Money, Money - Investing in Forest & Water Health
How do we pay for restoration of our western forests and the source of most of our water supply? Join us to learn more on this webinar!
Tuesday, October 27th
Via Zoom from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Mountain Time
Webinar is free and open to the public.
1 Colorado CLE available.
REGISTER
Presenters
Marshall Brown, General Manager, Aurora Water
Kimery Wiltshire, President, Carpe Diem West
Moderator
Dr. Doug Kenney, Western Water Policy Director, Getches-Wilkinson Center
Learn more:
Meeting the Financial Challenges of Improved
Water Management in the West
Improving the performance of water systems in western basins such as the Colorado River can entail a variety of expensive changes to infrastructure, policy, and management. Throughout much of the 20th century water development era, federal appropriations were sufficient to cover major investments. Today however, other sources of governmental and non-governmental funds and funding mechanisms are essential to improving water management and system performance. Determining the “how” and “who” of water financing raises several thorny questions about what approaches are most efficient, practicable, and equitable. In this webinar series, we will explore issues such as the rise of creative funding mechanisms, the role of private investments and water markets, leveraging the resources of the business community, and the linkages between healthy landscapes, climate adaptation, and improved water management resiliency.
The relationship between healthy forests and reliable water supplies has been understood for centuries, and is increasingly important in an era of climate warming, forest disease outbreaks, and devastating fires. However, the water management community historically has not been heavily engaged in efforts to protect and restore healthy source water areas. This is now changing in many communities throughout the West, and lessons are being learned that might suggest opportunities for broader regional efforts.