2023 Water Fluency Program
A professional development course to help you understand water and lead with confidence
Now in its ninth year, the Water Fluency Program curriculum covers statewide water topics blended with local examples as we travel around the state each year to bring the most current examples of innovative water practices. This year we will be showcasing water management examples from the Rio Grande Basin. Participants from across Colorado will benefit from the content, not just participants from the class location area. You can access our program flyer for an overview of the program.
Water Fluency Program Format
This comprehensive program provides an opportunity for participants to learn about water through four program days with highly sought-out lectures, discussions, exclusive access to water sector leaders, breakout networking opportunities, a complete set of WEco’s Citizen’s Guides, reading assignments, and additional coursework. Curriculum includes:
- Colorado’s water resources: basic hydrology, the role of water in society, the economic value of water, ties to public policy, and emerging issues
- Legal and institutional frameworks: water law and administration, project planning and approval, interbasin projects, and agreements
- Water resource management: watershed health, environmental protection, water quality, and natural disasters
- Colorado water for the future: assessing supply and meeting demand, ecosystem values, conservation and land use, alignment of resources, growing populations, varied climates and policies
2023 Water Fluency Program Schedule
Session 1: May 17 (virtual)
Session 2: June 21 (virtual)
Session 3: July 26-27 (2 in-person days in Alamosa)
Session 4: August 30 (virtual)
The program sessions will be a combination of virtual and in-person as outlined above. To receive your certificate of completion for this program, you must attend all program days. The virtual sessions will typically run from 9:00am – 2:00pm with a lunch break and the in-person session days will run from approximately 9:00am – 4:00pm.
Water Fluency Program Participants
The Water Fluency Program is designed so anyone who is interested in learning more about water can participate. There will be pre-session homework that will bring someone coming from any knowledge level up to speed and prepared to engage in the classroom program days. Pre-session homework will be emailed to all participants in April to give everyone plenty of time to prepare for the first session. You can anticipate getting 25 hours of program content through the session days, and to spend about 10 hours on suggested homework over the 4-month program timeframe.
The typical Water Fluency Program participant is involved with making decisions about water, but does not have the background to feel comfortable making those decisions. Examples of past participants are city/county staff, elected officials, someone new to Colorado water but has worked in water in other states, a water professional who has been promoted into a position with decision making responsibilities but never had formal water education/training, interested community members, business leaders, educators, special district staff, and more! If you are questioning if this program is for you, please give us a call and we can help you decide.
Tuition is $1,475 and includes all materials and resources needed, access to online content, staff support, lunch/beverages/snacks during the in-person sessions, and exclusive site visits.
We are no longer accepting scholarship applications, except in the case of local elected officials for which we have scholarship spots reserved. Please contact Sabrina White if you are an interested local elected official.
Want to know more?
Contact Sabrina White with questions or to receive a recording of our informational webinar.
What our past Water Fluency participants had to say about the program:
“The virtual class effectively delivered an amazing curriculum on a vast and varied topic. This education was a door opening experience to a much wider world than I had imagined. Thank you!”
“The broad-based education & knowledge gained was truly enlightening. From headwaters, aquifers, etc. to the end user, water is much more complex than many of us ever knew. My understanding and respect level for those in the biz is now through the roof.”
“I would rank the quality and effectiveness of material and instructors in this Water Fluency program higher than many of the academic courses I have taken because of its incredible real-world relevance, direct engagement with active professionals in their field, and connection to critical extremely relevant materials through our homework that directly tied to the subject material at hand.”
“Incredibly comprehensive, the best speakers you could ask for, and high quality presentations and coordination.”
With thanks to our sponsors
Title sponsors:
Program Session Sponsors:
Southwestern Water Conservation District