Colorado Water Center Courses at CSU
Fall 2021 GRAD592 | Interdisciplinary Water Resources Seminar Series
SCHEDULE CHANGE: Brad Udall’s seminar, previously planned for October 18th, will now be on November 29th; the October 18th class will be held in person and restricted to students.
Each fall the Colorado Water Center offers this interdisciplinary seminar series emphasizing issues important to the water resources community. Content relates to a preselected theme each semester and features prominent speakers from around the region. Students who have enrolled in GRAD592 in the past may also enroll in this offering.
All interested faculty, students, and off-campus guests are welcome to attend.
CRN: 64198
Credit Hours: 1
Schedule: Mondays 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Course Instructor:
Jennifer Gimbel | Interim Director and Senior Water Policy Scholar
Colorado Water Center
Jennifer.Gimbel@colostate.edu
| Date of Seminar | Seminar Title | Speaker(s) | Title and Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 23rd | Introduction to Western Water Law and Sustainability | Jennifer Gimbel | Interim Director, CoWC |
| August 30th | Federal, State, and International Water Law | Jennifer Gimbel | Interim Director, CoWC |
| September 13th | Water Quality Sustainability | Jill Oropeza | Water Quality Services Manager, Ft. Collins Utilities |
| September 20th | Ecosystem Sustainability | Carmen Farmer | Conservation Project Manager, Colorado Open Lands |
| September 27th | Integration of Water and Land Use Planning | Anne Castle | Senior Fellow, Getches-Wilkinson Center |
| October 4th | Local Water System Challenges | Sean Chambers | Director of Water and Sewer, City of Greeley |
| October 11th | Privatization of Water and Speculation | Peggy Montaño | Partner, Trout, Raley Law Firm |
| October 18th | Colorado River Sustainability | Jennifer Gimbel | Interim Director, CoWC |
| October 25th | One Water Sustainability | Mazdak Arabi | Director, Urban Water Center at CSU (invited) |
| November 1st | Agricultural Water Sustainability | Greg Peterson | Executive Director of Colorado Ag Water Alliance |
| November 8th | Water Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | Rio de la Vista & Ronda Lobato | Director, Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center, Adams State Board Member, Costilla County Conservancy District |
| November 15th | Wildfire and Water Sustainability | Esther Vincent | Director of Environmental Services, Northern Water |
| November 29th | Climate Challenges to Sustainability | Brad Udall | Senior Water & Climate Scientists/Scholar, CoWC |
| December 6th | Sustainability and Water | Jennifer Gimbel | Interim Director, CoWC |
Seminar Series Archives
Introduction to Western Water Law and Sustainability
08/23/2021 • Jennifer Gimbel,
Interim Director, CoWC
Download
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Human Evolution Led to an Extreme Thirst for WaterDefinition of SustainabilitySeminar Recording Week 1
Federal, State, and International Water Law
08/30/2021 • Jennifer Gimbel,
Interim Director, CoWC
Download
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
History of Colorado Water Law: Adaptation and ChangeSustainability in Water SupplySeminar Recording Week 2
Water Quality Sustainability
09/13/2021 • Jill Oropeza,
Water Quality Services Manager, Ft. Collins Utilities
Download
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Denver Water - Planning for our FutureCity of Fort Collins - Water Quality Report 2020Seminar Recording Week 3
Ecosystem Sustainability
09/20/2021 • Carmen Farmer,
Conservation Project Manager, Colorado Open Lands
Download
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Ecosystems 101 for ColoradoIdentifying Ecosystem Key Factors to Support Sustainable Water ManagementSeminar Recording Week 4
Integration of Water and Land Use Planning
09/27/2021 • Anne Castle,
Senior Fellow, Getches-Willkenson Center
Download
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Integrating Water Efficiency Into Land Use Planning in the Interior West: A Guidebook for Local PlannersColorado Water and Growth DialogueBest Practices for Implementing Water Conservation and Demand Management Through Land Use Planning EffortsUniversal Access to Clean Water for Tribes in the Colorado River BasinIntegrating Land Use and Water Resources: Planning to Support Water Supply DiversificationSeminar Recording Week 5
Local Water System Challenges
10/04/2021 • Sean Chambers,
Director of Water and Sewer, City of Greeley
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
City of Greeley - Drought uncomfortably hits the West; Greeley’s water portfolio is stableCity of Greeley - 2021 Proposed City Charter AmendmentsGreeley's Water FutureSeminar Recording Week 6
Privatization of Water and Speculation
10/11/2021 • Peggy Montaño,
Partner, Trout, Raley Law Firm
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Wall Street Eyes Billions in the Colorado’s WaterGuest Commentary: To protect the Colorado River from drought and speculation, we need to collaborateReport of the Work Group to Explore Ways to Strengthen Current Water Anti-Speculation LawSeminar Recording Week 7
Colorado River Sustainability
10/18/2021 • Jennifer Gimbel,
Interim Director, CoWC
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
N/A
One Water Sustainability
10/25/2021 • Mazdak Arabi,
