March 27, 2018
What's Inside
  • Feature: New Fall 2018 Course: Water Sustainability in the Western U.S.
  • Fall 2018 GRAD 592 Course: Topics in Colorado Water Law
  • CSU Public Lands History Center 10th Anniversary Celebration
  • Student Spotlight: CSU's Student Sustainability Center helps raise awareness of waste and pollution in the fashion industry with denim display at World Water Day event
  • Faculty Spotlight: CSU's Dr. Pete Taylor co-authors Journal of Society & Natural Resources special issue on "Society & Natural Resources in an Illiberal World"
Feature
Fall 2018 | Tuesdays & Thursdays 11AM-12:15PM | Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

The CSU Water Center and the School of Global and Environmental Sustainability are pleased to offer a new introductory water course for the Fall 2018 semester. This three-credit course offers a multi-disciplinary overview of the issues surrounding the biggest challenges to the sustainability of life in the western U.S. Students from all disciplines are welcome. The only prerequisite is an interest in learning about this critical resource that has defined this part of the world and will shape its future. The instructor will be Howard Ramsdell, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences.
Highlights
Fall 2018 | Mondays 4-5PM | Rm 109, Natural Resources Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

This year's GRAD 592 seminar's theme is "Topics in Colorado Water Law," which will cover the history and evolution, administration, water court, inter/intrastate compacts, key cases and statutes, water quality, environmental law, and groundwater. Students may sign up for course credit, but all interested faculty, students and off-campus guests are welcome to attend the weekly seminar classes. The instructor will be Jennifer Gimbel, Colorado Water Institute's Senior Water Policy Scholar.

Join CSU's Public Lands History Center for a 10th anniversary celebration on Thursday, April 5th, at 5PM at the Iris and Michael Smith Alumni Center (701 W Pitkin St.). The celebration will include a special American West Program featuring a presentation by the state historian of Colorado, Dr. Patricia Limerick.  Register by March 30th!

Join experts, policymakers, researchers, and investors at the inaugural Water in the West Symposium, hosted by Colorado State University (CSU). Hear the latest around water challenges, collaborate with experts, and create a roadmap for water research, innovation, education, and policy that will take place at the Water Resources Center (WRC), the first building to be constructed at the future National Western Center, a 250-acre redevelopment in Denver. The Symposium will focus on engaging experts and leaders in thoughtful conversations and creating impact through the WRC. There will be a number experts speaking during the symposium, including Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Rich Thorsten from Water.org, and former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who is helping to plan the event as part of his special advisor role with CSU. Tickets are on sale now through April 25th, but get your tickets now!

A study led by CSU's Patrick Keys found that 19 of the 29 largest cities in the world depend on evaporation from surrounding lands for more than one-third of their water supplies. Researchers also found that the dependence on this water supply is higher in dry years. The findings have implications for land managers and policymakers who oversee urban water security. The new study, “ Megacity precipitationsheds reveal tele-connected water security challenges,” is published in PLOS One. Patrick will be presenting the recent scientific insights of the study at a SoGES Science Seminar Thursday, March 29, from 3:30-5 PM in room 108 in Johnson Hall on the CSU campus.
Local & Regional Events

March 29, 2018 | Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood, CO

This workshop will explore the potential impacts of climate change on Colorado's water future and explore how we can meet our demands for water. Participants will walk away with a comprehensive look at the relationship between our water resources and the climate and get a unique opportunity to tour the National Ice Core Laboratory!

March 30, 2018 | University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Denver CO

The 2018 Symposium will explore how underserved communities use water law individually and collectively with others to empower themselves to achieve equitable water governance.

March 31, 2018 | Carnegie Center for Creativity & Heritage Courtyard, Fort Collins, CO

This event is not your typical brewfest! The Poudre Pour includes an afternoon of FUN and LEARNING with 12 craft beer and soda tasting stations, appetizers; special guest speakers; kids activities; live entertainment; art exhibitions and a silent auction! Proceeds will benefit the Poudre Heritage Alliance.

April 5, 2018, at 5PM | Iris & Michael Smith Alumni Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Come celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Public Lands History Center with a special American West Program featuring a presentation by the state historian of Colorado, Dr. Patricia Limerick. Register by March 30th!

April 6, 2018, 8am-4:30pm | Doubletree Hotel, Durango, CO

At the 36th Annual Water Seminar experts will discuss: how wildfire impacts to water supplies, the state’s response to emergencies such as the 2013 front range flooding, the western slope’s risk in the context of Colorado River obligations and drought, as well as avoiding devastating infrastructure failure, among other related topics. 

April 11-12, 2018 | Otero Junior College, La Junta, CO

The Arkansas River Basin Water Forum serves as a conduit for information about the Arkansas River Basin in Colorado, and for issues related to water allocation and management. Through the Forums, a wider understanding of water issues has evolved and along with it the opportunity to find common ground.

