Job Announcements Early February

Denver’s Parks and Recreation Department has an opportunity with the Denver Park Ranger Program for a Fishing Program Coordinator to organize and implement programming aimed at Denver’s youth that will focus on teaching fishing techniques and land stewardship. The job posting will close when enough qualified applicants have applied so apply now! Submit an application HERE.

Wildlands Restoration Volunteers seeks multiple Seasonal Restoration Project Coordinators for 2019 who assist or lead on ecological restoration and/or trail projects. Positions can be full-time or part-time, and can be for the entire season (March through October) or summer only. These positions may be based out of WRV’s Boulder or Fort Collins offices. Applications will be reviewed starting February 4th and will continue to be reviewed until the positions are filled. Click HERE for the full job description.

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers are seeking a Marketing, Program, and Administrative Coordinator in Basalt, CO. Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote stewardship of our public lands by engaging the community in volunteer trail and restoration projects. The Coordinator implements marketing and volunteer recruitment programs, manages office operations, and supports projects, programs, and volunteer committees. APPLY by February 8th, 2019 4:30 p.m. MST.

Colorado Water Trust is seeking a spring Communications and Development Intern.The intern will work closely with the Development Associate to ensure the Colorado Water Trust community is engaged and informed about their work. Please apply by February 8th, 5 p.m. See full job description HERE.

The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department is pleased to announce a new Natural Areas & Trail Ranger job opening. Natural Areas Rangers conducts patrol of City natural areas and recreation trails to enforce City Municipal code and Natural Areas regulations. Works as part of integrated team to protect natural resource values and ensure visitor safety and regulation compliance. Deadline to apply is February 8th, 2019. For more information, and full job description, click HERE.

The City of Loveland is recruiting for seasonal maintenance worker positions in the Open Lands & Trails Division of Parks & Recreation.  Duties include native landscape management, stewardship projects, and general maintenance of properties, facilities and trails.  The positions will run from March through November. The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2019. For more information and to apply, see the job posting HERE. 

Douglas County seeks a Land Management Specialist/Ranger in Castle Rock, Lone Tree, and Highlands Ranch. Essential duties and responsibilities include land and resource management, administration, and public safety. Closes February 13th, 2019. For more information and to apply CLICK HERE.

The Jeff. Co. Open Space Natural Resources team is now accepting applications for a limited-term Natural Resources Specialist (Botanist) position. They are seeking an experienced vegetation ecologist to assist with their inventory and monitoring program (baseline inventories, rare plant monitoring, and similar tasks) at Jeff. Co. Open Space. The target start date will be 4/14/19, with a projected end date of 11/9/19. Closes February 13th, 2019. Check out the position HERE.

The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department is seeking an Environmental Planning Manager. The successful applicant will lead the Department’s Planning and Special Projects group. This senior level, supervisory position is responsible for all strategic, management, restoration, and recreation planning. Education and experience needed are a Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management, Environmental Science, Environmental Management or related field from an accredited college or university and eight to ten years related experience. Application deadline is 3:00 p.m. MT on February 15th, 2019. Find out more and apply HERE.

Education Program Manager & Event Coordinator of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership (SCRGP) This position shall be responsible for Next Generation Partner programming and office management, volunteer and event coordination, and communications/outreach associated with the operation of a not-for-profit corporation 501 (c)(3). Deadline for application: February 25th, 2019. Request full job description from and send resumes to Beth Nobles at bnobles@sandcreekgreenway.org 

A new season of Land Conservation is only a few months away! Mile High Youth Corps is now hiring Crew Leaders for their Denver and Colorado Springs programs. Both sites are hiring an early start Crew Leader to begin March 29th as well as several others to begin on May 6th. Position descriptions can be found HERE. Please send a resume and cover letter to staffjobs@mhyc.net if you are interested in applying.  