Director, Urban Water Center at CSU
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Denver One Water Plan- July 2021One Water LA 2040 Plan Summary ReportUS Water Alliance One Water for America Policy Framework Executive SummaryUS Water Alliance One Water Roadmap Executive SummaryUS Water Alliance One Water RoadmapProgress and Promise Transitioning to the One Water/Resource Recovery Integrated Urban Water Management SystemsA Changing Framework for Urban Water SystemsDelivering sustainable urban water management: a review of the hurdles we faceTowards sustainable urban water management: A critical reassessment
Agricultural Water Sustainability
11/01/2021 • Greg Peterson,
Executive Director of Colorado Ag Water Alliance
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
The irrigation Efficiency Paradox
Water Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
11/08/2021 • Rio de la Vista,
Director, Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center, Adams StateRonda Lobato Board Member, Costilla County Conservancy District
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
N/A
Wildfire and Water Sustainability
11/15/2021 • Esther Vincent,
Director of Environmental Services, Northern Water
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
N/A
Climate Challenges to Sustainability
11/29/2021 • Brad Udall,
Senior Water & Climate Scientists/Scholar, CoWC
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
White Paper - Alternative Management Paradigms for the Future of the Colorado and Green RiversClimate change is shrinking the Colorado RiverHow Climate Change Impacts Our Water
Sustainability and Water
12/06/2021 • Jennifer Gimbel,
Interim Director, CoWC
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
N/A
Western Water Law
08/24/2020 • Jennifer Gimbel, Colorado Water Center
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Citizen's Guide to Colorado Water Law, Week 1 Audio, Week 1 PowerPoint
State Water Institutions & Policy
08/31/2020 • Becky Mitchell, Colorado Water Conservation Board
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Colorado's Water Plan, Week 2 Audio, Week 2 PowerPoint
Water Institutions: Local & Regional
09/14/2020 • Brad Wind, Northern Water
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Citizen’s Guide to Where Your Water Comes From, Week 3 Audio, Week 3 PowerPoint
The Making of State Water Laws, Policies, and Politics
09/21/2020 • Jeni Arndt, State Representative, HD 53
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
The Legislative Process, Week 4 Audio,
Federal Water Law & Institutions
09/28/2020 • Jennifer Gimbel, Colorado Water Center
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Agencies & Organizations, Week 5 Audio,
Environmental Aspects of Water Policy & Politics
10/05/2020 • Nicole Rowan, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Week 6 Audio, Week 6 PowerPoint,
Recreation: Water Law & Policy
10/12/2020 • Ian Stafford, American Whitewater •Greg Kernohan , Ducks Unlimited
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Week 7 Audio, Week 7 PowerPoint,
State Water Administration
10/19/2020 • Kevin Rein, Colorado State Engineer
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Week 8 Audio, Week 8 PowerPoint,
Science & Water Policy
10/26/2020 • Brad Udall, Colorado Water Center
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Washington Post Article, Week 9 Audio, Week 9 PowerPoint
Reserved Water Rights: Law, Policy, and Politics
11/02/2020 • John Echohawk, Native American Rights Fund
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Week 10 Audio,
Municipal Water Policy & Politics
11/09/2020 • Jim Lochhead, Denver Water
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Week 11 Audio,
Interstate Water Law, Policy, and Politics
11/16/2020 • Jennifer Gimbel, Colorado Water Center
Required Readings and Seminar Links:
Week 12 Audio,
The Fall 2019 seminar series explored the law, governance, and management of transboundary water resources, including water law throughout the West and especially Colorado. Topics included interstate agreements, decrees governing water distribution, and interstate groundwater issues, with a national water law overlay. The seminar spotlighted four case studies:
- Platte River (Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming)
- High Plains Aquifer (Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas)
- Rio Grande River (Colorado, New Mexico, Texas)
- Colorado River (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Mexico)
Download the 2019 Syllabus
Intro, Western Water Law
08/26/2019 • Jennifer Gimbel, CoWC • Download
Required readings:
N/A
Lower Colorado River Issues, Drought Plans
09/09/2019 • John Entsminger, Southern Nevada Water Authority • Download
Required readings:
The Colorado River
,
Drought Contingency Plans for the Colorado River,
Nevada Water Law 101
Colorado Water Law, Federal Law, Compacts
09/16/2019 • Jennifer Gimbel, CoWC • Download
Required readings:
Citizen's Guide to Colorado Water Law
Wyoming Water Issues: Platte River, Yellowstone River, Colorado River, Groundwater
09/23/2019 • Steve Wolff, Wyoming State Engineer's Office • Download
Required readings:
Drought Contingency Plans for the Colorado River Basin
,
Wyoming's Compacts, Treaties, and Court Decrees
Kansas Water Issues: Arkansas River, Republican River
09/30/2019 • David Robbins, Hill and Robbins P.C.
