Blog Archives

August 28, 2018 E-Newsletter

8/28/2018

Summer Conference CLE's, Survey, CWSP Webinar, and more

Thank You for Joining us!

Thank you to our 2018 Summer Conference attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors! This event was made possible by your participation and support and we cannot thank you enough. We hope you enjoyed the Summer Conference as much as the CWC staff did.

Please help us to continually improve our conferences by completing the very short Conference Attendee Satisfaction Survey using the link below; it will just take a couple of minutes of your time. Your feedback allows us to raise the bar each year.

If you are an attorney seeking Continuing Legal Education credits, click on the link for the Summer Conference Accreditation Form.

CLE Accreditation Form: Summer Conference

Conference Attendee Satisfaction Survey

Focus Group on Training and Education

We are excited to be continually exploring new ways to enhance the value of your CWC membership. Participation in conferences, workshops, technical sessions, and webinars is a great way to develop professional skills and, at the same time, feel more a part of the Colorado Water Congress. Can we deliver more opportunities to develop your professional skills?

One of the objectives in CWC's Strategic Plan is to assess CWC members' educational needs on relevant water matters. WE have brought on a temporary employee, Peter Levish, to help us better understand these needs. In mid-September, Peter will host an open discussion in a focus group format to get your thoughts on several test educational and training programs.

Can you help us shape these programs? If you are interested in participating, please email Peter at plevish@gmail.com.

Colorado Water Stewardship Project Webinar

The purpose of the Colorado Water Stewardship Project is to ensure that the Colorado Water Congress members and water stakeholders from around the state are prepared for any ballot initiatives that might be of interest to the Colorado water community. The Project guides CWC's ballot initiative work consisting of legal challenges, public polling, and messaging.

Join us on Wednesday, September 19 at noon for a Colorado Water Stewardship Project Webinar in anticipation of the November 2018 ballot. Our panelists will review Amendment 71 and the Stream Access Litigation case, and discuss Initiative 97, Setback Requirement for Oil and Gas Development, and Initiative 108, Just Compensation for Reduction in Fair Market Value by Government Law or Regulation.

Webinar Panelists:

Floyd Ciruli, Ciruli & Associates
Steve Leonhardt, Burns, Figa & Will
TBD, Farm Bureau

More information coming soon!

August 2, 2018 E-Newsletter

8/2/2018

Forest Health Meeting, CWC Summer Conference, POND Activities and More

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CWC Survey: Water Community Perspectives on Water Policy

We are seeking your input to help shape the discussion for the CWC Summer Conference session at 4:00pm on Wednesday entitled Water Community Perspectives on Water Policy: What's Been Working Well, What's Basically a Dumpster Fire, and What Will Be Our Future Opportunities.

Specifically, we would like to know what your hot button water policy issues are - what do you think is working well and what do you think needs immediate attention?

In about 6 months, a new Colorado executive administration will be in place and a new legislative session will begin. Priorities for water policies may change in ways that are currently difficult to predict.

The water community's message needs to be direct, clear, and relevant. From your perspective, where should our advocacy be focused?

Please take the following 3 question survey and let us know your thoughts. The survey will be open until 5:00pm on Monday, August 6th. We will summarize the most common issues from your response and session panelists will react to and discuss them.

Thank you for taking the time to do the survey!

Hot Button Issues

We Request Your Attendance

What: Open Tent Meeting
When: Wednesday, August 22 from 9:00am to 11:30am
Where: Vail at the Hotel Talisa
Cost: Free!

To all Colorado entities working on watershed protection, forest health, and wildfire issues:
Forest wildfires pose a continuing threat to Colorado's environment, economy, and water supply. The time has come to take a very serious look at current forest management practices and work to expand programs for watershed protection/forest health. The need is urgent. The longer we remain in the status quo, the greater the risk.

Five entities with considerable advocacy experience are exploring the creation of an alliance to increase the level of advocacy for watershed protection and forest health. They are:

Club 20
Colorado Ag Water Alliance
Colorado Water Congress
Colorado Timber Industry Association
The Nature Conservancy

Why: we believe it is important to accelerate the pace and expand the scale of forest management and restoration. if created, the new alliance would work to:

Increase federal, state, local, and private funding sources for forest watershed management
Craft policy and legislative reforms to promote improvements for forest restoration activities
Advance monitoring and research to improve the state of scientific knowledge about forest health.

Many entities are either directly working in the forest on watershed/wildfire issues or advocating for the same. Our intent is to add leverage to these entities and not to compete with them. We plan to collaboratively work with existing entities including:

Coalitions and Collaboratives, Inc.
Colorado Forest Health Advisory Council
Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado Watershed Assembly
Forests to Faucets
U.S. Forest Service
Watershed Wildfire Protection Group

How: We are at the conceptual stage and have not yet finalized a mission statement or work plan. We believe a small core group representing a diverse range of interests will be nimble, efficient and effective. We seek your input as to how we might act to reinforce your mission. A facilitated listening session will be held in August. Your involvement is critical as we develop a detailed work plan for presentation by mid-October.

If created, the alliance would not act as an umbrella group representing, controlling, or coordinating the work of local watershed entities.

Further details will be announced soon.
If you need immediate information, please contact Doug Kemper at doug@cowatercongress.org.

2018 CWC Summer Conference

The Colorado Water Congress Summer Conference and Membership Meeting takes place annually, in August, for two and a half days at a Colorado resort location.

The 2018 summer conference will be in Vail at the Hotel Talisa, starting Wednesday August 22 thru Friday August 24. Registration is open.

Hotel reservations for the Hotel Talisa can be made by calling 800-420-2424 or online by clicking on this link: Colorado Water Congress Rooms. Please refer to the CWC 2018 Summer Conference to get the CWC rate.

For more information, click on the link below.

2018 Summer Conference Program Descriptions

2018 Summer Conference Registration

Hotel Reservations Information

Sponsorships Available

Exhibitor Information

POND Summer Conference Activities

Join the CWC POND Committee on Thursday afternoon, August 23rd, at the 2018 Summer Conference in Vail, and connect with fellow attendees. POND's afternoon activities provide opportunities for everybody to make new connections while exploring all that the local community has to offer.

Don't forget to check out the CWC POND Committee Facebook Page!

Berry Picker Trail Flyer

Tour of Dillon Reservoir Flyer

Fly Fishing with Ken Neubecker and American Rivers Flyer

Group Mountain Bike Ride

Golf at Vail Golf Club Flyer