Biological Science Technician Position - Summer 2019 through The Rangeland Resources and Systems Research Unit with USDA-ARS. It is based in Fort Collins, CO and involves day trips to the Central Plains Experimental Range in eastern Colorado and overnight trips to the Thunder Basin National Grassland in northeastern Wyoming to collect experimental data. The technician will be working to understand how rangeland management and climate variability/extremes interact to influence water and plant dynamics in semi-arid rangelands. Dates: Mid-May to mid-August flexibly. Request the full job description or submit a cover letter, resume, unofficial transcripts, and 3 references as soon as possible to David Hoover: David.Hoover@usda.gov and Lauren Poresnsky: Lauren.Porensky@usda.gov. Please include in resume: Major/Minor, Relevant Experience, Relevant Coursework, Technical Skills. Submissions will be reviewed as received until positions are filled.

Trainings & Workshops Early February

FEBRUARY 5th, 2019: Webinar - Is Water Reuse on the Rise? Join Water Education Colorado from 1:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m. from the comfort of your desk to learn more about water reuse in Colorado. They'll explore why more communities are turning toward reuse and what regulations, policies, or other next steps may be needed for water recycling to grow. Learn more & register HERE.

FEBRUARY 6th - MARCH 21st, 2019: Spatial Analysis Training online with ArcGIS online exercises through ESRI - the Science of Where. This free course is for people who know something about data analysis and want to learn how the special capabilities of spatial data analysis provides deeper understanding. Registration closes on February 21, 2019. Register HERE.

FEBRUARY 7th, 2019: Water Festival Coordinators Gathering. Spend the day in the metro area collaborating with other new and experienced water festival coordinators. Water Education Colorado’s annual gathering brings together water festival coordinators to discover strategies to improve their events, share best practices, challenges, and lessons learned. Topics will include sessions on festival evaluations and planning tools, winning strategies for large audiences, and more. Learn more & register HERE.

FEBRUARY 11th,18th, & 25th, 2019: 2019 Water Course. Join Colorado Mesa University for this 3-evening seminar series on water in our region! February 11: Introduction to Colorado Water Supply, Use and Law. February 18: Impacts of Drought & Aridification. February 25: Colorado River Drought Contingency Planning. CMU students can earn 1 credit for attending this series plus additional sessions on February 4 and March 4 and completing an assignment. K-12 Teachers can also participate in this expanded series. For more information, including registration, click HERE.

FEBRUARY 20th & 21st: Crafting a Strategic Plan that Works with San Juan Rural Philanthropy Days. February 20 in Gunnison, CO, and February 21 in Ridgway, CO. What are the elements of a planning process? How can we craft plans and a plan document that help us be our best? Learn more & register HERE.

FEBRUARY 20th-22nd, 2019: Snow School for Water Managers, Silverton, CO. A 2½ Day Professional Development Opportunity for Water Professionals, conducted by Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies director Jeff Derry. Using a mixture of classroom discussion and hands-on field sessions, this workshop will enhance participant understanding of snowpack processes, snowpack monitoring, and snowpack data. Find out more HERE.

MARCH 4th-5th, 2019: QUALIFIED MS4 STORMWATER TRAINING. In this two-day course they will cover all the topics to ensure that you meet the regulatory requirement to conduct Stormwater Inspections. They will review the requirements of your state MS4, Construction, and Industrial General Permits; we will discuss what it takes for you to be in compliance with the permits; they will discuss inspection techniques that will help you better evaluate whether or not other permittees are in compliance with their permits – and how that influences your permit compliance; and they will discuss BMPs – which are best, when to use them, how to use them, and how to know if BMPs are correctly installed and maintained. For details, including registration, click HERE.

MARCH 5th-8th, 2019: Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) Training Class. South Platte Park has opened registration for their next training course at South Platte Park in Littleton. Successful students will receive nationally-recognized certification in interpretation and resource communication. If you have been considering this course for your incoming seasonals, front-line staff, extraordinary volunteers, new hires, or old hands, now is the time to register! For more information and how to register, click HERE.

