South Platte Forum Celebrates 20 Years with a Look Back, Forward

The 20th annual South Platte River Forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Radisson Conference Center in Longmont. The forum, “1989 to 2029: A River Odyssey,” will review the past 20 years and examine the future of water law, biological, agricultural and hydrological issues in the South Platte Basin.
 

The first day of the forum will include a history and overview of the South Platte, plus a review of the legal issues surrounding the river. Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory Dobbs is among the panelists.
 

Chips Barry of Denver Water will be the keynote speaker on Wednesday. Also, the Friends of the South Platte award will be presented at a noon luncheon to Nolan Doesken, Colorado State Climatologist.
 

The afternoon sessions will be devoted to biological and hydrological issues, conservation of native fishes and Colorado’s instream flow program.
 

Day two of the forum includes a series of presentations on water planning and education, and the future of the South Platte. The keynote speaker on Thursday will be Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer.
 

The South Platte River begins in the mountains near Fairplay, Colo., flows through Denver and then continues eastward into Nebraska, joining the North Platte River near the town of North Platte, Neb.
 

The South Platte Forum is sponsored by Colorado State University Extension, Aurora Water, Denver Water, Northern Water, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Water Institute, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, Parker Water and Sanitation District, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey.
 

Registration is available at the door for $115 per person. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.southplatteforum.org or contact Jennifer Brown at (402) 960-3670 or Jennifer@jjbrown.com.
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