, and Applications. Meg White, The Nature Conservancy Meg White is an Ecologist/Flows Scientist for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. With a BA focused on urban planning and policy from the University of Michigan, a Masters in landscape architecture and environmental planning from the University of CaliforniaBerkeley, and a PhD in Biology from Arizona State University, Meg’s expertise is innately interdisciplinary. Meg’s role at The Nature Conservancy is to devise a comprehensive, statewide assessment of environmental and recreational water needs and prioritize conservation actions to sustain and protect those freshwater resources in Colorado and across the Colorado River Basin. Following a systematic synthesis and analysis of baseline data, Meg is also developing a framework for quantifying environmental metrics and devising a strategic plan to focus on conservation needs, policy opportunities and constraints, and identifying the tools required to achieve necessary levels of protection.
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Abstract: Much of Colorado, and the Colorado River Basin, has been enduring drought since 1999, and the near-term impacts of these precipitation shortages have highlighted the long-term risk to nature and people, including the need to manage this overallocated resource for multiple benefits more effectively. As Colorado’s Water Plan is being developed and finalized, the need to understand the links between river flow regimes, and ecological, social, and ecological importance grows increasingly important. Efficiently managing water resources in the modern landscape requires scientific tools, prioritization, and close collaboration across municipal, agricultural, and conservation interests. Environmental flows have gained broad recognition across the United States, and the underlying science is sufficiently developed to support regional planning and policy applications. Selecting appropriate methods and tools for developing environmental flows recommendations, however, can be particularly challenging. The Nature Conservancy has a long history of using science to describe conservation priorities and has also developed numerous tools and approaches to assessing conservation needs, from the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration software to the Watershed Flow Evaluation Tool. In this talk we introduce methods for flow assessment and present a comprehensive compilation of tools and approaches for assessing flow needs and incorporating scientific output into water management decisions.
FACStream: a New Functional Assessment Method for Colorado Streams Mark Beardsley, EcoMetrics & Brad Johnson, Johnson Environmental Consulting, LLC Mark is an ecologist with 20 years experience that has been studying and working on Colorado’s mountain streams, wetlands, and riparian in the Colorado mountains. His specialties include ecological monitoring and assessment and the development of a watershed approach. Mark was co-author of the Functional Assessment of Colorado Wetlands (FACWet) and technical lead on the development of FACStream. He has recently become fascinated by the present and historic role that beavers play in floodplain connectivity and the function of stream/riparian systems. After completing undergraduate work in Botany at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Brad went on to complete a Master’s, Doctorate and Post-doctorate fellowship at Colorado State University studying mountain wetland ecology and functioning. Brad’s research since then has focused on wetland assessment at multiple scales and wetland restoration, particularly as it pertains to Clean Water Act compensatory mitigation. He is currently a research scientist with the Dept. of Biology at Colorado State University and acts as a consultant on mitigation and other wetland related issues. Currently he is the primary investigator on a multi-agency project to develop a stream assessment method and stream mitigation banking protocols for the state and is carrying out several wetland and stream restoration projects. Abstract: FACStream is being developed as a tool for assessing ecological function of streams and a means to account for ecological lift in the state’s stream mitigation program. In FACStream, the functional condition of a reach is assessed using 10 state variables organized in hierarchical structure, and scoring is based on