Colorado Watershed Assembly works to strengthen its network

By Jeff Crane, executive director of the Colorado Watershed Assembly

Local watershed groups are working very hard to accomplish important goals unique to their individual communities. The primary function of the Colorado Watershed Assembly (CWA) is to provide support services to local grassroots organizations throughout the state and help develop new groups.

Several goals have been identified to best serve Colorado’s watershed communities and strengthen our network:

• The assembly will combine its annual conference with the Colorado Riparian Association and the Society for Ecological Restoration on Oct. 4 - 6 at the Great Divide Lodge in Breckenridge. This will provide our members with a broader range of potential resources and networking opportunities. Fundraising and capacity-building training workshops will be offered as a part of the National Watershed Health Program.
• The State of the Watershed Report will be improved to include all of our member organizations and to publicize the work each group is doing. The report, published by Ed Marston, publisher emeritus of High Country News, will be distributed statewide and to all state agencies.
• A Web site and listserve will be developed to act as an information center to download publications, identify fundraising opportunities, distribute water-related news, identify lists of consultants and agency contacts, maintain a calendar of events and link the Web sites of watershed groups.
• The National Watershed Health Project will identify individual group needs and provide specific trainings based on individual needs.
• The CWA will work with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to create a fund designed specifically for environmental and recreational needs throughout the state and make it available to local watershed groups. The CWA will also research and pursue other funding sources not currently available to local groups and distribute them on a needs basis.

The assembly feels it is vital to the watershed community that we work together as a strong coalition to demonstrate the magnitude, scope, importance and diversity of the projects facing local communities.

For more information contact Jeff Crane at 970-872-2433 or jeffcrane@paonia.com.

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