Trainings & Workshops Late July

Qualified MS4 Stormwater Compliance Professional (MS4-SCP). Topics covered in this training include: review of MS4 permit requirements, best management practices (BMPs) for MS4s, compliance with six minimum control measures, identifying common illicit discharges to the MS4, construction inspection techniques for MS4 inspectors, green infrastructure and LID techniques, and stormwater permit compliance assistance. Click location and date below for more information.

Online Courses Available Through Colorado Rural Water Association. Industry studies have shown employee-training budgets for most water and wastewater utilities are tighter than ever. Web-based operator certification and license renewal training provides employers and their employees the flexibility of taking training courses at their own pace without the hassle and cost of attending live classes. Check them out HERE.

Conferences & Events Late July

JULY 18th, 2019: River Meal Cookoff. This event will be held at Down River Equipment from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Learn new recipes, as well as tips and tricks to take your next outdoor meal from basic to gourmet while making your workload easier. Bring your favorite river meal and everything you need to prepare it. There will also be a river cocktail competition so mix up your favorite river beverage and be prepared to share! Come on out to eat, drink, and be merry! For more information and to RSVP click HERE.

AUGUST 4th, 2019: Friends of the Lower Blue River Annual Gathering. Join FOLBR for a great event to discuss issues as a group facing the Blue River Valley. They will have and auction with great prizes. And this year, they will have a BBQ lunch provided by the Rocky Mountain BBQ Association Grand Reserve Champion Backdraft BBQ. Because the Annual Meeting is their main fundraiser for the year, they ask all members to pay $25/person for what promises to be a great lunch with drinks and all the fixin’s. For more information, head HERE.

AUGUST 6th-7th, 2019: Denver Watershed Tour. Join Denver’s Public Works and Denver Water on a two-day tour of Denver’s watershed to explore how water moves from source to faucet and storm drain. The Denver Watershed Tour is designed for classroom and informal educators to learn more about how water gets to and moves through our communities. Throughout the tour, participants will engage in interdisciplinary activities to bring back to the classroom. For more information click HERE.

AUGUST 15th & 16th, 2019: The 2019 Grass Tour in Grover, Colorado. The Grass Tour is an annual event hosted by Pawnee Buttes Seed Inc. who’s aim is to educate and connect like-minded individuals on subjects ranging from good stewardship and land management to reclamation. The objective of this year’s Grass Tour is to learn about the Five Dimensions of Ranching: Landscape, Animals, Forage Resource, Time or (expected and calculable cycles) and The Unexpected or (unforeseen cycles and events). Register online through Eventbrite HERE.

AUGUST 24th, 2019: Raft the River with RiversEdge West from 3:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in Fruita, CO. During Raft the River, you’ll enjoy an informative, fun float down the Colorado river complete with dinner, drinks, live music, and prizes. The float trip is from Rimrock Adventures to the Loma Boat Ramp. Registration ends August 15th! Seats are limited to the first 50 people. $85 to attend, $72 for RiversEdge West members. All proceeds will support river restoration and education in the Grand Valley. Learn more HERE or register HERE.

AUGUST 24th, 2019: Gunnison River Festival. The Gunnison River Festival (GRF) strives to educate water users throughout the watershed about the Gunnison River and put on a wide variety of events from concerts to whitewater races that appeal to all. Due to this amazing water year, the main festival event with whitewater races, educational booths, food, and more was rescheduled to Saturday, August 24th, 2019. Visit the website HERE for more information.

SEPTEMBER 17th-19th, 2019: San Luis Valley Rural Philanthropy Days. RPD conferences include many opportunities to increase your understanding of nonprofit best practices, collaborate with other community leaders, and connect with Front Range and local funders. The funder roundtables are a signature of the RPD program and provide a unique opportunity to meet with grant-makers in a rural setting. The goal of RPD is to bring increased access to resources to support sustainable rural nonprofits, increase the engagement of funders in rural communities, and encourage effective collaboration on a regional scale. For more information head HERE.

OCTOBER 8th - 10th, 2019: 2019 Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference "The Human Element" at the Westin Riverfront Resort, Avon, CO. The 2019 conference will explore the influence of The Human Element on water and watersheds in Colorado and the West. Our growing human presence and resulting impacts on watersheds is undeniable. At the same time, our human experiences and social/emotional connections to watersheds are integral components to be considered in the work to preserve, protect and restore our watersheds. Together we will delve into our impacts and connections. We will look for ways our influence can be fostered and mitigated to avoid loving our home to death. For more information visit our SCW CONFERENCE webpage. Early Bird registration ends August 16th!