departure from a reference that is set according to process domain. The FACStream method includes a qualitative rapid assessment protocol based on the analysis of ecological and geomorphic stressors, and a structure which allows for the incorporation of quantitative data and more detailed techniques to inform any of the variables, including other contemporary hydrologic, geomorphic, riparian, habitat, and biotic assessment tools. In addition to its use in calculating credits and debits for stream mitigation, FACStream may be used as the basis for function-based watershed inventories, for setting restoration goals, defining project success criteria, and monitoring performance. Comparison and use of Hydraulic Geometry Regional Curve in the Colorado and the West David Bidelspach & TC Dinkins, Stantec David Bidelspach is a design engineer with Stantec Consulting. Mr Bidelspach will be presenting with TC Dinkins an Engineer in Training at Stantec consulting. Abstract: Within Colorado and western North America there has been a variety regional relationships developed for hydraulic geometry of ungaged and gaged rivers. Not all published regional curves are equal and some of these curves should not be used, or should only be used for assessment but not design. Within Colorado and western North America there has been a variety regional relationships developed for hydraulic geometry of gaged rivers. These relationships have been documented and published over the past 20 years with a variety of expertise in field identification of bankfull features. There can be confusion in identifying field indicators for geomorphic process related to deposition areas and scour lines that produce a great deal of uncertainty in determining the bankfull hydraulic geometry. Not all published regional curves are equal and some of these curves should not be used, or only be used for assessment, and shouldn’t be used for design. This presentation will discuss methods and statistical relationships that allow a professional to filter regional relationships so that poor data is no applied as a design tool or during river assessment. Some of these regional relationships are legendary bad and physically improbable but this is the west. In the west when the legend becomes fact, we print the legend. Floods,Fires and Urbanization have a significant change in the response of a watershed, a tool like a regional curve should be created in a logical manner to account for potential changes in the flow regime and sediment regime.
Stream Corridor Case Studies
Moderator: Randy Mandel Golder Associates & Colorado Riparian Association Randy Mandel is an internationally recognized restoration ecologist with over 30- years of experience. He is employed by Golder Associates as a Senior Restoration Ecologist/Senior Scientist. His major accomplishments include (1) Serving as the lead propagation specialist for the Suncor Revegetation Pilot Project in Alberta, Canada, (2) Serving as the lead revegetation plant specialist for the Yanacocha Minera Gold Mining Project near Cajamarca, Peru, (3) Serving as a professional botany mentor for the US Forest Service, White River National Forest Botany Program, and (4) Assisting EnCana Natural Gas as a Restoration Ecologist for their Piceance Basin operation. Mr. Mandel has been a key restoration ecologist for 14 National Parks and National Monuments as well as multiple Justice Department-driven native plant projects including Telluride Mountain Village, the Beartooth Highway, and the Yellowstone Club. Impacts of the 2013 Colorado Floods on Threatened and Endangered Species Habitat in the Platte River Basin Restoration, Connecting with the Watershed Community and a Strategy for moving forward Kevin Werbylo & Scott Griebling, Headwaters Corporation Kevin is a Water Resources Engineer for Headwaters Corporation and has worked in the company’s Denver office since the summer of 2013. He primarily works on water and habitat restoration projects in central Nebraska for the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, but also has experience assisting with water rights investigations and water conservation projects throughout the state of Colorado. Kevin received a M.S. in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University in 2013 and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Northern Arizona University in 2011. He is a registered Engineer-In-Training in the State of Colorado.
