Water Education and Engagement

Photo courtesy of CSU’s Agricultural Water Quality Program

Each year, beginning in 2019, the CoWC funds a select number of Water Education and Engagement Projects at CSU. These projects support the academic and experiential realm of water resources.

Read about our newest grantees HERE!

Past Education and Engagement Projects 2019- 2020

Steven Fassnacht | Professor, Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability

Kids Poetry on Water – Creating K-12 curriculum integrating water science and poetry

This project aims to help high school students and K-12 educators better understand the coupling of humanities and the environment—specifically ecology, climate, and hydrology. By creating an interdisciplinary curriculum that encourages students to think about water, write poetry, and broaden their perspectives, Dr. Fassnacht and colleagues hope to inspire students to study water and environmental sciences at the college level.

View Dr. Fassnacht’s presentation to the CoWC Faculty Executive Committee on this project.

Amy Kremen | Research Project Manager, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

Development and launch of a “Master Irrigator” education and training program in Northeastern Colorado system

Colorado Master Irrigator coordinator Brandi Baquera congratulates Burlington-area producer Brian Lengel as the program’s graduation ceremony. Brian also served on the CO Master Irrigator program advisory committee and was instrumental in contributing his time, creative ideas, and grounded input critical to the program’s success. Photo by Hannah Moshay

The inaugural Colorado Master Irrigator class of 22 producers and farm managers are involved in the management of approximately 20,000 irrigated acres located across the Republican River Basin, within all eight of the Basin’s groundwater management districts. Photo by Hannah Moshay

Interactive small-group activities built into each day of the program provided terrific opportunities for participants to explore questions in greater depth and exchange ideas and expertise with one another. Photo by Amy Kremen

This project will develop curriculum to encourage water-use efficiency and water conservation in the Northern High Plains. The Master Irrigator program will provide an engaging, intensive professional development/educational opportunity for producers and crop consultants and help push the region towards fulfilling its water conservation goals. These efforts will complement state and local policy efforts around declining water quantity and quality.

Amy Kremen and her work on the Master Irrigator program was featured in the July 2020 issue of The Current.