Arkansas River Basin Water Forum

Ark Basin Water Forum celebrates 30 years
The Arkansas River Basin Water Forum, the basin’s premiere water event, celebrates its 30th anniversary Wednesday and Thursday, March 5 and 6 at the Pueblo Convention Center. The Forum will feature top Colorado and Arkansas Basin water experts discussing critical water issues and possible solutions for the challenges facing basin water users.
The March 5 keynote speaker will be Colorado’s Upper Colorado River Commissioner Rebecca Mitchell, and Gregory Styduhar, Chief Judge of Colorado’s 10th Judicial District, will deliver the keynote address March 6.
The first plenary session, March 5, will be a panel discussion of multi-basin strategies for water preservation. Moderator: Colorado Department of Agriculture Water Policy Advisor Robert Sakata will moderate the discussion. The expert panel will consist of Pat Wells, Water Strategy Specialist with the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District; Heather Dutton, District Manager of the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District; and Jack Goble, General Manager of the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District.
The March 6 plenary session will feature the four new leaders of the Ark Basin’s water conservancy districts – Jack Goble, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District; Leann Noga, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District; Greg Felt, Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District; and Tony Arnhold, Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District.
The 2025 Water Forum will explore topics like the early history of Colorado water use, “Water Law 101,” Fountain Creek water quality, reusing potable water in El Paso County, mountain precipitation and water supply outlooks, and groundwater augmentation.
A variety of outdoor field trips will be offered on the afternoons of both days of the Forum. Complete details about the Forum – including how to register, afternoon field trips and speaker bios – are online at www.arbwf.org.
Registration costs for the Forum remain a very good value:
• Two-day full registration, including lunches – $300
• One-day registration, either Wednesday or Thursday, including lunch – $150
• Percolation and Runoff networking dinner and drinks – $20
Perhaps the most popular part of the Forum is the Percolation and Runoff social networking event Wednesday evening. Perc and Runoff includes dinner and two drink tickets. All proceeds support the Forum’s college scholarship fund, helping us to help students and working professionals in their education and research in water resources, watershed studies, hydrology, natural resources management and other water-related fields.