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Scott is a water resources engineer for Headwaters Corporation specializing in water resources planning, groundwater and surface water modeling, and groundwater and surface water hydrology. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder and has been working in the water resources field since 2006. He is a registered Engineer in Training in the State of Colorado with experience in hydrologic modeling, groundwater modeling, data analysis, GIS, and hydrologic systems monitoring. Abstract: While the 2013 flooding caused severe damage in Colorado, the floods had a largely positive impact on threatened and endangered species habitat farther downstream in the Platte River Basin. The observed hydrograph attenuation was so significant that the return interval of the event was reduced by two orders of magnitude when traced from Colorado’s Front Range to its Eastern Plains, and onward into the Platte River in Nebraska, which is the area of focus for habitat rehabilitation of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (Program). The Program is the result of an ongoing collaborative effort between Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, the Department of the Interior, and other stakeholders aimed at protecting and recovering the habitat of three threatened and endangered species along the central Platte River corridor of Nebraska (Associated Habitat). The focus species of the Program in the Associated Habitat reach are the whooping crane, the piping plover, and the interior least turn. The high flows through the Associated Habitat created favorable surface water, ground water and sediment transport conditions, aiding in the habitat maintenance efforts of the Program. For example, excess surface water helped meet (and exceed) target flow levels and increased ground water elevations resulted in favorable wetland/wet meadow habitat for whooping cranes defined by shallow pools of exposed ground water. In addition, increased sediment transport rates allowed for hypotheses testing regarding channel maintenance flows. Got Wood? Opportunities to use Large Woody Debris in Stream Rehabilitation Jeff Crane, Crane Associates Jeff’s bio can be found on page 18. Abstract: ‘Driftwood, wood carried by water from the forest to the sea ... is both habitat and a source of food for a multitude of plants and animals, both aquatic and terrestrial. In addition, some driftwood controls stream velocities, stabilizes stream banks, makes waterfalls and pools, and creates and protects fish spawning areas. Other driftwood protects the encroachment of vegetation on floodplains and allows forests to expand. In short, driftwood makes a vital contribution to the health of streams, rivers, estuaries and oceans ...’ (Maser & Sedell, 1994, pp. xi). The flood in Northern Colorado in September 2013 was devastating by all accounts. Hundreds of thousands of trees were uprooted, blocking culverts, diverting the flow of the river and depositing all throughout the floodplain. A massive effort was undertaken to remove this debris but was there an opportunity lost with some of the large woody debris that ended up mulched or in landfills? This presentation will look at alternatives using large woody debris to stabilize banks and add habitat to scoured stream systems. There’s a Reason It’s Called Sand Creek Brian Murphy, CDM Smith Mr. Murphy has nearly 15 years of experience in civil and environmental engineering. His primary fields of work include water resources planning and design, water quality analyses, river engineering, and floodplain management. He has led the design of river and floodplain improvement projects on several Front Range streams and rivers, including the South Platte and Sand Creek. Abstract: From September 9, 2013 to September 16th, rain storms produced approximately 15 inches of precipitation within Aurora and Commerce City, resulting in significant flooding along Sand Creek. Specifically, this flooding caused mass bank erosion, repositioning of the channel bottom, and damages to nearby access roads. In addition, the resulting scour caused unstable conditions along the west bank of Sand Creek near the confluence with the South Platte River jeopardizing the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District’s (MWRD) disinfection building at the Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility (RWHTF) and undermining the siphon structure at the Burlington Ditch. MWRD is improving the west bank and channel bed beyond the pre-flood conditions in order to prevent the bank erosion from occurring again. To expedite the design and construction process, MWRD executed a design-build contract for the work. However, prior to starting construction, the project required extensive coordination with USACE, Adams County, Commerce City, FRICO, UDFCD and several adjacent property owners. In addition, MWRD also applied for public assistant funding and hazard mitigation funding from FEMA. This presentation will describe the disaster recovery process, including the development of permanent improvements, agency coordination, and permitting. Suggestions and lessons learned will be provided on the agency coordination and interaction with FEMA. Construction is anticipated to finish in October so a photographic journal of the construction process will also be presented.
Impacts in the 21st Century
Nicole’s bio can be found on page 12.
Moderator: Nicole Seltzer Colorado Foundation for Water Education
Save Our Snow: Climate Change, Fracking, Ski Areas, and Water Security in Colorado and the West Dr. Mark Williams, University of Colorado Boulder Dr. Mark Williams is a Fellow at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Professor of Geography at the University of Colorado. His research interest is the hydrology and biogeochemical cycling of mountain areas, with a focus on surface-groundwater interactions in seasonally snow-covered catchments. Mark is the PI of the Niwot Ridge LTER program and a co-I on the research 28.
