2021 Conference

2021 CRWUA Conference

December 14-16, 2021

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

December 14

Colorado River 101: Change is the Only Constant | PDF ⟶

  • Chuck Cullom, Colorado River Programs Manager, Central Arizona Project

Colloquium – Change for the Better: Multiple Approaches to Improving Water Supply Forecasting

  • Moderator: Jeanine Jones, Interstate Resources Manager, California Department of Water Resources
  • Lorraine Flint, Research Hydrologist (retired), U.S. Geological Survey | PDF ⟶
  • Paul Miller, Service Coordination Hydrologist, Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, NOAA  | PDF ⟶
  • Ken Nowak, Water Supply Availability Research Coordinator, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
  • Matt Switanek, Research Scientist, NOAA Earth Systems Water Research Lab | PDF ⟶

Colloquium – No Spare Change: Impacts of Falling Revenue on Basin Operations and Programs

  • Moderator: Michelle Garrison, Senior Water Resources Specialist, Colorado River Department of Natural Resources
  • Don Barnett, Executive Director, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum | PDF ⟶
  • Tom Chart, Director (retired), Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | PDF ⟶
  • Tim Vigil, Senior Vice President and Colorado River Project Manager, Western Area Power Administration | PDF ⟶

December 15

Welcome – John J. Entsminger, CRWUA President

Current and Projected Conditions in the Colorado River Basin: Hydrology Report – U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Staff | PDF ⟶

Reclamation Leadership Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities – Camille C. Touton, Commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Change of Plans: Addressing New Challenges

  • Moderator: Colby Pellegrino, Deputy General Manager of Water Resources, Southern Nevada Water Authority | PDF ⟶
  • Thomas Buschatzke, Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources
  • Maria Dadgar, Executive Director, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona | PDF ⟶
  • Sara Larsen, Interim Executive Director, Upper Colorado River Commission | PDF ⟶
  • Pat Tyrrell, Commissioner, Upper Colorado River Commission | PDF ⟶

Changing Climate: Acknowledging the Water Risks

  • Moderator: Sharon Megdal, Director, University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center
  • James Praire, Hydrologic Engineer, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation | PDF ⟶
  • Brad Udall, Senior Water and Climate Research Scientist/Scholar, Colorado State University | PDF ⟶

Changing Perspectives: Discussing Vital Considerations

  • Moderator: Anne Castle, Senior Fellow, Getches-Wilkinson Center | PDF ⟶
  • Carlos de la Parra, Advisor, International Boundary and Water Commission, Mexican Section
  • Kate Greenberg, Commissioner, Colorado Department of Agriculture
  • Rosa Long,, Vice Chairwoman, Cocopah Indian Tribe
  • Bart Miller, Healthy Rivers Program Director, Water Resource Advocates

Not Exactly Chump Change: Gambling on Litigation

  • Moderator: David Robbins, President and Co-Founder, Hill & Robbins P.C.
  • Rich Deitchman, Attorney, Somach Simmons & Dunn | PDF ⟶
  • Stanley Pollack, Assistant Attorney General (retired), Water Rights Unit, Navajo Nation Department of Justice | PDF ⟶
  • Jeffrey Wechsler, Attorney at Law, Montgomery & Andrews, P.A. | PDF ⟶

Changing Habits: Adapting Through Innovative Strategies, Part 1

  • Moderator: Crystal Tulley-Cordova, Principal Hydrologist, Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources
  • Andrew Belanger, Director of Public Services, Southern Nevada Water Authority | PDF ⟶
  • Emily Lewis, Co-Chair, Natural Resources and Water Law Practice Group, Clyde Snow Attorneys at Law | PDF ⟶
  • Nancy Smith, Conservation Director, Colorado River Program, The Nature Conservancy | PDF ⟶
  • Deven Upadhyay, Assistant General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California | PDF ⟶

A Change of Outlook: Acting on Touchy Topics

  • Moderator: Terry Goddard, President, Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board of Directors
  • Amy Haas, Executive Director, Colorado River Authority of Utah | PDF ⟶
  • Colby Pellegrino, Deputy General Manager of Water Resources, Southern Nevada Water Authority
  • Tina Shields, Water Department Manager, Imperial Irrigation District | PDF ⟶
  • Steve Wolff, General Manager, Southwestern Water Conservation District, Colorado

December 16

Business Meeting

Embracing Change: The Path Forward

  • Moderator: Karen Kwon, Associate Project Director, Colorado River Sustainability Campaign
  • Paul Bruchez, 5th Generation Colorado Ag Producer, Vice Chair, Colorado Basin Roundtable
  • Adel Hagekhalil, General Manager, Metropolitan Water DIstrict of Southern California
  • Taylor Hawes, Colorado River Program Director, The Nature Conservancy

U.S. – Mexico Conversations: Addressing Drought and Climate Change Through Minute 323

International Boundary and Water Commission

  • Maria-Elena Giner, Commissioner, U.S. Section | PDF ⟶
  • Adriana Resendez Maldonado, Commissioner, Mexican Section


Mexico’s National Water Commission (CONAGUA)

  • German Martinez, Director General


Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Relations

  • Pablo Galvez, Director of Border Affairs, North American Unit, Secretariat of Foreign Relations

Keynote

• Tanya Trujillo, Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, U.S. Department of the Interior