Please sign in when you arrive and enjoy breakfast in the Canyon Room.

Welcome by Stephanie Luce and Ashley Lennon, Symposium Committee.

Are We Creating Long-Term Groundwater Assets or just installing Wells? This lecture will point out that when drilling a well, the industry has historically focused on the installation price (as cheap as possible) since consumers are often concerned only about the bottom line of what is perceived as a one-time purchase. However, Rothauge notes that the contractor must clarify the true nature of the water supply asset to produce a change in the customer’s mindset. The contractor must actively educate the customer that they will be purchasing a long-term groundwater supply asset. This educational process includes sharing the well construction measures and materials that will extend the life of the well (asset) and augment the groundwater resource drawn from it. A well, like any other asset, is evaluated within a long-term life cycle that includes the initial planning and extends to the initial well construction vs. daily operation and maintenance, as well as replacement costs. Such planning and execution also require rethinking of well development and rehabilitation needs and costs. This change in perspective requires scientists, engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders to adjust their perspectives from “well” to “asset.”

with Charly Hoehn, ERO Resources Corporation / Chatfield Reservoir Mitigation Company

The Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project (CSRP) was the first of its kind regional water supply project to create multi-purpose water storage without the construction of a new dam or reservoir. Instead, the CSRP was authorized to “reallocate” a portion of existing reservoir space dedicated to flood control and convert it into multi-purpose water storage space.  

While a project of this magnitude and complexity took nearly three decades to wind its way through the regulatory processes, an extraordinary and committed team of federal, state, and local agencies, water providers, contractors, consultants, environmental organizations, non-profits, and public supporters were able to design, construct, and deliver the CSRP under budget and within the allotted 5-year timeframe. The team also managed to construct all of the required recreational modifications and environmental mitigation components while keeping one of the busiest Colorado state parks open to visitors.  

This presentation will highlight some of the challenges the project faced and how we were able to overcome those obstacles through strong collaboration and partnership, creative problem-solving, effective communication, and a lot of passion and perseverance.  

We look forward to sharing some of the lessons learned in the hopes that future water supply projects can flow a little faster!

with Patricia Whitby, Brown and Caldwell and Kevin Lock, Northern Water

With increasing concerns about water availability in the Colorado River Basin and an influx of federal funding for water-related projects, utilities across the state are looking to optimize their water portfolios, increase the resiliency of water systems, and explore alternative supply options. Despite significant planning, there is a funding gap to bring projects to implementation, especially for innovative approaches. Funding from private companies can help fill that gap. Environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) commitments are becoming commonplace across corporate sectors and an expectation for shareholders and consumers. Many companies include a water stewardship aspect in their ESG program. With the increase in corporate ESG commitments and associated funding, there has been rapid increase in demand for water replenishment projects, especially those that are shovel-ready. Municipal infrastructure projects often have the following benefits that companies are looking for: (1) increased certainty of achieving target benefit, (2) easier to validate than green infrastructure projects, and (3) implementation schedules less prone to slippage.

This presentation will provide background on ESG-driven corporate investments, how this funding can be leveraged for municipal water projects, and barriers that need to be overcome for successful partnerships. A case study will be presented showcasing a successful partnership between Northern Water and PepsiCo to support the Colorado River Connectivity Channel (CRCC) project. In this project, a new river channel is being constructed to bypass Windy Gap reservoir, reestablishing connectivity between two segments of the Colorado River with benefits including increased water supply reliability for Front Range communities, habitat restoration, and recreation.

with Dave Jula, City & County of Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

Urban redevelopment and growth, coupled with climate change, poses considerable challenges. Intensifying conditions directly impact Denver, given the trans-basin water supply systems critical to meeting water demands and the potential for catastrophic flooding. At the same time, the recreational and environmental benefits afforded by Denver's urban waterways are increasingly recognized and valued. Tackling these issues requires a unified approach. In Denver, the path forward is through collaboration on water projects, programs, and policies.

Like many cities, responsibilities for Denver's urban water cycle are allocated among different city departments, organizations, and agencies. Collaboration between these agencies has historically lacked streamlined coordination of the agencies’ water management strategies, policies, and projects. The Denver One Water Plan aligns water management strategies between agencies responsible for each aspect of the urban water cycle -- the City and County of Denver, Mile High Flood District, Denver Water, Metro Water Recovery, The Greenway Foundation, and Colorado Water Conservation Board. The Plan established a shared One Water Vision and 24 specific strategies and corresponding implementation actions to support 5 key water management goals.

