By Elisabeth D. Bowman, Conservation Engagement Manager, Resource Central

As anyone in Colorado and the West knows, we are struggling to meet our demands for water. The Colorado River is in peril and climate change is accelerating water loss for agriculture, industry, and residences. As a nonprofit organization, Resource Central works with utilities and municipalities to offer water conservation programs to their residents and customers throughout Colorado. But how else can these entities address the issue? I recently had the opportunity to co-facilitate an action-based workshop designed to do just that. In April, leaders from Durango, Hotchkiss, Norwood, Palisade, the Southwest Corner Region, and the Middle Colorado Watershed Council gathered in Montrose, Colorado, for a Growing Water Smart workshop focused on turning ideas into action.

Creating Action Plans for a More Resilient Future

Growing Water Smart, a program of the Sonoran Institute and the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy, brings leaders from cities, towns, counties or regions together to devote entire days to learning, collaboration and planning, which lead to action plans tailored to their unique needs and goals. The workshop in Montrose was supported by the Southwestern Water Conservation District, Colorado Water Conservation Board, and Colorado River District. Their efforts aim to foster more resilient communities in response to a hotter, drier climate and water scarcity.

Cities and towns, farmers and ranchers, and industry and conservation organizations can all learn to work collaboratively to use land efficiently and conserve water as they plan for the future.

During our gathering in April, Meryl Corbin, program director of Growing Water Smart, led the Town of Norwood team, including the mayor, town clerk, board and community members, with a real-world example as they outlined their water challenges and opportunities in everything from water allocation to housing development. Our goal was to help identify the most important and urgent issues and then create an action plan, with concrete steps, on how to tackle them. The workshop also provided a wealth of resources, including grant programs and information from other organizations and agencies in the state, easily accessible and readily available to the participating communities.

Next Steps

With milestones planned and duties assigned, the Town of Norwood is now positioned to begin tackling their primary issues: completing a water rate study and planning for a redundant water line. Growing Water Smart will be checking in on them over the next few months to provide advice and help keep the momentum going. While I co-facilitated the Town of Norwood team, each community in attendance at the workshop went through this exercise in breakout work sessions – learning tactics they can take to their team and address water issues in their own backyard.

Summary

Over the years, Resource Central has had a number of water conservation partners return from Growing Water Smart Workshops inspired and motivated to further their efforts at water conservation and resiliency. It was an excellent learning opportunity for them and for me! Water providers and local government citizens in the West can check the Colorado Growing Water Smart website to apply and learn more, or sign up for the monthly Growing Water Smart newsletter to receive alumni highlights, funding opportunities, and updates on future programming.