2019: Transboundary Aquifer and River Governance
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
Citizen’s Guide to Colorado Water Law
08/24/2020 • ,
Required readings:
Western Water Law
08/24/2020 • Jennifer Gimbel, Colorado Water Center
Required readings:
State Water Institutions & Policy
08/31/2020 • Becky Mitchell, Colorado Water Conservation Board
Required readings:
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:
Federal Water Law & Institutions
09/28/2020 • Jennifer Gimbel, Colorado Water Center
Required readings:
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:
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