project: Contribution to High Asia Runoff from Ice & Snow (CHARIS). He has also conducted research on the hydrologic connectivity of the Fruitland Outcrop near Durango and is a co-I on a new NSF grant ($12,000,000) that is evaluating the economic and environmental tradeoffs of unconventional oil and gas extraction in the Rocky Mountains. He is a Fulbright Scholar and was elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2012. Abstract: The panoramic splendor and complexity of mountain environments have inspired and challenged humans for centuries. The harsh conditions characteristic of these environments suggest that organisms in mountain ecosystems are on the razor’s edge of tolerance. Consequently, organisms – and the biogeochemical processes mediated by them in high-elevation catchments – are notably vulnerable to small changes in climate and other environmental parameters. Mountain areas are thus sentinels of climate change. I’ll start by evaluating how hydrologic connectivity may be altered by climate change in here in the Rocky Mountains, and how might that change ecosystem structure and function. Hydrological connectivity in mountain areas is driven by the duration and timing of the seasonal snowpack and snow and ice melt. Here I’ll show that under a warming climate, in combination with increasing windborne dust, snowpack and glacial melt will accelerate, which will result in the snowline’s moving to a higher elevation, which will in turn decrease hydrologic connectivity. These changes will cause plant species diversity to decrease as alpine areas shrink, shrubland will expand, and the landscape will become more homogeneous. Mountains – especially alpine ecosystems – are early warning indicators of perturbations such as climate change. The sensitivity of mountain ecosystems begs for enhanced protection and worldwide protection. Changing Water Governance? A comparative study exploring water sourcing for Colorado’s oil and gas industry Karie Boone, Colorado Water Institute Karie is a PhD student and NSF I-WATER Fellow at Colorado State University. Her research examines the changing nature of water governance as it relates oil and gas extraction in Weld and Garfield Counties. Her professional and academic background is in rural development and environmental sociology. Before returning to academia she worked on food sovereignty initiatives and development of alternative education programs with farmer organizations in Latin America. Abstract: This evolving research compares Weld and Garfield counties to understand the social and environmental significance of the increased pace and scale of oil and gas development for water governance in Colorado. State reports indicate that less than one percent of the state’s water is being used in oil and gas extraction activities. While this amount does not call for alarm, the change in use is impacting water supply organizations and their allocations in unique ways. This presentation begins to scratch the surface of this change by comparing Weld and Garfield County’s water sourcing for oil and gas development. Stretching the Stream: Large Water Demands on a Small Colorado Creek Barbara Galloway, ERO Barbara Galloway, Senior Hydrologist with ERO Resources Corporation, has a double Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Environmental Studies and a Master’s degree in Water Resources. As a regulator and consultant, she has nearly 30 years of experience in surface and ground water quantity and quality data collection, analysis and modeling, water rights and administration, and climatological data collection. She has evaluated the availability of surface and ground water supplies, estimated peak and average flows in ungaged watersheds, calculated gains and losses from lakes and reservoirs, evaluated baseline watershed conditions prior to site development, and modeled impacts to surface and ground water flows due to water supply development. She has assisted clients with water supply for and protection of water dependent ecosystems. Barbara currently resides in a small Colorado agricultural community, where she is on the Board of Directors of her local water supply company. Abstract: The agricultural community is concerned that a proposal to withdraw water for energy development will further reduce flow in Box Elder Creek, which is already often dry, and will also dry out ponds and pools supplied throughout the year by ground water discharges to the creek channel. ERO Resources Corporation conducted a multi-year study of surface and ground water flow in the Box Elder Creek channel and the water-dependent ecosystems that occur along the creek, and also evaluated potential effects of new water development to Box Elder Creek.