April 12-13, 2018 | CU Boulder East Campus, Boulder, CO

The Hydrologic Sciences Graduate Program at the University of Colorado Boulder is excited to announce our 13th Annual Hydrologic Sciences Symposium! This year's theme is: "Hydrology Horizons: Innovations in Water Science". There will be hydroscience presentations by students, faculty, and Boulder-area researchers. There will also be keynotes and guest talks by distinguished scientists.

April 24-26, 2018 | Fort Collins, CO

Participants will learn proven tools and strategies they can put to practice in their own jurisdiction. Tools and strategies will integrate legal and policy elements with scientific understanding and public involvement strategies to effectively manage flowing and standing water ecosystems when faced with drought.

April 26-27, 2018 | McNichols Civic Center Building, Denver, CO

The inaugural Water in the West Symposium, hosted by Colorado State University (CSU), will bring more than 400 leaders in water research, agriculture, policy, conservation, and education to Denver. CSU and other partners have invested in creating a state-of-the-art Water Resources Center (WRC) to be housed at the National Western Center. The Symposium will focus on engaging experts and leaders in thoughtful conversations and creating impact through the WRC.

May 5, 2018, 9AM-1PM | Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Last year, Hach united to bring safe water to thousands of men, women and children in Andot, Cambodia, and Santa Clotilde, Peru. This year, we will go even farther to reach people in need! Our Walk will simulate the trek millions of women and children in developing countries walk to retrieve water for their families to raise awareness of the global water crisis here in our community.
National & International Events

April 3-4, 2018 | Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego, CA

Join us for two critical days on the latest modes of water infrastructure delivery. The P3 Water Summit focuses on P3 education, project management, resiliency, financing, and networking for owners, system managers, developers, and water professionals.

April 9-11, 2018 | Embassy Suites, Washington, DC

Join the National Water Resources Association (NWRA) at a critical time for water users to influence the 2018 priorities of federal agency leaders and Members of Congress on key water issues such as infrastructure, and the budget. Don't miss out on the opportunity to meet with Congressional and agency leaders on important water legislative and regulatory policies.

April 10, 2018 | Two live locations (Linthicum Heights, MD; Fairfax County, VA) or Online

This conference will help practitioners, regulators, water and sewer authorities and stormwater managers overcome common hurdles - from staff shortages and a lack of financial support to addressing multiple pollutant sources in mixed land use watersheds.

April 16-18, 2018 | JW Marriott Starr Pass, Tuscon, AZ

Join 300 industry professionals in the beautiful desert mountains of Tucson, Arizona to network and participate in the advancement of water technology, water reuse and surrounding issues.

April 16-18, 2018 | Friday Conference Center at University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, NC

The Water Institute at UNC at Chapel Hill is reconvening their Nexus conference addressing Water-Energy-Food and Climate, which will facilitate space for the development of collaborative work. The 2018 Nexus Conference will focus on: Science-policy interface; partnerships; solutions; review of Sustainable Development Goal commitments; sharing of tools, indicators and methodologies; and
the identification of gaps.

April 22, 2018 | Worldwide

Earth Day’s 2018 theme will be End Plastic Pollution. The End Plastic Pollution campaign is part of a five-year effort that began in 2016, builds up to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020 and continues for the next decade. Education and action are the two most valuable steps we can take to protect our planet. Earth Day is the day to start.

April 29-May 1, 2018 | Santa Fe, NM

The Summit focuses on water conservation and water reuse in the arid Southwest. It brings together builders, designers, architects and water professionals to share best practices and brainstorm new ones through charrettes. 

May 14-21, 2018 | Nationwide

The 6th annual National Infrastructure Week is a national week of events; media coverage; and education and issue advocacy to elevate infrastructure as a critical issue impacting America's economy, society, security and future. In 2018, hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders are uniting around one message: The future won't wait. Neither can we. It's #TimeToBuild.
Scholarships

Applications due by May 1, 2018

A strong mission of the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum is to provide scholarship resources for students attending a University in the state of Colorado and working towards a degree in a water related field. In general, the applicant must demonstrate how their work/studies may potentially have a positive impact on a water related issue facing the Arkansas River basin. However, the students studies/work does not need to be taking place within the basin, but it must demonstrate its application to an Arkansas Basin issue.

Applications due by April 15, 2018 | Available to undergraduate and graduate students | Up to $1,500 scholarship

As the market leader in America's #1 salt free water softener, Pelican Water seeks to support the next generation of leaders and innovators with our college scholarship contest. $1,500 will be awarded for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place. Applicants will create a 30-60 second Instagram video and a 250-word essay highlighting how they are doing their part to conserve water.