Required readings:
Groundwater Management: Lessons from Colorado v. Kansas
International Water Issues with Mexico
10/07/2019 • Jennifer Pitt, Autobon; Steve Mumme, Professor, Political Science • Download
Required readings:
The U.S., Mexico And The Decline Of The Colorado River
,
Policy Change and Social Movements in Transboundary Water Management on the U.S.-Mexico Border,
The 1994 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty as a Constitutional Document
Platte River Issues Affecting Colorado
10/14/2019 • Alan Berryman, Assistant General Manager, NCWCD, Berthoud • Download
Required readings:
N/A
Interstate Water Law
10/21/2019 • Jennifer Gimbel, CoWC
Required readings:
Citizen's Guide to Colorado's Interstate Compacts Second Edition by Water Education Colorado
,
Trans-Boundary Agreements,
The 1994 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty as a Constitutional Document
Upper Colorado River Compact and Drought Plans
10/28/2019 • Karen Kwon, Colorado Attorney General's Office • Download
Required readings:
Colorado, Western states finalize landmark drought plan to voluntarily use less Colorado River water
,
Law of the River: The Colorado River Compact
Managing Interstate Compacts in Colorado
11/04/2019 • Kevin Rein, Colorado State Engineer • Download
Required readings:
Vanishing Rio Grande puts pressure on San Luis Valley farmers during extreme drought
,
Rio Grande Issues
The Role of NGO's in Interstate and International Water Issues
11/11/2019 • Ted Kowalski, Senior Program Officer, Walton Family Foundation
Required readings:
Colorado River
,
Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Restoration and Management of Freshwater Ecosystems
New Mexico Water Issues: Rio Grande, Pueblo and Native American Issues; Texas v. New Mexico
11/18/2019 • Rolf Schmidt-Peterson, Director, New Mexico Interstate Streams Commission
Required readings:
Overview of Water Law Applicable to The Middle Rio Grande Water Planning Region
,
No. 141, Orig. Texas v. New Mexico,
NM Interstate Compacts
Politics, Political Will, Bureaucracy
12/02/2019 • Jennifer Gimbel, CoWC
Required readings:
Bravery in the Face of Bureaucracy: The Negotiation and Completion of Minute 319
Water Institutions: Local & Regional
09/14/2020 • Brad Wind, Northern Water
Required readings:
Citizen’s Guide to Where Your Water Comes From
,
Water Center Summary
The Making of State Water Laws, Policies, and Politics
09/21/2020 • Jeni Arndt, State Representative, HD 53
Required readings:
The Legislative Process
Recreation: Water Law & Policy
10/05/2020 • Ian Stanford, American Whitewater
Required readings:
N/A
Environmental Aspects of Water Policy & Politics
10/12/2020 • Nicole Rowan, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Required readings:
N/A
State Water Administration
10/19/2020 • Kevin Rein, Colorado State Engineer
Required readings:
N/A
Science & Water Policy
10/26/2020 • Brad Udall, Colorado Water Center
Required readings:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/climate-environment/climate-change-colorado-utah-hot-spot/
Reserved Water Rights: Law, Policy, and Politics
11/02/2020 • John Echohawk, Native American Rights Fund
Required readings:
N/A
Municipal Water Policy & Politics
11/09/2020 • Jim Lochhead, Denver Water
Required readings:
N/A
The Fall 2018 seminar series included topics of history and evolution, administration, water court, inter/intrastate compacts, key cases and statutes, water quality, environmental law, and groundwater.
Download the 2018 Syllabus
GRAD 592 2016 recordings and live streams