Since completing the Plan in late 2021, the One Water Leaders group (OWLs) have taken the initiative to implement the strategies and actions identified in the Plan. Specific projects are being tracked and supported by the OWLs, leveraging the benefits of involving the strengths of each of the OWL agencies to achieve multiple benefits for the Denver community. Together, these proactive implementation activities are making significant progress toward the One Water Plan goals.

with Abigail Heath, Colorado School of Mines

*Student

High levels of phosphorus in Colorado streams due to agricultural and urban runoff are detrimental to the environment and the health and safety of our scarce freshwater resources. Phosphorus (P) pollution is of considerable concern in our state, as evidenced by the Colorado Water Quality 10-year road map plans to release draft phosphorus criteria for streams by 2025. This study will focus on a new technology called “Pop-Up Hyporheic Zones” (PUHZOs) which are nonpermanent systems for phosphorus removal emplaced as permeable bags of geomedia on streambeds in urban drool flows (streams consisting of urban runoff during periods of low flow). PUHZOs are also directly relevant to other pollutants (metals, bacteria and virus, organics, nitrogen), as well as other applications (e.g., agricultural return flows, acid mine drainage, detention pond outlets). The method enables determination of total P removed, which could be useful for quantification of water quality trading credits and will contribute to a portfolio of solutions to the pressing problem of high phosphorus levels in Colorado waterways. This project expects to create a portable, removable, stream BMP technology, where removal of contaminant mass can be quantified, and that can be implemented by water regulators and managers for phosphorus removal and water quality improvement in streams. This presentation intends to explore the motivations, supporting evidence, and research plan for the development of this novel PUHZO technology.

with Jayla Poppleton

Engaging the Public in Water Solutions in 2022, 2023 and Beyond: Since 2002, Water Education Colorado has developed a trusted reputation for delivering compelling informational resources, educational opportunities and leadership training in pursuit of its mission. While water sector professionals and decision makers have always been key audiences, WEco is increasingly working to reach the public through a variety of strategies. In 2022, WEco spearheaded a year-long initiative called Water ’22 to raise awareness of water’s critical importance, and to encourage conservation and protection in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change in Colorado, which has led to persistent drought conditions. Water ’22 called on Coloradans to work together and do their part by committing to “22 Ways to Care for Colorado Water in 2022,” and employed a wide variety of outreach, public relations, and marketing strategies in executing the campaign. As WEco examines the effectiveness of the “Year of Water,” we’re considering the role the public plays in water solutions, and how we can continue to lead the water community toward increased public engagement that includes increasingly diverse audiences.

with Courtney Black, INTERA and Matthew Redmond, Agriburbia LLC

Update for the Guidebook of Best Practices for Municipal Water Conservation in Colorado: Efficient municipal water use is a core component of the Colorado Water Plan and essential to the state’s water future. This Best Practices Guidebook, first published in 2010, has helped guide municipal conservation programs and planning for more than ten years, and in 2023 this essential resource is getting an overhaul. This presentation will describe the project to update the Guidebook including definitions, what’s included in the Guidebook, the stakeholder process, and the final products. The Guidebook includes a set of water conservation best practices to assist water conservation professionals with the selection and implementation of effective water saving programs and measures and is a valuable reference document for utilities of all sizes along with other water professionals and policymakers. With support from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Colorado River District, Colorado WaterWise contracted with an expert consulting team to develop the guidebook update. Colorado WaterWise and the team are currently facilitating six stakeholder meetings across the state (and virtually) to encourage input from the Colorado water resources community. The project is anticipated to be completed winter of 2023/2024. This presentation will offer an in-progress update on the best practices guidebook project and will encourage participation in the stakeholder process.

For more information visit:

https://coloradowaterwise.org/BestPractices.

with Natalie Collar, Wright Water Engineers, Inc.

The impact of forest disturbance on water availability is a critical issue in Colorado. Because actual evapotranspiration (ETa) constitutes the largest loss in terrestrial water budgets, it has been suggested that fire-induced ETa reductions are primary drivers of the modified runoff response often observed in and downstream of burn scars. To evaluate this, ten gaged watersheds with burns exceeding 5% of their total contributing drainage areas were selected from the western US. Discharge data were compiled and gridded 30-meter ETa estimates were generated from Landsat imagery in Google Earth Engine. The effect of fire-induced ETa shifts on streamflow magnitude, timing, and groundwater recharge/runoff generation zones was evaluated with various statistical methods and mass balances.

This talk will present the key takeaways most relevant to water managers in Colorado. First, where fire-induced streamflow increased significantly, surplus water from ETa reductions was sufficient to account for increased discharge volumes. However, some basins experienced fire-induced ETa reductions and no detectable shift in streamflow, suggesting compensatory uptake pathways consumed excess water before it reached the gage. We show that by understanding where and how compensatory uptake pathways develop (e.g., the position of intact vegetation) or what constrains it (e.g., whether basin ETa flux is energy or water-limited), practitioners can better predict how watersheds may respond to future hydrologic disturbances. Second, when recharge/runoff generation zones were observed along elevation gradients, drought and wildfire caused zones to contract and expand in similar manners. This suggests that burn scar hydrology may provide insight into potential future states.

