Colorado Water Congress

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

Colorado Water Congress The Leading Voice of Colorado's Water Community. It will provide, to the greatest extent possible, information for the membership.

Mission: The mission of the Colorado Water Congress is to initiate and advance programs for the conservation, development, administration, and protection of the water resources of the State of Colorado. Purpose: The Colorado Water Congress ("CWC") will provide its membership with a forum for the discussion of water matters and to the end that, where possible, conflicts among water users may be resolved through the medium of mutual discussion of the facts and proposed solutions. Through the development of facts, dissemination of information and resolution of apparent conflicts, the CWC will make its influence felt to the greatest extent possible in each area of public authority over water matters. In furtherance of these objectives, the CWC may cooperate with and support organization working for the same general objectives. Core Beliefs and Values: We believe the state of Colorado's water shapes the future of the State. We provide an open forum to share information, form positions, and advocate for a strong, effective, and fair State water program. The Colorado Water Congress is dedicated to:

- Successful promotion of policy that supports high-quality sustainable water supplies through protection of water rights, conservation, planning, management and infrastructure investment.
- Thoughtful and equitable development and administration of water laws, regulations, and compacts within the framework of Article XVI of the Colorado Constitution.
- Fair representation of every watershed in Colorado and every type of beneficial water use.
- Clear communication of relevant, accurate, and timely information. Active engagement of our members through education, collaboration, and networking.

With the 2026 election on the horizon, we turn our attention to a crucial area of interest for Colorado: wildfire preven...
10/13/2026

With the 2026 election on the horizon, we turn our attention to a crucial area of interest for Colorado: wildfire prevention! We're assembling a panel of experts in Colorado water law to discuss proposition 137 and how it supports wildfire prevention.

This webinar, part of our Let's Talk Water series, is free and open to all!

📅 Date: Thursday October 22, 2026
⏰ Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0tdv_yv_Si2vLNjCoNGFDg

Where is Don this week?Don West (CWC Member Relations) presented at the Colorado Water Officials Association (CWOA) Annu...
10/08/2026

Where is Don this week?

Don West (CWC Member Relations) presented at the Colorado Water Officials Association (CWOA) Annual Convention in Denver last week!

The CWOA was formed so water officials from organizations across the state have a platform to educate the Department of Water Resources and Colorado Water Conservation Board and "to further professional development of its members."

This year, the convention celebrated the formation of the Denver chapter in April 2026 with panels and talks from engineers, scientists, and administrators, each at the top of their field.

Photo 1: Don presenting about CWC History, Board Structure, Committees, and Current Activities.

Photo 2: Amy Ostdiek, Colorado Water Conservation Board, speaking about Colorado’s Near-Term Contribution Program.

Photo 3: Fletcher Davis (left) and Greg Fisher (right) from Denver Water presenting on Denver Water drought restrictions.

Please give a warm welcome to the newest president of the Colorado Water Congress, Dave Payne! Dave Payne is the Assista...
10/06/2026

Please give a warm welcome to the newest president of the Colorado Water Congress, Dave Payne!

Dave Payne is the Assistant General Manager at Ute Water Conservancy District, the largest water provider on the west slope of Colorado. Dave has over 31 years of experience in the water treatment industry and has been with the Ute Water for 17 years. Dave is responsible for managing the operation of Ute Water’s 34 million-gallon-per-day conventional water treatment facility and utilization of their source water portfolio including the Plateau Creek and Colorado River systems.

Dave has a Bachelor of Science degree in the biological and agricultural sciences from Colorado Mesa University, is a certified Class A Water Works operator, a member of the Colorado Ground Water Commission, an active member of Colorado Water Congress and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and is a past recipient of the Rocky Mountain Section AWWA Ralph R. Leinhardt Operator of the Year award.

We can't wait to see what exciting things the next two years have in store for the organization! Please join us in kicking off Dave's tenure with a hearty congratulations.

A message from Executive Director Chané Polo:"September 30th marks the end of Christine Arbogast’s 2-year term as CWC Bo...
09/30/2026

A message from Executive Director Chané Polo:

"September 30th marks the end of Christine Arbogast’s 2-year term as CWC Board President. I want to express my sincerest gratitude not only for her dedication to CWC, but also for her mentorship and friendship during one of the most exciting times of my career.

