Update: Here’s the release from the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado (Contact: Ray Caraway 970-488-1980 or Ray@CommunityFoundationNC.org):
WATER AND THE POUDRE RIVER: PUBLIC INVITED TO LEARN AND ENGAGE
What do we use every day, but know little about? Water! The future of the Poudre River and water for Northern Colorado is much debated, but how well do we understand the issues surrounding it?
The public is invited to join three entities providing community leadership – UniverCity Connections, Colorado State University, and the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado – in creating shared understandings of the complex topic of water in Northern Colorado. The organizers believe these shared understandings will result in a better informed and more engaged community.The Poudre Runs Through It: Northern Colorado’s Water Future is a three-part series that begins with a public forum on Thursday, February 3 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. The gathering will highlight the river and its social, environmental and economic impacts – past, present and future. It will take place at the Larimer County Courthouse Office Building (200 West Oak Street, Fort Collins).
Subsequent “Northern Colorado Water 101” educational programs in February and March, facilitated by the Colorado Water Institute, will offer members of the public opportunities to learn in a user-friendly format. These programs will cover a broad range of topics, including the importance of the Poudre to agriculture, the city, the environment; the water law that governs diversions from the river and its quality; various efforts to preserve and enhance the river; and objective coverage of current controversies surrounding the river. The public will gain a better understanding of potential options for securing water for future water needs including conservation, agricultural transfers, storage, reuse, and land planning strategies.
In April, public dialogue opportunities will be facilitated by the CSU Center for Public Deliberation to give community members a chance to hear from their neighbors, have their voice heard, and collaboratively work through the tough issues.
“Our region has gained well-deserved national recognition for its excellence and innovation,” Ray Caraway, president of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado said. “How we deal with the complex issues surrounding water will shape our future and test our ability to find solutions in the midst of controversy.”
Co-sponsored by UniverCity Connections, Colorado State University, and the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, the entire series is free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, visit http://www.UniverCityConnections.org or contact Chelsea DeFoort at Chelsea@CommunityFoundationNC.org.
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UniverCity Connections, an initiative of the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, facilitates productive conversations regarding Colorado State University, Downtown Fort Collins and the Poudre River. Colorado State University and the Colorado Water Institute are leaders in research, education, and outreach for water issues in Colorado and around the world. CSU Center for Public Deliberation enhances local democracy through improved public communication and community problem solving. The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit organization that manages more than 300 individual charitable funds and $44 million in assets.
From the Fort Collins Coloradoan (Bobby Magill):
Should Glade Reservoir be built? How would it and other proposed water-storage projects affect the Poudre River? CSU and the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado will help answer those questions during a series of public forums in February, March and April…
Called “The Poudre Runs Through It: Northern Colorado’s Water Future,” the series of three forums will address how the Poudre River affects agriculture and the city of Fort Collins and how water law governs how water is used and diverted from one river basin to another. The forums are designed to help the public gain a greater understanding of Northern Colorado’s future water needs, where the water might have to come from and how the Poudre River fits into that future…
The first event will be a public forum about the river’s social, environmental and economic impacts. The forum is scheduled for 5 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Larimer County office building at 200 W. Oak St. Educational forums called “Northern Colorado Water 101” will be scheduled in March and April, followed by other forums facilitated by CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation. The series, co-sponsored by the Community Foundation, UniverCity Connections and CSU, is free and open to the public.