Applications due by July 31, 2018 | $1,000 award

The RMWQAA offers a $1,000 scholarship to students pursuing an education and career in the water quality/water environment field. The scholarship also entitles the recipient to a one-year complimentary membership in the Rocky Mountain Water Quality Analysts Association.

Applications due by October 1, 2018 | $3,000 & $1,500 awards for 1st and 2nd place, respectively

The Academic Achievement Award encourages academic excellence by recognizing contributions to the field of public water supply. All masters thesis and doctoral dissertations that are relevant to the water supply industry are eligible. The manuscript must reflect the work of a single author and be submitted during the competition year in which it was submitted for the degree.
Grants & Fellowships

Applications due April 30, 2018

This fund grants money to on-the-ground projects that contribute to cleaner water, healthier wildlife habitat, improved recreation and vibrant local economies throughout the state of Colorado. The HRF program targets two categories of grants, project grants and planning grants. The goal of the program is the implementation of on-the-ground projects to restore and protect the natural resources within Colorado watersheds. Average grant awards range from $5,000 to $20,000.

Proposals accepted anytime 

The Hydrologic Sciences Program focuses on the fluxes of water in the environment that constitute the water cycle as well as the mass and energy transport function of the water cycle. The program supports the study of processes from rainfall to runoff to infiltration and streamflow, evaporation and transpiration, the flow of water in soils and aquifers, and the transport of suspended, dissolved, and colloidal components.

The Colorado Watershed Assembly maintains a list of governmental and non-government funding sources for restoration projects and organizational capacity building.
Employment Opportunities

10-20 hours/week during school semester, full-time during the summer | $11/hour | Applications due by April 4, 2018

CSU’s Facilities Management Department is seeking a motivated student to assist with the implementation and promotion of sustainability efforts. These projects include: energy and water efficiency and conservation programs, renewable energy projects, and campus sustainability reporting. Specific duties will be a variety of activities in support of these programs including writing and developing educational materials (brochures, reports, etc.), data collection, data entry and analysis.

Paid hourly intern(s) | Open until filled

OWF is looking for one or more paid student hourly interns to contribute to software for water resources data analysis and visualization, including: Evaluate web software technologies for data analysis and visualization; Write and test web application software including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React/Angular/View, D3.js, Socrata/CKAN, Tableau, dashboards; Esri ArcGIS, QGIS, web mapping; Develop software tools using Java, Python, Git/GitHub, databases, and other tools; Contribute to water resources projects involving complex issues such as drought, climate change, water supply, and water efficiency analysis.

29-40 hours/week | $17/hour | Open until filled

This is a non-exempt, non-benefited, temporary positions responsible for assisting the Senior GIS
Analyst. A sample of duties are as follows: Collecting field data using a Trimble survey-grade GPS unit; Complete various GIS assignments or engineering related tasks; Research records, including but not limited to, easements, as-builts and plats, as necessary; Read and interpolate legal descriptions and exhibits as needed; And digitize as-built data and prepare maps in Arcmap.

Full-time, part-time & paid student intern(s) | Open until filled

TriLynx is hiring one or more Systems/ Software/Support engineers to install and configure new systems, provide support for existing systems, and develop new software
solutions. The number of people hired, and roles filled, will depend on the skills of applicants and ability to serve one or more roles on the TriLynx team. The software system consists of web-based interfaces and server-side programs. 

Full-time, temporary positions | Different locations, terms, pay and benefits by position

Interns in our AIM program work in a crew of 2-3 people to monitor land and aquatic health on National Monument land. Participants will manage all aspects of vegetation monitoring using the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) methodology. 

Full-time | Open until filled

WestWater Research is seeking qualified applicants for a Research Associate position in the field of water resource economics and finance. The successful candidate will be responsible for conducting
financial and economic analysis for water resource project, conducting water asset valuation analysis and conducting regional water market research.

The CSU Water Center maintains a job board of student positions located in Colorado. Many subject areas are featured through this service including: ecology, economics, engineering, fish and wildlife, natural resources, and the social and natural sciences.

Colorado WaterWise, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, maintains a job board for water conservation-related employment opportunities.
Education

Classes start April 2, 2018 | Duration: 3 weeks, 3 hours per week

CSU Online and FutureLearn present this FREE course on water scarcity. What happens when water runs out, and why does it occur? How can we ensure an adequate fresh water supply for all? Examine the reasons for diminishing water supplies, the conflicts that arise over water, and what can be done to ensure adequate water supplies for people and nature. This course is for anyone interested in learning about water scarcity, sustainability, and conflicts that arise over water.

2nd Tuesday of each month @ 2pm MST | Next webinar begins April 12, 2018

Join Utah State University's Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (CWEL) in a monthly webinar series, "Water Well with CWEL" on the 2nd Tuesday of each month @ 2 p.m. (MST). Each month a new presenter will share their successes in the world of outdoor water conservation. Topics will include; outreach & education efforts, new technologies, program impacts, and more.