Thursday, October 9 Post-Conference Workshops 9:00 am - 1:00pm Camp Hale Field Workshop This year’s post-conference Field Workshop will feature National Forest Foundation and USFS White River National Forest speakers to discuss the history, hydrology, and upcoming restoration work for the Camp Hale site. Camp Hale is located between Red Cliff and Leadville in the Eagle River valley and was a U.S. Army training facility constructed in 1942 for the 10th Mountain Division. Today it is a National Historic Site and is being restored to improve watershed viability, ecosystem function, and water storage for the Front Range. Anticipated Speakers include Marcus Selig of the National Forest Foundation, Dave Neely, USFS Holy Cross District Ranger, Mark Weinhold USFS Hydrologist, Matt Grove USFS Fisheries Biologist, and members of the White River NF Botany Staff. A tour bus will pick up attendees from the Westin at 9am and return at 1pm.. Due to limited bus space, pre-registration is required. Please bring walking shoes, a rain coat, and a water bottle. Water and snacks will be provided. 29.
Posters Throughout Conference Small Watershed, Big Impact Heather Slater, Denver Water Heather Slater is a Water Quality Specialist in the Water Quality Lab at Denver Water. She has an MS in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She recently began an exciting and fulfilling career as a stock photo model for AWWA. Abstract: The floods of September 2013 impacted many communities and utilities along Colorado’s Front Range. One of Denver Water’s terminal raw water storage reservoirs, Ralston Reservoir, was significantly impacted and the flood led to increased turbidities, TOC, and uranium levels and caused the associated treatment plant to shut down for more than one month. Notably, the Ralston Creek input to Ralston Reservoir was the most significantly impacted watershed that feeds the reservoir. The Ralston Creek watershed is relatively small and usually represents a small percentage of the annual flow into Ralston Reservoir. The watershed is minimally impacted by human activities with very little housing and development disturbance. One uranium mine is active in the watershed above Ralston Reservoir. Prior to these floods the Ralston Creek watershed would have been viewed as a stable watershed from the standpoint of impacting water quality in the reservoir. The magnitude of operational and water quality impacts that did occur after the floods leaves us wondering about our other watersheds. What if this had happened in our S. Platte system where we are heavily impacted by wildfires, human development, and wastewater inputs? How can we assess and prioritize watersheds that need protection or restoration? Didymosphenia geminata, an algae in Colorado that won’t be slipping away anytime soon Jenn Moore, Colorado Mountain College Jenn Moore is a project manager in the Natural Resource Management program at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and her Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Colorado State University. She worked for five years at the U.S. Geological Survey in the Colorado Water Science Center as a research hydrologist before transferring to CMC. At CMC she manages an internship program for NRM students. She takes students in the field to work on research projects including surface, groundwater, snow and soil sampling, fen delineation, abandoned mine characterizations, river restoration, and didymo characterizations. In her spare time she adjunct teaches in the Natural Resource Management program. Abstract: Didymosphenia geminata, commonly referred to as “didymo or rock snot,” is a freshwater diatom, a type of algae that lives attached to rocks and other substrates on the bottom of streams. Didymo is easily spread and thrives in nutrient poor, high quality, cold water streams. Didymo is spreading to warmer water streams and can exist under increased nutrient concentrations. The thick mats that didymo produce clog streams and municipal intakes and over compete with aquatic plants, macroinvertebrate habitat, and the aquatic food supply. The impact of didymo on the Gold Medal fishery in the lower Frying Pan River and subsequently the Roaring Fork River is currently unknown. The ability for didymo to be prolific has been correlated to flow regimes of dam-influenced river systems. Students at Colorado Mountain College Leadville in partnership with the Roaring Fork Conservancy measured the presence and absence of didymo on the lower Frying Pan River and tributaries from Ruedi Dam to the confluence with the Roaring Fork river. Spatial and temporal variability were also studied. Management strategies will be presented to reduce the spread and persistence of didymo. Fish Screening as a Potential Conservation Tool in Colorado Watersheds Suzanne Huhta, OneFish Engineering, LLC Suzanne Huhta has been working exclusively as a fish passage engineer for the past 12 years. Prior to that she primarily worked as a structural engineer with a focus on structures in the riverine environment. In 2009 she