with Scott Griebling, St. Vrain & Left Hand Water Conservancy District

In 2022, the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District (“District) implemented the Front Range’s first snowpack enhancement (also known as weather modification or cloud seeding) program in collaboration with the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Left Hand Ditch Company. Cloud seeding has become a safe and cost effective way of increasing snowpack on a basin scale. The District believes snowpack enhancement plays and important role alongside a suite of other water management approaches, such as integrated water management, multipurpose off-channel storage, and conservation, to bolster local water resources and address future water challenges. This presentation will provide an overview of the science behind cloud seeding, a brief history of cloud seeding in Colorado, details on the District’s 2022-2023 snow pack enhancement pilot program, and discussion of how the Districts program may expand in the future.

with Tanner Banks, Trout Unlimited

The relationship between water quality and quantity blurs at an increasing rate with Colorado’s annual population growth. Coinciding with this boom in population, water providers and municipalities continually seek untapped water sources from headwater streams. However, source identification becomes problematic given that 40 percent of western watershed headwaters are polluted with varying degrees of mine waste. Hence, the intersection between abandoned mine lands (AML) and water quantity. Trout Unlimited (TU) has been working for over a decade throughout Colorado to remediate, reclaim, and improve environmental quality at AML sites. Several of these sites are adjacent to perennial streams and rivers that are the lifeblood of our communities. The number of implemented AML reclamation projects is increasing; however, monitoring the efficacy of AML best management practices (BMPs) lags behind. Over the past year, TU and its State partner, the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS), embarked on an eight-site in-depth sampling and analysis study at formerly remediated AML sites. In 2022, project partners evaluated parameters such as metals load reduction, soil chemistry, vegetation recruitment, macroinvertebrate counts, and repository/cap condition during high and low flow periods. This study aims to inform practitioners which BMPs were successful and which were not and how to improve upon future clean-up approaches based on site-specific parameters. Results from this analysis will identify responses to reclamation and provide utility to regulators and water providers that facilitate collaboration on future AML reclamation projects.

with Abigail Heath, Colorado School of Mines

*Student

Following the Cameron Peak fire in 2020, Black Hollow and Little Beaver Creek watersheds experienced debris flows triggered by convective storms. Based on the resulting erosion and sedimentation, export of sediment and ash from each watershed, and loss of life and property, we posit that Black Hollow was less resilient to disturbance than Little Beaver Creek. Characteristics affecting the magnitude of response to disturbance span multiple scales and can be classified as either driving or resisting watershed response to disturbance. Using this framework, we can quantify the characteristics that influence river corridor response to disturbance to determine the ratio of driving and resisting forces as a metric for resilience. Insights from this research can be used to manage and restore rivers in ways that increase resilience to wildfire and associated disturbances. As fires continue to increase in frequency and severity, understanding and fostering the characteristics that promote resilience post-fire is critical for water resources in Colorado. 

Stand-killing wildfires increase sediment and water fluxes throughout burned watersheds, driving changes in river corridor characteristics on multiple spatial and temporal scales and altering water quality. Watersheds exhibit differing resilience post-fire. Resilient systems absorb disturbance without large changes in process or form. Resilience varies within and between watersheds in relation to reach-scale characteristics. As fires increase in frequency and severity, understanding and fostering the characteristics that promote resilience post-fire is critical for water resources in Colorado. This project focuses on two watersheds burned at similar severity and extent in the Cameron Peak fire. Following the fire, both watersheds experienced debris flows triggered by convective storms during the summers of 2021 and 2022. Watershed-scale characteristics will be measured remotely (including LiDAR if available), including drainage area, slope, basin shape, and burn characteristics. Mainstem-scale heterogeneity will be described using a framework of beads and strings to compare longitudinal trends in floodplain width, with the assumption that greater heterogeneity increases resilience. Describing the reach scale will include quantifying geomorphic units, and vegetation regrowth, density, and diversity. Insights from this research can be used to manage streams in ways that increase resilience to wildfire and associated disturbances.

One hundred years after it was signed, the 1922 Colorado River Compact remains a durable and critical component of the Law of the Colorado River that provides for equity between the Upper and Lower Basins. Additional agreements have been layered on top of and subject to the Compact to address changing conditions within the Basin. Ostdiek will discuss the enduring importance of the Compact to Colorado, implementation of more recent agreements such as the 2007 Guidelines and Drought Contingency Plans, and will provide an update on ongoing Basin State discussions.

Please join us for Happy Hour and our Silent Auction to raise funds for scholarship recipients.

Silent Auction items are available for bidding online here: https://cgwa.co/2023-auction

Tanner Banks was born and raised in Silverthorne, Colorado. He joined Trout Unlimited's Abandoned Mine Land Program in 2019, bringing a passion for wild fish and identifying factors that shift the ecological health of streams that support those wild fish. Tanner and his wife live in Montrose, Colorado, accompanied by their bird dog, Moots.

Joel Barber is a hydrogeologist and registered engineer with LRE Water with over 10 years of experience in the groundwater services and water resource engineering industry. He is passionate about implementing comprehensive groundwater engineering programs including specialized site investigations, advanced data analysis, and numerical modeling to solve groundwater problems. Joel has a Masters of Science in Hydrology from the Colorado School of Mines and is currently in the University of Colorado Denver Executive MBA Program.