MARCH 21st-22nd, 2019. Certified Stormwater Inspector Training. This course was developed by former Federal and State stormwater enforcement officials for the express purpose of training municipal stormwater personnel to conduct stormwater inspections of municipal, commercial, industrial, and construction activities. It includes instruction in the law (federal, state, local), illicit discharge detection and elimination, pollution prevention, post construction, public involvement and education, inspector protocols, and much more! For more information, including registration, click HERE.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is offering a new Water Studies Online Certificate to provide training and skills relevant to careers in water studies, conservation, agriculture, construction, engineering, and law. From lifelong learners who want to know more about water preservation to those working in green and sustainable professions, this unique certificate provides introductory level training and skills relevant to a wide range of fields in the nonprofit, corporate, and public sectors, including water industries, conservation, agriculture, construction, engineering, and law. Find out more HERE.

APRIL 1st-3rd, 2019: After the Flames Workshop and Conference.  Experts warn that year-round fire season is the new normal. Wildfire is no longer "if" it will occur, but rather "when." The impacts of a wildfire last long after the flames are extinguished. Community leaders, agency representatives, property owners, and anyone impacted by wildfire is invited to join this interactive workshop and conference featuring recovery experts and agencies engaging After The Flames. For more information click HERE.

JUNE 10th-14th, 2019: Western Rivers Teacher Workshop,Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, Colorado. Utilize western rivers to meet interdisciplinary academic standards creating relevant place based context for your students. Registration opens February 2019 through the Extended Studies program.

Funding Opportunities Early February

The DOI Bureau of Reclamation offers a grant to 15 Drought Resiliency Projects. States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the Western United States or United States Territories. Apply by March 27th HERE.

The Community First Foundation announced their 2019 Collaborating for Community Health in Jeffco grant. The purpose of this grant is to support coalitions and collaborations working together to improve conditions of community health of the Jefferson County community. This can include anything from access to neighborhood health and built environment including environmental conditions. This is an open, competitive, one-time grant that lasts 12 months, from July 2019 through July 2020. The deadline to apply is Thursday, March 7, 2019. LEARN MORE. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Griffis at jgriffis@CommunityFirstFoundation.org or call 720.898.5907.

Apply for EPA Brownfields Funding for 2019. With the passage of the Brownfield Utilization, Investment and Local Development (BUILD) Act, expect changes in Multipurpose, Assessment & Cleanup (MAC) grants. The EPA Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment and Cleanup (MAC). To submit your proposal go to www.grants.gov.

Boulder County Parks & Open Space (BCPOS) is currently accepting research proposals for 2019 funding. Through these research projects and inventories the department can monitor management practices and improve resources and park visitor experiences. Collaborative research with other agencies is allowed (i.e. Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (OSMP) of the City of Boulder and Jefferson County Open Space), and they will consider interagency grant proposals for joint funding. Full details can be found HERE.

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. 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.

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.

For more information click HERE.

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 list click  restoration funding opportunities.

Conferences & Events Early February

FEBRUARY 4th - 6th, 2019: ESRI Water Conference: Discover How GIS Helps Us Better Manage Our Most Precious Resource. Some of the topics that you can look forward to learning more about include; Big Data and Analytics, Watershed and Floodplain Delineation, Asset Management, Field Workflows and Mobile Applications. Post-Conference training will cover using ArcGIS for water utility workflows. Learn new best practices and solutions to strengthen your operations with the power of the ArcGIS platform. REGISTER HERE.

FEBRUARY 5th, 2019: Green New Deal Watch Party at The Alliance Center. Doors open at 7 p.m. Watch party starts at 7:30 p.m. Hubs and homes across the country will host livestream watch parties to tune into a Sunrise livestream detailing the 2019 Green New Deal Strategy. There is a proposal before Congress in line with what the world's top climate scientists say we need. RSVP HERE.

FEBRUARY 5th-6th, 2019: High Plains No-Till Conference by Colorado Corn Kernels at Burlington Community Center. Don't be shy, stop by, say hi! Staff and board members will be on hand to share what the growers association and the checkoff are doing during these tough economic times for farmers in Colorado. Be sure to ask them about #CCGA2019Priority1. Get the full details HERE. 