OCTOBER 23rd & 24th, 2019: The 30th Annual South Platte Forum. The annual conference will be full of expert speakers, relevant exhibitions, and informative topics, all set in The Westin Westminster. There will also be an off-site networking event for attendees on Wednesday, the 24th. To claim your spot, head HERE.

OCTOBER 30th, 2019 from 8:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.: 11th Annual Water Conservation Symposium hosted by Colorado WaterWise at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The event will cover water, climate, drought, and planning for the future. For more information and registration, click HERE.

Funding Opportunities Late July

The PeopleForBikes Community Grant Program provides funding for projects that build momentum for bicycling in communities across the U.S. Applications are accepted from nonprofit organizations, city or county agencies or departments, and from state or federal agencies working locally. Letters of interest are due July 26th, 2019. Grant guidelines can be found HERE, and the online application can be found HERE.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Wetlands Project Funding
The Colorado Wetlands for Wildlife Program is a voluntary, collaborative, and incentive-based program to restore, enhance and create wetlands and riparian areas in Colorado. Funds are allocated annually to the program - and projects are recommended for funding by a Parks and Wildlife committee with final approval by the Director. For more information, click HERE.

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) offers new opportunities for the NRCS, conservation partners, and agricultural producers to work together to harness innovation, expand the conservation mission, and demonstrate the value and efficacy of voluntary, private lands conservation. The next RCPP funding announcement is under development and will be posted later in 2019. More details about this fund can be found HERE.

With funding from U.S. Forest Service, River Network is working to provide Wild and Scenic River Partnership Funding for stewardship activities on USFS administered Wild & Scenic Rivers. You can find a list of these rivers HERE. Grants of $5,000-$10,000 are available for work starting this summer. For more information, click HERE.

Alliance for Community Trees Open Request for Projects. The Arbor Day Foundation is actively seeking proposals to fund planting projects around the country. Funding is limited to $15,000 per project, and budget information is required in the application. Applications should also focus on the issues the planting project will address, such as: urban heat island effect, natural disaster restoration, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, water quality, air pollution, etc. No deadline, but earlier is better. More information on this funding opportunity can be found HERE.

The National Forest Foundation is pleased to announce the that it is currently soliciting proposals for its Matching Awards Program (MAP). MAP is a national, competitive grant program that provides federal funds for on-the-ground projects benefiting America's National Forests and Grasslands. The program supports action-oriented projects that enhance outdoor experiences, forest and ecosystem health, and engage local communities in caring for their public lands. For more information, click HERE.

Get Your 2019 Project Funded. Are you planning, designing, or implementing on-the-ground restoration projects that will restore river flows and/or recharge ground water? Would you like the opportunity to share your projects with businesses who may be interested in providing support for your projects? If the answer is “Yes!” be sure to check out the Business for Water Stewardship Project Bank, a new opportunity for paid members of River Network to use a national platform to attract funding.

US Department of Agriculture Rural Development Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program. This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas. Full details, including requirements and registration, can be found HERE. 

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Water Quality Planning Design and Engineering Grants. These grants provide money to small communities to help cover costs associated with the State Revolving Fund pre-application requirements. Grants require a 20 percent match from the applicant. Planning grant applicants must complete the prequalification form and attend a pre-application meeting. Design and engineering grant applicants will be considered by project needs assessment submissions by approved disadvantaged communities. For more information CLICK HERE.

Colorado's Water Plan Grant Opportunities: The purpose of the Water Plan Grant funding is to make progress on the critical actions identified in the Colorado’s Water Plan (CWP) and its Measurable Objectives. All applications will be assessed based on funds available for a particular CWP Measurable Objective category. The Board will select projects, programs and activities to fund from applications that have the best opportunity to make progress on the CWP’s Measurable Objectives or critical actions. The CWCB staff reserves the right to negotiate with successful applicants to modify the scope and budget of their project to better meet the CWP objectives in light of fund availability. CWCB staff will evaluate applications and recommend projects to the CWCB Board for final approval at its regularly scheduled Board meetings. Learn more HERE.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), provided through the Natural Resource Conservation Service, is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural producers in a manner that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, agricultural producers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on working agricultural land. EQIP applications are accepted on a continuous basis, however, NRCS establishes application "cut-off" or submission deadline dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. EQIP is open to all eligible agricultural producers and submitted applications may be considered or evaluated in multiple funding pool opportunities. Look for the next opportunity in August 2019. To learn more CLICK HERE.