started OneFish Engineering, LLC to bring the practice of fish screening and fish passage to Colorado and nearby states. She enjoys spending as much time on or near rivers as possible. Abstract: Each year irrigators across Colorado divert water from rivers, creeks and streams. An unintended consequence of this yearly activity is fish entrainment fish becoming trapped in an irrigation canal or ditch and unable to return to the native stream. Fish entrainment is almost always fatal resulting from fish moving through pumping equipment, being stranded in fields or becoming easy prey to avian predators while confined within the canal. Fish screens have been used in states with anadromous migratory fish for over 100 years with a 98% effective rate when designed property and do not adversely affect a water users ability to divert water. However, the technology is new to many Colorado watersheds and is being underutilized. This poster presentation looks at the losses of fish due to irrigation diversions, benefits of fish screening, the basics and types of fish screening and potential funding sources. Get More Done with Good Samaritan Liability Protection Tom Schillaci, Environmental Documentary Video In 2001, Tom Schillaci was guided to Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado and was blown away by the films, and by the collection of adventurers, scientists, anthropologists and educators. He returned to Denver on a Tuesday, bought a video camera on Wednesday and was shooting his first environmental documentary on that Friday. Tom highlights the positive and collaborative efforts of groups working in watershed restoration and land conservation issues. Video projects include abandoned mine clean up projects, community clean up events, lectures, panel discussions and educational field trips. Videos can be distributed on the 30. Internet, and screened at festivals, conferences and community education events.
Abstract: Since 1999, 14 bills have been introduced into Congress that would open the door to more volunteer watershed groups who want to clean up draining, abandoned mines. None of the bills has passed. As a result, work is NOT being done to improve water quality because of the potential for high liability to meet high water quality standards in the Clean Water Act of 1972. This video looks at the issues faced by watershed groups in southwest Colorado. At issue is a watershed group’s treatment of NONPOINT SOURCE mine waste, specifically the water coming out of draining mines on private land. The current potential for liability means that watershed groups could be sued to build a water treatment plant (big money) and still not meet CWA standards. Currently in the 113th Congress that ends December 31, 2014, are Good Samaritan bills H.R. 2970 by Rep. Scott Tipton (R) Colorado and S. 1443 by Sen. Mark Udall (D) Colorado. See the video online on YouTube at: http://youtu.be/XkjFdgshv1Y Promoting Research and Information Sharing Related to Fen-Reservoir Interactions Hannah Holm, Water Center at Colorado Mesa University Hannah Holm is the coordinator of the Water Center at Colorado Mesa University, which promotes research, education and dialogue to address the water challenges facing the Upper Colorado River Basin. She previously advocated for drinking water protection with Western Colorado Congress, served on her local watershed group board in Pennsylvania, and staffed natural resource committees for the North Carolina legislature. She has a joint Master’s degree in Community & Regional Planning and Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Abstract: The Water Center is promoting research, information and stakeholder dialogue on interactions between fens (peatproducing wetlands) and water management activities. Uncertainties regarding how fens are impacted by different kinds of disturbances, and their capacity to recover, have contributed to substantial hurdles, delays, and unexpected expenses for water providers seeking to enlarge and repair reservoirs, as well as develop new ones. These same uncertainties have made it difficult for regulatory agencies to determine how to most effectively safeguard fens. We believe additional research, dialogue and information exchange can help overcome these uncertainties. We invite others to join us in this initiative. Upper Colorado River Basin Resource Guide: An online guide to water topics in the Upper Colorado River Basin Gigi Richard, Water Center at Colorado Mesa University Gigi Richard is currently the Faculty Director of the Water Center at Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in Grand Junction, CO and a Professor in the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences at CMU. She holds an M.S. and Ph.D. from Colorado State University in civil and hydraulic engineering and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Gigi created the Watershed Science program at CMU and co-founded the Water Center at CMU, which facilitates education, research and dialogue on water issues in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Gigi