Courtney Black is a Senior Water Resources Engineer at INTERA. She has over 20 years of diverse experience in water resources entailing municipal water supply planning, water conservation and drought planning, stakeholder coordination, water rights litigation, environmental assessments, and wetland design. She earned her Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida and her Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Lehigh University. She is passionate about the water resources field and enjoys the outdoors, yoga, being a mom, and adventures in far corners of the world.

Kevin Brown is a water resource engineer for Cherokee Metropolitan District on the east side of Colorado Springs and is primarily responsible for the District's water rights planning, management, and reporting. He also analyzes water quality and water level data in Cherokee's primary water source, the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Aquifer. Kevin has a strong interest in state and regionwide water supply issues and the engineering and legal challenges of increasing water reuse. He holds a Masters Degree in Watershed Science from Colorado State University and a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Engineering from Louisiana State University.

Natalie Collar is a Senior Hydrologist for Wright Water Engineers, Inc. where she focuses on disturbance hydrology, H&H modeling, and big data analysis. She holds B.S. (biology) and M.S. degrees (watershed science) from U.C. Santa Barbara and a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Colorado School of Mines. Her dissertation focused on how to characterize hydrologic response patterns of disturbed ecosystems from burn scar to continental scales. Natalie is a Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Babbitt Dissertation Fellow and won the Remote Sensing Technical Committee Outstanding Presentation Award at AGU’s 2020 conference. Her entire hometown, Paradise, burned to the ground in 2018 during California's costliest and most fatal wildfire to date.

Allan Foster is a hydrogeologist on the groundwater team at LRE Water. He holds a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering and a M.Sc. in Hydrology both from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO. Allan has worked on projects for both municipal and private clients mostly in support of water providers in Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota, and Nebraska and also has experience working on research projects with professors in an academic setting. He is well versed in applied hydrological, geophysical, and numerical methods for solving complex groundwater problems. Allan has experience in ASR feasibility assessment, water quality assessment, bench-scale testing, water quality modeling, well design and construction, aquifer testing, wellfield design and assessment, applied geophysical methods, numerical modeling, and data interpretation. Allan enjoys automating data processing, analysis, and visualization using scripting in Python. He contains a wide variety of experience in applied numerical modeling for understanding groundwater supply and produced water quality problems using groundwater flow (MODFLOW), solute transport (MT3DMS/SEAWAT), particle tracking (MODPATH), and geochemical modeling (PHREEQC/The Geochemist’s Workbench). Outside of work you can find him spending time at home with his partner Sarah and cats, Jelly and Bean, or trying to improve his trivia skills with friends at a local watering hole.

Ryan Gilliom is a project hydrologist at LRE Water supporting water resources planning and decision-support, including data management, code and tool development, hydrologic and system modeling, and watershed management planning and implementation. Her passion is delivering meaningful, accessible decision-support into the hands of decision-makers. Prior to joining LRE Water, Ryan worked as a research assistant in the NSF Engineering Research Center for Reinventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure (ReNUWIt) and as a policy scholar with the Colorado Water Conservation Board and Division of Water Resources. She holds a B.S. (geology) from Haverford College and Ph.D. (hydrology) from Colorado School of Mines, where her research focused on the potential of rainwater harvesting in Colorado and the water rights accounting of this renewable supply option. Ryan grew up building clay dams in the creek at home in southeastern Ohio, where regular flash floods and legacy coal mining impacts developed awareness and passion for hydrology at a young age.

Scott Griebling grew up backpacking into Colorado lakes and rafting down Colorado rivers which led him study civil engineering at CU Boulder. He spent time in the Northwest working on river restoration and internationally working in water and sanitation before returning to CU Boulder for his MS in water resources engineering. Scott joined the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District in 2021 and focuses on collaborative approaches to meet diverse stakeholders’ water needs. He draws on a background of integrated hydrologic modeling and hydrologic systems monitoring and particularly enjoys the human element of water and the connections it brings.

Abigail Heath is a second-year PhD Candidate in the Hydrology program at Colorado School of Mines. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science at Louisiana State University, where she wrote her honors undergraduate thesis, “Impacts of Bioturbation on Radiocarbon Dating in The Western Ross Sea, Antarctica.” She earned her Master’s of Science in Hydrogeology at Illinois State University where she wrote her thesis, “Natural Nitrate Removal in Shallow Subsurface Stream Flows,” and co-authored the 2021 Hydrology publication “The Effectiveness of an Artificial Floating Wetland to Remove Nutrients in an Urban Stream: A Pilot-Study in the Chicago River, Chicago, IL USA.” Abigail’s career goal is to work at the nexus between water quality green infrastructure research and policy development to better water quality management for both people and the environment. Outside of the lab, Abigail enjoys traveling and playing the ukulele, and aims to taste-test every coffee shop in Denver.