Her care and passion for our organization are reflected in our growing membership, our financial strength, and our accomplishments. Some of these include:

→ Hosting 4 record breaking conferences.
→ Investing in our POND Committee.
→ Launching Colorado’s first Water Day at the Capitol.
→ Kicking off CWC’s webinar series.
→ Implementing a Communications program.
→ Elevating CWC’s profile on social media platforms.
→ Strengthening our relationship with our State and Federal partners.

CWC has benefitted tremendously from your involvement and guidance. We are so fortunate to have you continue as a CWC Board Member, our Federal Affairs Committee Chair, and as one of our representatives on the Board of the National Water Resources Association.

Thank you for being such an incredible example to me, for your outstanding service, and your steadfast belief in our mission."

09/25/2026

A note on Prop. 137 from our president, Christine Arbogast:

Watershed health and the three legs of wildfire: prevention, suppression and restoration have been a priority of the Colorado Water Congress. And the lack of sustainable state level funding to address these issues in partnership with the federal agencies and NGO’s has been as well. Proposition 137 proposes a revenue stream—albeit interruptible during times of budget constraint—to lend a significant and steady hand in financing watershed health. As we seek financial resources from the federal side, it is hugely important that Colorado be prepared and capable of providing non-federal funding for areas impacted, particularly but not limited to the rural communities with less capability to meet federal match requirements for assistance.

For that reason and more, the Colorado Water Congress board of directors voted unanimously on September 21 to support Proposition 137. We encourage our members to do the same.

If Proposition 137 is approved by the voters, CWC will immediately begin working with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and the Colorado State Forest Service to ensure that funds are available and applied fairly between urban and rural communities under the existing authorities for grants and loans.

Our thanks to those who have worked so hard to find a path for state resources and our thanks to Colorado voters for their consideration.

Happy first day of fall!
09/22/2026

Happy first day of fall!

09/18/2026

Happy World Water Monitoring Day! 🌎

This event started over 20 years ago as an effort by America's Clean Water Foundation to encourage global citizens to take an interest in local water quality.

Now called the EarthEcho Water Challenge, over 1.8 million people in 157 countries now participate in testing nearly 80,000 bodies of water globally! By encouraging people to have a vested interest in local water, we can build a stronger community dedicated to preserving clean water.

Here's some ways you can celebrate:
🧪 Test your local body of water with a water quality test
🗑️ Participate in a trash clean up of a nearby aquatic area
🤝 Recruit those in your network to work with you
📞 Contact local representatives about issues that affect clean water, and keep on top of clean water efforts in your community

This year's Water Education Colorado president's reception was a special one, as longtime CWC board member and past pres...
09/14/2026

This year's Water Education Colorado president's reception was a special one, as longtime CWC board member and past president John McClow received the prestigious Diane Hoppe Leadership Award.

Introduced by fellow CWC board titan David Robbins (pictured, far right), John is also the Chair of our State Affairs Committee. John currently serves as general counsel for the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, and in his long and illustrious career has worked as Colorado’s representative to negotiations among the Colorado River Basin states, the United States, and Mexico.

We are proud of John's recognition after decades of hard work in service of Colorado Water. Congratulations, John!

Yesterday, a select few folks in POND got an exclusive tour of the water systems and infrastructure that make the Coors ...
09/11/2026

Yesterday, a select few folks in POND got an exclusive tour of the water systems and infrastructure that make the Coors Brewery in Golden tick! With some of the oldest water rights to the state alongside innovative alternative energy solutions, Coors is a crucial part of Colorado's past and future.

Thanks to Neal Santangelo for the peek behind the curtain.

Photo 1: the POND folks at the Coors grain silo
Photo 2: Neal explaining capacity at a major diversion site
Photo 3: Neal laying out the augmentation plans Coors has developed
Photo 4: Neal in front of South Table Mountain (peep the Coors train in the back!)

Where is Don this week?Last week, Don West (CWC Member Relations) attended Colorado Water Trust's annual River Bank even...
09/09/2026

Where is Don this week?

Last week, Don West (CWC Member Relations) attended Colorado Water Trust's annual River Bank event! This year was the 25th anniversary of this crucial fundraiser to promote the restoration of Colorado's rivers. It's an informal event at a beautiful venue, and we look forward to it every year!

Pictured: CO Water Trust Executive Director Kate Ryan speaking about CWT's mission.

Address

1580 Logan Street
Denver, CO
80203

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

+13038370812

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Colorado Water Congress posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Colorado Water Congress:

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share