The Colorado Water Conservation Board Water Supply Reserve Account (WSRA) Program provides grants and loans to assist Colorado water users in addressing their critical water supply issues and interests. The funds help eligible entities complete water activities, which may include competitive grants for: Technical assistance regarding permitting, feasibility studies and environmental compliance; Studies or analysis of structural, nonstructural consumptive and nonconsumptive water needs, projects or activities; and structural and nonstructural water projects or activities. For more information click HERE.

What type of Water Supply Reserve Fund Grants are available?

Basin Account: Funds water activities from a basin roundtable. The CWCB evaluates applications for the Basin Account to ensure the Threshold Criteria are met.

Statewide Account: Funds water activities from a basin roundtable on a competitive basis. The CWCB evaluates applications for the Statewide Account to ensure each application meets the Threshold Criteria in addition to being evaluated using the Evaluation Criteria.

Colorado Water Conservation Board Water Efficiency Grant Program. The Water Efficiency Grant Program provides financial assistance to communities, water providers, and eligible agencies for water conservation-related activities and projects. Eligible entities, as well as state and local governments and agencies, can receive funding to develop water conservation and drought plans, implement water conservation goals outlined in a water conservation plan and educate the public about water conservation.
Types of Water Efficiency Grants available - Click on programs below for more information about each and how to apply:

RiversEdge West has a list of riparian restoration funding opportunities maintained by the Tamarisk Coalition. For the list, click HERE.

Announcements Late July

Results of the 2019 Survey of Colorado Agricultural Producers on Watershed and Stream Management Plans has been released. For highlights, click HERE. For the full report, click HERE.

The Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute at the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law is seeking session proposals and speaker nominations for inclusion in the 2020 Western Places/Western Spaces annual conference. Download the RFP Guidelines| Download a sample submission form| Submit Your Proposal Online here.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today announced that Sinclair Wyoming Refining Company (Sinclair) will pay $1.6 million in penalties and install additional pollution controls to resolve violations of air emissions limits and monitoring requirements at its refinery in Sinclair, Wyoming. The settlement follows actions by Sinclair to install approximately $20 million in pollution controls at the refinery and requires the company to take additional measures to reduce harmful emissions of sulfur dioxide. Read the full press release HERE.

Colorado’s Instream Flow Program, that enhances streams, gets a second chance to expand this summer. Read the full article HERE.

Regulation 84 stakeholder meeting notes and an updated draft Reg. 84 proposal from the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) are posted HERE.

The June 2019 Drought Update is posted on the CWCB website. All of the presentations from past meetings can also be found on the CWCB website. The next Water Availability Task Force Meeting will be held on July 23, 2019 at Colorado Parks and Wildlife; additional information can be found at www.cwcb.state.co.us or by contacting Ben Wade at Ben.Wade@state.co.us

The Colorado River just got a boost that’s likely to prevent its depleted reservoirs from bottoming out, at least for the next several years. For the full AZ Central article and a video about this update, head HERE.

Center for Health & Environmental Justice is exploring the possibility of working on a national campaign around water contamination. Several bills related to clean water have been introduced last year. These relate to testing school pipes, testing and repairing pipes within HUD housing, and testing and repairing older pipes in cities and towns that need new infrastructures. They are monitoring water related legislation that will be reintroduced this year. CHEJ would like to understand better where and what water concerns people in the network have in terms of drinking water, infrastructure and contaminated water sources. Please LET THEM KNOW whether or not there is a water related issue in your community, even if you are not working on it at this time.

Call for Abstracts and Symposia Riparian Restoration Conference | Abstracts due October 31, 2019. RiversEdge West invites you to share your work or session proposals with the riparian restoration community at the 18th Annual Riparian Restoration Conference (RRC)—one of the leading riparian restoration conferences in the West—to be held February 4-6, 2020 in Grand Junction, CO. View the call for abstracts flyer HERE.