Charly Hoehn joined ERO Resources in 2022, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge in project management, contract negotiations, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, and contract management. Charly is experienced in providing critical services and support for Colorado governmental agencies through challenging programs and projects. Prior to joining ERO Resources, Charly served as the General Manager for the Chatfield Reservoir Mitigation Company (CRMC), a ten-member organization comprised of State of Colorado governmental agencies and regional water districts, tasked with overseeing the implementation of the $171 million Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project (CSRP). After nearly 30 years of studying and planning for this novel water project, Charly guided the project through the construction and implementation phases, ensuring all federal and state requirements were achieved. In the role of Program Manager at ERO Resources, Charly continues to oversee the continued compliance and monitoring activities. A Colorado native, Charly earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Denver. She is also a certified Professional in Project Management (PMP).

Adam Jokerst is the Rocky Mountain Regional Director for WestWater Research, a leading economic consulting firm in water market research, pricing, valuation, and transaction advisory services. Adam has worked on Western water issues for over 15 years and has overseen long-range water supply planning, water acquisition, water rights protection, and water storage programs. Prior to joining WestWater, he served as Deputy Director for Water Resources at the City of Greeley. Adam holds a B.S. in biological and agricultural engineering from the University of Arkansas and a M.S. in civil engineering from Colorado State University and is a licensed professional engineer in Colorado.

Dave Jula has almost 25 years’ experience in the A/E Industry in both the private and public sectors. He has a broad background in civil engineering, including stormwater/flood management, stream restoration, dam safety/design, transportation, land development, planning, and geospatial information systems (GIS). Since joining the City in 2018, he has focused on implementing new strategies in project execution that consider both grey and green infrastructure, combined with community needs in historically underserved neighborhoods. He has also spearheaded Denver’s first One Water Plan, pulling together city departments, local, state and regional partners to collaborate on the future of water in Denver. Dave holds a bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University and is a Registered Professional Engineer and Certified Floodplain Manager.

Samantha (Sam) Kepley is an environmental engineer with more than ten years of experience in consulting. The second half of her career has been focused on water resources and water supply planning, including six years serving as a project manager on critical water supply projects across the Front Range. Sam’s approach to serving her clients starts with listening carefully to understand specific project needs and boundaries, identifying/exposing potential gaps and opportunities, and developing solutions that address those specific conditions and achieve key project and client objectives. As a project manager, Sam enjoys closely collaborating with clients and their teams to understand their unique needs, preferences, and project priorities, so she can align her project management and execution approach to each specific project rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

Helen Malenda-Lawrence has over 10 years of environmental research experience, including field study planning, instrument installation and maintenance, and hydrological and geological data collection and analysis. Helen currently works as a project hydrogeologist for LRE Water (formerly Leonard Rice Engineers), where she focuses on wellfield condition evaluations and rehab, aquifer testing, and groundwater development in alluvial and Denver Basin bedrock aquifers. Helen has previously worked as a hydrogeologist at the USGS Colorado Water Science Center and Colorado Division of Water Resources. She holds an MS in Hydrology from Colorado School of Mines, an MS in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Lehigh University, and a BS in Geology from Kutztown University. Scientifically, Helen is passionate about understanding changes in groundwater storage, particularly in the Denver Basin; geospatial and temporal analyses of hydrogeologic data; and the effects of climate change on hydrologic processes.

Kevin Lock is a Senior Project Manager and Engineer for Northern Water. He is currently the Project Manager for the Colorado River Connectivity Channel (CRCC) and Glade Reservoir. Prior to these roles he served as Project Engineer for the Chimney Hollow Reservoir Project. Mr. Lock has been with Northern Water for over five years, focusing on the design, construction, and implementation of major water infrastructure in Northern Colorado; including the CRCC, Chimney Hollow Reservoir and the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP). He earned his degree from Colorado School of Mines in Geological Engineering. Prior to coming to Northern Water Mr. Lock worked as an engineering consult focused on geotechnical engineering, heavy civil design, and construction for the mining industry.

Hannah Miller is a fourth year PhD candidate in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is a biogeochemist with a particular interest in the interactions between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and how continued climate change and human disturbance impacts these processes. The research for her PhD focuses on mercury cycling in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. She also spent time doing research in the Swiss Alps investigating ecosystem succession following glacial retreat, and on the Svalbard Archipelago studying the impact of permafrost thaw on estuarine biogeochemical cycles. Hannah grew up in northern Vermont and attended Bowdoin College for her undergrad. When not doing research, she loves to cross country ski, read books, and occasionally whip out her accordion to serenade her unsuspecting housemates.

Lauren Moore is a Certified Water Professional with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and a Master of Science in Environmental Science. Lauren has more than 15 years of experience working in the water industry and is currently a Water Resource Program Analyst for Castle Rock Water. Lauren started her water career as a water quality lab tech analyzing drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater for various municipalities in California. Lauren has a passion for the outdoors, being an environmental steward, and protecting our valuable resources. She and her husband decided to move to Colorado, where she could pursue her post-graduate studies and to better enjoy their shared interests of hiking, camping, and fly fishing. She has seen many opportunities at Castle Rock Water and some of her primary roles include Town’s Well Rehabilitation Program, Lawn Irrigation Return Flow Quantification, and Supply & Demand Forecasting. Lauren is currently studying to be a Professional Hydrologist and hopes to continue her career by finding sustainable solutions for maintaining our valuable water supply.