Classes start May 7, 2018 | Duration: 3 weeks, 3 hours per week

CSU Online and FutureLearn present this FREE course on water rights for people. Across the globe, more than a billion people lack access to safe drinking water. For many, just obtaining water is a laborious task that often falls to women and girls. In this course, you will explore the issues of gender inequality and human rights in relation to water, and the diplomatic efforts that are helping to improve access to this essential resource.

May 22-23, Pueblo, CO; June 22, Colorado Springs, CO; July 20, Fountain, CO | Registration closes: April 14, 2018

The Water Fluency program is a professional development course for non-water professionals. Learn the language of water and develop tools for navigating water management and policy issues so you can lead with confidence.

June 11-22, 2018 | Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Colorado State University will offer a 3-credit, graduate-level, field-oriented short course on Plant Breeding for Drought Tolerance. The course will be held in and around Fort Collins and is targeted to graduate students in the plant sciences, as well as to professionals in the public and private sectors interested in increasing their knowledge in this area.

This minor offers undergraduate students in every department at CSU a curriculum that enhances their major with the core knowledge to address real world sustainability challenges and the tools to bring sustainability into their careers.

The purpose of the SWIM is to offer students an opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge of the many dimensions of water management. Students will take 21 credits in core and elective courses. This minor is open to all CSU undergraduates. 

Fall 2018 | Tuesdays & Thursdays 11AM-12:15PM | CSU, Fort Collins, CO

The CSU Water Center and the School of Global and Environmental Sustainability are pleased to offer a new introductory water course for the Fall 2018 semester. This three-credit course offers a multi-disciplinary overview of the issues surrounding the biggest challenges to the sustainability of life in the western U.S. The instructor will be Howard Ramsdell, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences.

A list of all water-related Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), past and present, and links for more information about the courses.
Student Spotlight
Thank you to CSU's Student Sustainability Center!
In celebration of World Water Day on March 22, the CSU Water Center, the Student Sustainability Center (SSC) and the Department of Design and Merchandising hosted a screening of the award-winning documentary RiverBlue. All proceeds benefited the Sustainable Living Association (SLA), and nearly $1,000 was raised for SLA's water programs and activities!

The SSC collected 1,000 pounds of denim to raise awareness about the waste occurring in the fashion industry. Locally, approximately 90,000 pounds of denim end up in the Denver landfill each year, and nearly 4,000 tons of textiles are trashed annually in the Larimer County landfill. A typical pair of jeans uses approximately 1,800 gallons of water throughout its life cycle, and 20% of water pollution globally is caused by chemicals used in textile dyeing and finishing. SSC’s display helped put these statistics into perspective for attendees and we thank them for creating awareness on this important issue!
Faculty Spotlight
CSU's Dr. Peter Taylor and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry's Dr. David Sonnenfeld recently published in a special issue on "Society and Natural Resources in an Illiberal World," in the Journal of Society and Natural Resources. Their guest editorial is titled, "Liberalism, Illiberalism, and the Environment," and sets the stage for the special issue which "seeks to advance social scientific understanding of society-environment relations in illiberal political and institutional contexts through evidence-informed analysis of a series of cases around the world."
Legislative Updates
Concerning the allowable uses of reclaimed domestic wastewater, and, in connection therewith, allowing reclaimed domestic wastewater to be used for toilet flushing and making an appropriation. This bill was introduced in the House on January 10, passed the third House reading with no amendments on March 21, and was introduced in the Senate and assigned to the Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Energy Committee on March 26.

Concerning a water court process by which an owner of a storage water right allowing water to be stored in new reservoir capacity may release water into an identified stream reach in a manner that protects the water releases while complying with mitigation measures identified in a fish and wildlife mitigation plan approved by the Colorado water conservation board. This bill was introduced in the Senate February 21 and passed the third Senate reading with no amendments on March 8. This bill was then introduced in the House and assigned to the Assigned to Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Committee on March 13, and has passed the second House reading with no amendments on March 26.

Concerning the continuation of the regulation of people who modify the weather, and, in connection therewith, implementing the sunset review recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies. This bill was introduced in the House and assigned to the Health, Insurance, & Environment Committee on January 31, passed the third House reading with no amendments on March 21, and was introduced into the Senate and assigned to the Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Energy Committee on March 26.

Concerning a process for the ground water commission to use for approving aquifer storage-and-recovery plans, and, in connection therewith, requiring that the ground water commission promulgate rules governing its implementation of the process. This bill was introduced in the House February 5, passed the third House reading with no amendments on March 6, and was introduced into the Senate and assigned to the Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Energy Committee on March 12. The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Energy referred the unamended bill to the Senate Committee of the Whole on March 22.
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