Past Event
The Colorado River Forum
Henderson, NV
The annual Colorado River Forum brings together legislators from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming to review and discuss issues and opportunities related to the Colorado River Basin. At the meeting, members are provided updates on legislative action impacting the region, and progress reports on federal, state, tribal, and local initiatives aimed at protecting fisheries, environment and ecosystems, infrastructure, economies and people of the Colorado River Basin. Issues of study and discussion this year will include:
- Consequences and impacts of the Department of Interior Tier 2 shortage designation and mandated water cuts.
- Updates from Irrigation Districts and Water Managers across the Basin on approaches deployed to adapt to water cuts and manage demand with limited supply
- Transboundary water conditions and impacts in Sonora and Baja California
- Status of Domestic and International Colorado River Governance negotiations
Presentations
Tuesday October 18th, 2022
- The “Law of the River”: A Century in the Making – Anne J. Castle, Senior Fellow, Getches – Wilkinson Center, University of Colorado Law School
- Identifying Pathways to Solutions: Focus on the Lower Colorado River Basin – Sharon Megdal, Director Water Resources Center, The University of Arizona
- Mexico and the Colorado River: History and Impact on National Development and Bilateral Relations – Carlos de la Parra, Founding Partner, Centro Luken de Estrategias en Agua y Medio Ambiente
- Tribal Reserved Water Rights Under the Winters Doctrine – John Echohawk, Executive Director, Native American Rights Fund
- Managing Colorado River Water Resources: Three State Practices and Perspectives – Arizona, Nevada and Utah
- Thomas Buschatzke, Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources
- John J. Entsminger, General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority
- Amy Haas, Executive Director, Colorado River Authority of Utah
- International Boundary & Water Commission United States and Mexico
- Sally Spener, Secretary, U.S. Section, IBWC
- Jesus Luevano Grano, Secretary, Mexican Section, IBWB
- Colorado River and Tribal Engagement – Perspectives, Priorities and Partnerships
- Lorelei Cloud, Council Member, Southern Ute Tribe
- The Honorable Stephen Lewis, Governor, Gila River Indian Community
- T. Daryl Vigil, Water Administrator for the Jicarilla Apache Nation, Chairman, Water is Life, and Colorado River Ten Tribes Partnership Spokesman
Wednesday October 19th, 2022
- Agriculture in the Time of Tier 2 Shortage and Monsoon Flood: Food Security and Partners in Water Conservation and Management – Dan Jones, Water and Power Attorney, Salmon, Lewis & Weldon, P.L.C.
- Pathways to Partnerships: The Southern California Urban Story – Meena Westford, Executive Policy Advisor, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- Binational River Ecosystems in Crisis: Conservation and Restoration
- Jennifer Pitt, Colorado River Program Director, Audubon
- Nancy A. Smith, Conservation Director for the Colorado River Basin, The Nature Conservancy
- Hydropower on the Colorado River: Power Continuity and Contingencies
- Measuring, Understanding, and Predicting Western Water – Daniel Feldman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL)
- Colorado River Governance: Federal Perspectives
- Jacklynn ‘Jaci’ Gould, Regional Director, Lower Colorado Basin, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- Julián Escutia Rodríquez, Consul General of Mexico in Las Vegas