Amy Ostdiek is the Chief of the Interstate, Federal, and Water Information Section at the Colorado Water Conservation Board, a state agency whose mission is to develop, protect, and manage Colorado's water for present and future generations. The section Amy oversees works to protect Colorado's interests in interstate water compacts and supports coordination with the federal government and other states in various contexts. Much of Amy's work focuses on Colorado River matters, including supporting the State in negotiations and coordination with fellow Basin States, Tribal Nations, and others within the Basin. Prior to joining CWCB, Amy was an Assistant Attorney General with the Colorado River Subunit at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. Amy is originally from rural Western Nebraska. She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Colorado Law School.

Jayla Poppleton is the Executive Director at Water Education Colorado, the state’s leading organization for informing and engaging Coloradans on water. Prior to becoming E.D., Jayla oversaw Water Education Colorado’s publications and other digital content programs. For 9 years she was the editor for Headwaters magazine, Water Education Colorado’s flagship publication. She has written extensively on all things water, and it continues to be the subject she is most passionate about. Jayla serves on the Board for CDR Associates, which provides stakeholder engagement and facilitation in the areas of transportation, water and land management. She is also on the Advisory Committee for the One World One Water Center at Metro State University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in technical journalism with a specialization in natural resources management from Colorado State University. She is also a 2016 graduate of WECO’s own Water Leaders Program. She lives in Denver with her husband and three sons, and enjoys traveling and recreating in Colorado’s great outdoors—especially in, on or around water.

Matthew Redmond is co-owner of Agriburbia LLC. and has more than 25 years of professional experience in real estate, design, planning, natural resources, agriculture and spatial technologies. His combined knowledge in each of these disciplines allows him to effectively manage projects that result in innovative designs, technologically advanced data management, and new approaches to sustainable development. Mr. Redmond has a strong multi-faceted agricultural background which plays heavily in his innovative ideas for incorporating agriculture back into our modern communities. He and his wife are the Co-Creators of Agriburbia®.

Fred Rothauge, CWD, has served as Drilling Fluids and Well Rehabilitation, and Rocky Mountain Regional manager for Hydro Resources and currently serves as Technical Manager. He is past owner and President of Quality Drilling Fluids, a company he started and owned for 22 years. He has over 40 years’ experience in Oil and Gas, Mining, Water Well Drilling and Well Rehabilitation. Fred serves on the Contractors Board of the NGWA and served as President of the Colorado Water Well Contractors Association for 2019. Fred is on the board of the Mountain States Ground Water Association and The American Ground Water Trust and the Groundwater Foundation. He has co-authored papers on Drilling Fluid products and is a co-author of Johnson Screen 3rd edition of Groundwater and Wells. His primary interest is in Groundwater Resources Development and Well Rehabilitation. Fred holds Water Well Drillers License’s in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah. He is Certified by the NGWA in Air Rotary Drilling, Mud Rotary Drilling, Reverse Circulation Drilling and Well Servicing and Maintenance. Fred is the current 2023 McEllhiney Lecturer for the National Ground Water Association providing the Lecture “Are We Creating Longterm Groundwater Assets or Just Installing Wells.”

Shayla Triantafillou is a first year MS student studying fluvial geomorphology in the Geosciences Department at Colorado State University. She has a BS in Environmental Sciences and a BA in Geography from the University of Vermont. Before graduate school, she worked for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in the Watershed Planning Program. In her free time, she likes to run, hike, bike and ski. After graduating, she hopes to find a role in river science where she can continue to learn.

Patricia Whitby is the Deputy Water Stewardship Program Manager at Brown and Caldwell. She specializes in bridging data-driven insights along with economic, hydrologic, and governance perspectives to help achieve more reliable and resilient water systems. Her experience expands across several aspects of water stewardship, including water resources planning, risk and resilience assessments, water conservation, water quality and treatment, water replenishment, water accounting frameworks for corporate sustainability, development of decision-support tools and project management. Patricia has supported both municipal and industrial clients in the development of strategic water plans to meet short-term and long-term goals.

Stephanie Luce | President

Stephanie has been a Water Resources Engineer since 2009, after graduating from Colorado State University with a BS in Civil Engineering. Throughout her career she has been providing creative water rights analyses and solutions to a diverse client base. Her primary areas of focus have been in the Colorado, Arkansas, and South Platte River basins, where she has provided water rights engineering and water resource planning and operations management support. Stephanie has also dedicated much of her time providing Colorado Water Rights trainings and presentations to the community, including presenting Colorado Water Rights – An Overview before and participating in the 2016 AWRA Mock Trial, and again participating in 2018 AWRA Mock Trial, and presented Colorado Water Rights – What’s News at the AWRA Luncheon Event in 2016. Stephanie has been a member of AWRA since 2009, and was involved in its publication committee from 2009 through 2011.