FEBRUARY 9th, 2019: Winter Mining District Snowshoe Tour, hosted by Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership & Ouray County Historical Society. Hear stories about mining history on this guided trip up Red Mountain Pass. REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Spaces are limited to 20. Seven more spots available. Do not delay – sign up now! DONATION: They kindly request a $30 donation to support their organizations, UWP & OCHS.

FEBRUARY 11th – 14th, 2019: Colorado Rural Water Association Annual Conference and Exhibition. This event will be held at the Crowne Plaza DIA Convention Center, 1550 East 40th Avenue, Denver, CO. For more information click HERE.

FEBRUARY 12th: SPREE Summer Camp Sign-Up. Registration opens to the public on February 12th. Looking for a way to get your kids outside and active this summer while you are at work? Don't want them to stop learning just because it's summer? SPREE is the camp for you!  They offer week long camps, running Monday through Friday from June through August, from 8:00AM to 6PM. Visit the Summer Camps page HERE.

FEBRUARY 21st & 23rd, 2019: Wild & Scenic Film Festival hosted by The Middle Colorado Watershed Council. At the Vaudeville in Glenwood Springs on Thursday, February 21st and at the Ute in Rifle on Saturday, February 23rd. Festival-goers can expect to see award-winning films about nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture, Native American and indigenous cultures. Buy your tickets today! These shows are historic sell outs. Buy tickets for the Glenwood Springs showing HERE and for the Rifle showing HERE.

MARCH 7th, 2019: Colorado TU River Stewardship Gala. Join them on Thursday, March 7th at Mile High Station in Denver for this must-attend event for anyone who cares about rivers and trout! Enjoy a delicious meal, beer and wine, and your chance to participate in the auction and live program. They’ll be highlighting Colorado TU’s 50th anniversary throughout the evening and honoring William Reilly with their 2019 River Stewardship Award. Purchase your tickets HERE or sponsor a table and bring your favorite fishy friends.

MARCH 8th, 2019: The Fork Not Taken: A Two Forks Retrospective from 7:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. at History Colorado Center. Following a continental breakfast, the AGENDA will feature two panel discussions. Discounted pricing and a limited number of scholarships are available for students—email nshipman@msudenver.edu. Discounts are also available for members of Water Education Colorado, Colorado Trout Unlimited, and the History Colorado Center. SPONSORSHIP opportunities available. Don't wait to REGISTER.  

MARCH 12th-14th, 2019: HAR-CERSER 2019 Conference. Jointly hosted by High Altitude Revegetation Committee (HAR) and Central Rockies chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration (CeRSER), the goal of the 2019 Conference is to enhance our understanding of ecological restoration and revegetation in diverse ecosystems using a variety of methods. Early-bird Registration and Poster Abstract Submission deadlines have been extended through February 15. For more information click HERE.

MARCH 13th-14th, 2019: Water in the West Symposium. Join leaders from diverse disciplines to dive deep into water issues affecting the region and to explore innovative solutions to water challenges. The Symposium will feature nationally renowned speakers, and showcase the efforts of various sectors in leveraging research, innovation, education, and creative policies to address the most pressing global water issues. For more information, click HERE.

MARCH 17th-23rd, 2019: Sustainable Trails Conference - Grand Junction, CO. Don't miss this convening of international trail experts in Grand Junction, CO. Participants will engage in hands-on workshops, concurrent and plenary sessions, and networking opportunities throughout the event. For more information, click HERE.

APRIL 5th, 2019: Southwestern Water Conservation District’s Annual Water Seminar from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Durango. For more than 35 years in southwestern Colorado, water managers, irrigators, municipal representatives, tribal members, environmental advocates, recreation enthusiasts, and interested citizens have come together each year for the Annual Water Seminar. It’s a unique opportunity to interact with other individuals who are passionate about water resources, and hear expert speakers from around the state and region. Find out more HERE.

APRIL 14th, 2019: Walk for Freshwater. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. CU South Denver-Globeology Exhibit. Walk with them and EXPERIENCE the global water crisis first-hand! GRAB YOUR WATER JUG and find yourself among elephants, giraffes, and howler monkeys. Find out practical ways that YOU can be part of raising awareness and funds to change the water crisis in Malawi. All event proceeds go to fund water and sanitation projects at schools in Malawi, Africa, through Freshwater Project International. See pictures and register HERE.

