On Tuesday, October 11, 2016, the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) will hold a public Administrative Action Hearing beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the CDPHE Florence Sabin Conference Room at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246-1530. This hearing is to consider approval of the Water Quality Control Division’s proposed FY 2017 Intended Use Plans for the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (WPCRF) and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF). The proposed intended use plans for FY 2017 funding are available on the commission’s website at: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wqcc-administrative-action-hearings. Questions regarding the Intended Use Plans and/or the Project Eligibility lists should be directed to Erick Worker by email at erick.worker@state.co.us or by phone at (303) 692-3594; or Brad Monson by email at bradley.monson@state.co.us or by phone at (303) 692-2286.

The September 2016 Drought Update, a summary of the drought information presented at the September 16, 2016 Water Availability Task Force Meeting will be posted on the CWCB website. All of the presentations from the meeting can also be found on the CWCB website. If you have questions regarding the Drought Update, please contact Taryn Finnessey at taryn.finnessey@state.co.us.

Colorado Corn has partnered with Colorado State University's Rural Energy Center to assess the economic feasibility of solar and wind energy on farms with center pivot sprinklers. The project -- called Solar and Wind Assessments for Pivots (SWAP) -- was based on the idea that corners of fields with center pivot sprinklers could host solar arrays or wind turbines. These systems would be tied into the grid to offset electricity used for irrigation pumping. Click HERE for more information about the SWAP program.

Mark your calendar for the 2017 National Watershed & Stormwater Conference on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. The conference is designed to allow both in-person discussion at multiple locations and online attendance. Participants can learn about local and national stormwater and watershed issues while networking at their preferred attendance location. Major conference topics include: IDDE, Public Education, National Certification, Monitoring, and Stream Restoration. Learn about exciting research, case studies, innovative technology, and special regional considerations from experts around the country. Registration will open soon. Stay tuned for more information on registration and sponsorship! For more information visit cwp.org.

The Colorado Wildland Fire Conference is accepting presentation proposals. The conference will be held April 19 – 21, 2017 at the Pueblo Convention Center in Pueblo, CO. This conference will provide an atmosphere for professionals and landowners to have solutions-oriented discussions about creating communities in Colorado that are adapted to wildfire. This year’s conference will expand on the Fire Adapted Communities concept, providing the framework for moving from awareness to action, messaging to mitigation, and words to work. This is a great opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise about reducing communities’ vulnerability to wildfire. The conference planning committee is looking for presentations that focus on innovative research influencing policy changes; case studies of overcoming barriers to planning and implementation; and success stories of on the ground actions to create Fire Adapted Communities. Submit your presentation proposals online HERE. Presentation proposals are due Friday, November 18, 2016 by 11:59 p.m.