Jon Mcanally | President-Elect

Jon is a water resources engineer at HDR where his work is primarily focused on hydrologic and hydraulic analysis and design. He has a variety of experience including dam failure analysis, hydraulic modeling of streams, irrigation, and sewer systems, floodplain permitting, stream rehabilitation design, and water supply planning. Jon is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Colorado and has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Marquette University and a M.E. in Water Resources Planning and Management from Colorado State University. Jon has been involved in AWRA Colorado since 2019 and currently co-chairs the News and Outreach Committee.

Beth Albrecht | Past President

Beth is a water resources engineer at Brown and Caldwell. Beth has more than nine years of local and international experience. The bulk of her experience lies in hydrologic and hydraulic studies, water supply planning, water rights and water quality. Beth is a licensed professional engineer with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Beth has been involved in AWRA Colorado since 2017 and is currently serving as President. Outside of work, she can be found enjoying the outdoors with her husband and dogs. Their favorite activities include fishing, camping, snowboarding, and hiking.

Lauren Maggert | Treasurer

Lauren is a water resources engineer with over 9 years of experience. Lauren joined Aurora Water in 2018 as a Water Resources Project Specialist where she manages water resources supply and storage projects. Prior to joining Aurora Water, Lauren worked for Xcel Energy as a water resources analyst where she managed daily operations, accounting, and maintenance for Xcel’s facilities across Colorado, as well as support long-range water resources planning, demand forecasting, and water rights modeling projects. Lauren is a licensed professional engineer with a B.S. in civil engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, and a M.S. in civil engineering from Colorado State University. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys hiking with her golden retriever, gardening, kayaking and rafting, and volunteering with Colorado Whitewater as a kayaking instructor.

Britta Strother | Secretary

Britta is currently employed by Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson and has approximately 15 years of experience in water resources planning in Colorado. She holds B.A. degrees in International Political Economy and Economics from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, and a Master of Law in Resource Law from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Additionally, Britta holds certificates of specialization in water law and policy as well as environmental law and policy. Britta is a project management professional (PMP) and an Envision Professional (Env SP). Britta has served on the AWRA Board for two-years during which time she served as a Director-at-Large and as the chair of the Legislative Committee. Britta was born in Grand Junction but grew up in Iowa prior to moving back to Colorado in High School. Outside of work, she is most likely to be found training for her next triathlon, backpacking, hanging out with her two border collies, or playing board games with her husband.

Hanna Anderson | Director at Large

Hanna Anderson is a water resources engineer at LRE Water, where she is focused on water resource modeling and planning. Her experience includes water supply and demand modeling, water rights evaluation and litigation support, water resource operations management support, and hydrologic modeling. Hanna is a licensed professional engineer with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Vermont. She is also currently involved in the News and Outreach Committee. When she is not working you can find her skiing, camping, on a beach, or crafting, most recently at a pottery wheel.

Brennan Middleton | Director at Large

Brennan is the Water Resources Manager for the City and County of Broomfield and currently serves as the Chair of AWRA Colorado’s Education Committee. He earned a B.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Vermont and an M.S. degree in Hydrology, Water Resources & Environmental Fluid Mechanics from the University of Colorado Boulder. Brennan has more than five years of professional experience in both the public and private sectors. As the head of Broomfield’s Water Resources Division Brennan oversees the city’s long-term water supply planning, water conservation programs, water rights administration, and reservoir and reuse system operations. Brennan is an outdoor enthusiast and avid Front Range mountain biker.

Kat Weismiller | Director at Large

Kat Weismiller is the Deputy Section Chief for Water Supply Planning, Conservation, and Climate at the Colorado Water Conservation Board. She is a multidisciplinary environmental and water resources planner with over a decade of both local and international experience across environmental planning and permitting, strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance, and government relations. Kat holds bachelor's degrees, in Geography and Environmental Studies, from Macalester College, and a Masters Degree in Natural Resource Law from the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law, where she also earned Specializations in Water Law and Land Use Law. Prior to working for the Colorado Water Conservation Board, she was a senior planner at Denver Water, and an environmental planner with both HDR Engineering and URS Corp. Australia-Pacific (now AECOM). When she is not working you can find her road biking, rafting, downhill skiing, or chasing her two kids around with her husband, Rick.

Taylor Winchell | Director at Large

Taylor Winchell works in the climate change adaptation and water supply planning programs at Denver Water, where he focuses on translating climate change threats to on-the-ground adaptation efforts. Taylor additionally has experience in the environmental non-profit sector and working on water-focused international development projects. He received his MS in water resource engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his BS in environmental engineering science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Skylar Zilliox | Director at Large

Skylar is a water resources engineer at Wright Water Engineers. She primarily focuses on water rights, water supply planning, and hydrologic studies. Her professional background includes several years of experience in education, corporate sustainability, and permitting and policy support for both small- and large-scale renewable energy projects. Skylar has a B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John's College, as well as a B.S. in Engineering Physics and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.