teaches water science and environmental geology courses and her research on human impacts on rivers systems includes the study of downstream impacts of dams, levees and other human activities on rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and New Zealand. Abstract: The Water Center at Colorado Mesa University is developing a comprehensive online resource guide dedicated to waterrelated topics in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). The guide includes webpages and maps for each of the major sub-basins: Yampa/White, Gunnison, Upper Green, Dolores, San Juan, Colorado River Headwaters and Lower Mainstem. For each sub-basin, the webpages and maps include information about entities involved in water management, research, monitoring, regulation, and other activities, including federal and state government agencies, water suppliers, local governments, and NGOs. Other pages for each sub-basin include links to available water data (e.g., water quality data or stream gages within each sub-basin including maps and links to data source), counties and major towns and cities (including maps, demographic data and land use information), and links to recent studies, research and publications. A timeline of important events in the UCRB is included. The Water Center is seeking feedback and participation from collaborators to help make the guide robust and dynamic. Monitoring Water Quality in Areas of Oil and Natural Gas Development: A Guide for Water Well Users Mark Williams, University of Colorado Boulder Mark’s bio can be found on page 28. Abstract: A free, downloadable guide for individuals who want to collect baseline data on their well water quality and quantity over time was recently released by the University of Colorado Boulders Colorado Water and Energy Research Center (CWERC). The how to guide, Monitoring Water Quality in Areas of Oil and Natural Gas Development: A Guide for Water Well Users, is available in PDF format at http://cwerc.colorado.edu. The guide gives well owners a step by step plan to sampling and monitoring the groundwater. In addition, an interpretation guide assists individuals in understanding the water quality results they receive from the laboratory, or water quality results from any industry tests or reports related to drilling in their area. CWERC was co-founded in 2011 by Williams and Joseph Ryan, a CU-Boulder professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, with funding from the CU-Boulder Office for University Outreach. While CWERC is currently focused primarily on assisting interested citizens in collecting baseline data on water quality, the research center also aims to study the connections between water and energy resources and the tradeoffs that may be involved in their use. CWERC seeks to engage the general public and policymakers, serving as a neutral broker of scientifically based information on even the most contentious energy-water nexus debates.
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Public Perceptions of Mountain Pine Beetle Impacts on Drinking Water Resources Stuart Cottrell, Colorado State University Dr. Cottrell’s bio can be found on page 10. Abstract: The objective of this National Science Foundation project is to determine potential MPB-related water resource changes by defining and quantifying feedbacks between changes in climate, altered forested ecosystems, biogeochemical processes, and resource management practices. Beetle-killed trees will alter hydrologic and biogeochemical processes that govern water quantity and quality in forested headwater catchments, coupled with natural resources management options that can potentially affect downstream water user demands and ecological and human health. Recently, water management stakeholders completed an on-line survey and participated in a facilitated workshop. The intent was to identify trends in stakeholder perceptions of MPB impacts, as well as what information needs to be communicated to the public. Results suggest that the primary concerns of water management stakeholders deal with water quality impacts, impact mitigation, and potential wildfire impacts. At this time, there is no perceived detrimental change to water quality. Public communication and education should focus on general MPB impacts, impact mitigation, wildfire danger, forestry management techniques, potential water treatment cost increases, and risk communication to the general public. The two outcomes of this project are to provide an improved scientific basis for managing watershed ecosystems in the Platte and Colorado River basins and an improved understanding of the water supply and quantity challenges for MPB-impacted areas across the Rocky Mountain West. Managing a Dynamic Landscape – US Forest Service Lands and the September 2013 Floods Sarah Hines, Rocky Mountain Research Station (unable to attend); Presented by Polly Hays, U.S. Forest Service Sarah Hines is a science delivery specialist for the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) in Fort Collins, CO, where she