APRIL 19th, 2019: 2019 AWRA-CGWA Annual Symposium: Colorado Water Stories – Learning from our past, reimagining our future at the Mount Vernon Canyon Country Club, 24933 Club House Circle, Golden, CO 80401 from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. This year's conference will cover a range of topics from both a technical and policy perspective, including a deep-drill into ASR, geophysical applications, and how Coloradans are reimagining the river. For more details, check out THIS LINK.

APRIL 24th-25th, 2019: 25th Anniversary Arkansas River Basin Water Forum - A River of Dreams and Realities, at the Pueblo Convention Center. As one of the most important natural resources in our state, the water future of the Arkansas River Basin depends on education, dialog, and a deeper understanding of all sides of water issues. The Arkansas River Basin Water Forum has been at the forefront of this conversation for 25 years. Please join them to celebrate their 25th anniversary as they continue to work together to find common ground. For more information: arbwf.org

APRIL 24th-26th, 2019: 2019 Partners in the Outdoors Conference. Be a part of the solution as we shift from Planning to Action. Based on the Colorado Outdoor Principles and after months of collaborative work across the state from hundreds of partners, stakeholders and citizens, Colorado has drafted one of the finest Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plans (SCORP) in the nation. For more information, click HERE.

JUNE 18th-20th, 2019: The 4th Rocky Mountain Stream Restoration Conference will provide an opportunity for professionals to share ideas and lessons learned in stream restoration assessment, planning, design, construction, and evaluation, as well as other topical stream issues. The conference will explore stream restoration challenges and solutions, with a focus on the Intermountain West. For agenda click HERE.

Announcements Early February

The Center for Biological Diversity and Food & Water Watch today filed a notice of intent to sue JBS USA and the Swift Beef Company for illegally dumping slaughterhouse pollution into Colorado waterways, putting people and wildlife in danger and violating the Clean Water Act. Read the Press Release HERE.

Call for Abstracts: The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists will partner with the Colorado Riparian Association for their annual meeting on April 10, 2019. They are now accepting abstracts for 15 to 20-minute oral presentations on any wetland or riparian related projects, research, management, education, or other similar work. Presentations related to topics that affect wetlands and riparian habitat within the Rocky Mountain Chapter are preferred. Please go the WEBSITE and submit your abstract by February 22, 2019. 

The January 2019 Drought Update, a summary of the drought information presented at the January 22, 2019 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.

U.S. Drought Monitor released a snapshot MAP of broad-scale conditions.

The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission consists of nine members with staggered 3-year terms. Commission members are appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Colorado Senate. The following members’ terms expire February 15, 2018: Barbara Biggs (finishing her second term), Fred Menzer (finishing his first term) and Kevin Greer (finishing his first term). While the governor may or may not reappoint some of these commissioners, applications are being accepted from anyone interested in serving on the commission. For more information, and application, click HERE.

High school students at Arvada West High School are interested in job shadowing at water organizations. It would be a three-week run with the students. They seek a wide range of experiences while pursuing a water degree. Please contact Cheslea.Campbell@rrcc.edu, the Faculty Lead of Water Quality Management Technology at Red Rocks Community College.

The Watershed Planning Toolbox is a comprehensive resource for incorporating wetlands and streams into watershed planning, restoring wetlands to improve watershed health, and identifying opportunities for wetland conservation. Many Toolbox data layers have statewide coverage, while some more detailed layers for wetland functions and priority conservation and restoration are building out from the Arkansas and South Platte Headwaters Project Area. The Toolbox includes an interactive mapping platform that allows users to view wetlands, streams, likely aquatic ecosystem functions, ecological stressors, and high-priority sites for conservation and restoration at the landscape scale. Along with geospatial data, the Toolbox includes a gateway to a variety of other restoration and conservation resources via the Working in Wetlands web pages.

Launch the Watershed Planning Toolbox Mapping Tool