Arista Shippy | Membership Committee Chair

Lauren Maggert | Finance Committee Chair

Stephanie Luce | Programs Committee Chair

Krystle Ervin | News & Outreach Committee Chair

Brennan Middleton | Education Committee Chair

Rob Zuber | Scholarship Committee Chair

Kat Weismiller | Legal/legislative Committee Chair

Andy Flor | Past-President

Andy Flor is a Hydrogeologist with the Colorado Division of Water Resources. His responsibilities include groundwater-level monitoring, researching hydrogeologic conditions in aquifers within Colorado, evaluating aspects of hydrogeology pertinent to water rights, well permits and nontributary petitions, and acting as staff for the State Board of Examiners of Water Well Construction and Pump Installation Contractors. He has a BS and MS in Geology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and worked as a Geologist/GIS Analyst with the Florida Geological Survey before coming to DWR in 2012.

Ashley Lennon | President

Ashley Lennon is a Hydrogeologist with the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Her responsibilities include groundwater level monitoring and primary hydrogeologist reviewing data DWR connects to the National Groundwater Monitoring Network as well as evaluating well permit variance and log waiver requests. She has Geology and Business Management degrees from Colorado State University. She lived in Vail for 10 years where she worked with the Eagle River Watershed Council in community outreach and riparian remediation projects. Ashley has served as Secretary, two-time Director for CGWA, and VP as well as Symposium Committee member. Ashley enjoys spending time with her family in the mountains skiing, hiking and fishing. She is ready to help build CGWA's membership and mission and get back to connecting the Colorado groundwater community!

Holly Miller | Vice President

Ms. Holly Miller is Senior Engineer at Broadbent and Associates, Inc. with over 10 years of experience working on environmental projects throughout the west. She works on a broad range of projects with state and local agencies to provide creative and innovative solutions to water quality issues. She brings knowledge of regulatory processes, analytical methods, data review, analysis, and validation. Ms. Miller has a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and a M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering both from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She has been an active member with the CGWA since 2017 when she was the recipient of the Harlan Erker Memorial Scholarship. She currently lives in Nederland, CO with her husband and border collie whom she enjoys skiing, biking, hiking, and rafting with.

Andie Gehlhausen | Treasurer

Andie Gehlhausen is a Senior Hydrogeologist and Project Manager at Golder Associates in Lakewood, CO. Andie graduated with a M.S. in Hydrogeology from the University of Nevada, Reno and has over 14 years of technical experience working on projects across the western US and internationally. She currently lives in Evergreen with her husband, two young kids and two Australian Shepherd puppies. Andie has been active with CGWA since 2017 and looks forward to the opportunity to serve the board in 2020.

Helen Malenda-Lawrence | Secretary

Helen has 10 years of environmental research experience, including field study planning, instrument installation and maintenance, and hydrological and geological data collection and analysis. Helen currently works as a hydrogeologist for LRE Water (formerly Leonard Rice Engineers) and has previously worked at the USGS Colorado Water Science Center and Colorado Division of Water Resources. She holds an MS in Hydrology from Colorado School of Mines, an MS in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Lehigh University, and a BS in Geology from Kutztown University. Scientifically, Helen is interested in geospatial and temporal analyses of groundwater systems, surface-groundwater interactions, and the effects of climate change on hydrologic processes. In her free time, Helen enjoys painting, gardening, and exploring the west with her husband and pup.

Justin Korkus | Director

Justin is a professional engineer with 21 years of multi-disciplined environmental and water resource consulting experience in both technical and managerial roles. He grew up in the northeast, where water is plentiful, and has been around and drawn to water his entire life. Justin’s professional experience is broad and has provided him the opportunity to work on a variety of projects in the consulting industry as both a technical expert and project manager, spanning multiple disciplines from contaminate hydrogeology, groundwater supply development, mine water management, and Colorado water rights and water resource engineering. His expertise has provided him the opportunity to work for both small and multi-national consulting groups, working on technically challenging projects, with a diversity of clients and industries. His work has taken him to some interesting places, but he has managed to establish roots in Colorado. Justin holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (1998) from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (2005) from the University of Colorado-Denver. He is a registered professional engineer in Colorado and North Dakota, and a NCEES record holder. In his free-time you will find him enjoying the outdoors with his wife and two kids mountain biking or searching for fresh powder throughout Colorado.

Wenli Dickinson | Director

Wenli Dickinson is a water resource engineer with the Division of Water Resources. She studied environmental engineering and hydrology and graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in 2019. She grew up in Colorado and enjoys hiking and rock climbing.

Chelsea Bornman & Ashley Lennon | Communications Committee

Joshua Godwin | Legislative Committee

Betsy Semmens | Scholarship Committee

Justin Korkus | Speaker Committee

Chelsea Borneman, Wenli Dickinson, Ashley Lennon, Betsy Semmens, & Javier Vargas-Johnson | Symposium Committee

Andy Flor | Technical Working Group