works with both RMRS research scientists and land managers throughout the Interior West to develop and deliver science relevant to Forest Planning, assessing climate change vulnerability, planning for climate change adaptation, and much more. Sarah is also the editor for “The Science You Can Use Bulletin” (http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/science-application-integration/publications/) and serves as the western co-chair of the Climate Change Resource Center (http://www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc). Polly bio can be found on page 21. In this capacity, Polly has oversight across a broad spectrum of wildland water resource management programs, including: water quality, water rights, and watershed protection. Abstract: National Forests and surrounding lands are dynamic, hazard-prone natural landscapes. Recovery on National Forests may look different from recovery along highways and in communities. Recovery may include elements of both rebuilding infrastructure and promoting ecological resilience. Local communities and the Forest Service will continue to discuss long and short term impacts, as well as societal choices for reducing future vulnerability to natural disasters. This poster explores some of the lessons learned from the 2013 Northern Colorado flood, and highlights some of the ongoing collaboration between the research and natural resource management communities. Post-Remediation Hydrologic and Water-Quality Monitoring Documents Remediation Effectiveness: Case Study at Dinero Tunnel, near Leadville, Colorado Katie Walton-Day, U.S. Geological Survey; Presented by Jennifer Moore, Colorado Mountain College Jenn’s bio can be found on page 30. Abstract: Dinero tunnel is an abandoned, draining mine tunnel in the Sugar Loaf Mining District near Leadville, Colorado, and is a major contributor to zinc and manganese loads in Lake Fork Creek, a tributary to the Arkansas River. In 2009, a bulkhead was installed in Dinero tunnel to remediate mine drainage and improve water quality and aquatic habitat in Lake Fork Creek. A spatially detailed monitoring program documented hydrologic and geochemical changes resulting from bulkhead emplacement. These changes included increased discharge and decreased water quality (lower pH, and higher zinc and manganese concentrations) in two surface streams draining the ridge containing Dinero tunnel. Similar changes occurred in Nelson tunnel, an abandoned mine tunnel which is likely hydrologically connected to Dinero tunnel and mine pool via a mineralized vein, but not by mine workings. In spite of this local water-quality degradation, the bulkhead reduced discharge and metal loading at Dinero tunnel sufficient to improve water quality in Lake Fork Creek except during extreme high flow. Sustained or increased water-quality degradation in Nelson tunnel and in the drainages adjacent to Dinero tunnel could decrease or negate the improvement that has occurred in Lake Fork Creek. Continued monitoring can provide information about the balance between the positive and negative water-quality effects of the bulkhead that, if necessary, can be used to make decisions about potential future remediation actions. Although the study is specific to Dinero tunnel, the results illustrate how detailed hydrologic and water-quality monitoring help document the sometimes unanticipated effects of remediation.
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NOTES:
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39.
MAP OF CONFERENCE FACILITIES
Gondola Ballroom
Maya Restaurant
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MAP OF AVON
Conference site (Westin Hotel) circled in red. WIL MM 166
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Town of Avon Colorado - Summer 2012 Visitor's Map
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This map was produced by the Community Development Department. Use of this map should be for general purposes only. Town of Avon does not warrant the accuracy of the data contained herein. Author: JTK, 04/11/12
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Eaglebend West ----
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Eaglebend North
-The Heart of the Valley970-748-4000 www.avon.org
Thank you to our table top vendors
Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to stop by to learn more about them! SPONSORS CWCB Stantec Golder Associates, Inc. GeoTech/YSI Leonard Rice Engineers, Inc. Environmental Protection Agency BUSINESSES/AGENCIES Compass Tools, Inc. Mountain Pine Manufacturing TDMA ICON Engineering, Inc.
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Colorado Watershed Assembly Colorado Foundation for Water Education Colorado Riparian Association American Rivers Barr Lake Milton Reservoir Watershed Association Trout Unlimited Colorado State University Lake Fork Watershed Working Group Colorado Water Quality Monitoring Council Wildland Restoration Volunteers Central Rockies Chapter, Society of Ecological Restoration
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS