Updated May 3, 2024
Growing Water Smart: Integrated Water and Land Use Planning Workshop
The Land and Water Challenge:
Colorado is navigating significant uncertainty around water availability, requiring local jurisdictions to fundamentally rethink water use and to assume new leadership roles.
Historically, planning for water resources and land use have been conducted separately. Yet, where and how we build impacts the quantity of water needed and the quality of water that supports our ecosystems.
Elected officials, water resource managers, and land use planners can increase resilience and create water smart communities even as populations grow by collaborating to identify and implement strategies that address local and regional water concerns.
The Growing Water Smart workshop brings key community decision makers on water and land use planning together to collaborate on sustainable water use. The workshop utilizes a range of public engagement, planning, communication, and policy implementation tools to help community teams realize their water efficiency, watershed health, and water resilience goals.
The Sonoran Institute and Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy, and partner Northern Water, are accepting applications from entities in Colorado that are interested in participating in the Growing Water Smart training and assistance program.
This workshop is aims to serve municipal, county, and allottees within Northern Water’s Service area, however Colorado communities not served by Northern Water are also welcome to apply.
Location: Estes Park, CO
Date: September 9-11, 2024
Eligibility: Counties, municipalities, and allottees served by Northern Water.
Cost: The workshop is free. Participants cover their own travel. Meals and lodging are provided.
Participants in this program gain:
- Insight. A better understanding of how land use and climatic trends impact water supply and demand at the state and local level.
- Flexibility. The strategies and tools to integrate water and land use planning to better adapt to change and uncertainty.
- Engagement. Decision makers from multiple disciplines, departments, agencies and organizations establish common goals around water.
- Clarity. Clear and concise language to communicate goals around water resilience and gain support for proposed actions.
- Collaboration. A regional professional relationship exchange with your peers.
- A path forward. An action plan tailored to your community’s needs.
- Follow up. Post-workshop resources to carry out your goals.
Application deadline: Friday, July 19, 2024.
Please contact growingwatersmart@sonoraninstitute.org to let us know your intent to apply so that we may support you.