Facilitated by Ruth Quade (NoCO Ecoscapes) with panelists Laura Wing (City of Thornton), Catherine Moravec (Colorado Springs Utilities), Bea Stratton (Denver Water)

As Colorado continues to face the impact of climate change, the need for more water-wise landscapes has become more apparent. This session will highlight three recent landscape conversion guides available to municipalities and water utilities. Attendees will hear about the development, features, and intended audience for each guide and be able to ask questions and have an open discussion about these guidebooks. We hope this will inspire you to incorporate these resources into your customer outreach plans.

Facilitated by Abbye Neel (Brendle Group) with panelists Hannah-Hunt Wander (Pitkin County Government), Nick Eagleson (Adams County Government), Scott Williamson (DOLA), Meryl Corbin (Sonoran Institute)

As water and land use planning advances throughout the State, this panel discussion will explore how local communities are navigating recent legislation requiring water elements in comprehensive plans with a focus on how communities are partnering with water-providers to make data driven decisions that support water efficiency and resilience regionally.

Facilitated by Austin Krcmarik (Denver Water) with panelists Jenna Battson (Colorado Water Conservation Board), Joshua Eldridge (Matrix Design Group), Ian Schillinger-Brokaw (Denver Parks and Recreation - Urban Ecology), Phil Segura (Denver Water)

Building on the 2023 Symposium sessions on nonfunctional turf mapping, this panel explores data-driven landscape transformation. State, city, utility, and design experts present remote sensing and data collection methods for design, monitoring, and evaluation of ongoing landscape transformation efforts.

Facilitated by Liesel Hans (Alliance for Water Efficiency) with panelists

With growing attention on mobile home parks in CO —resident rights, management, water quality—one key question remains: how do they use water? This session unveils the first comprehensive study of water use in this overlooked sector, revealing first-of-its-kind data on water use, efficiency, submetering, and equity challenges to shape future policies and programs.

Facilitated by Chelsea Benjamin (Western Resource Advocates) with panelists Austin Krcmarik (Denver Water), Tim York (Aurora Water)

This panel will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of artificial turf. Panelists will share research, and how artificial turf installation is trending in the Denver Water service area. Discussion will focus on when and where artificial turf can make sense and considerations for shaping artificial turf policy.

Presented by Michelle Erickson (City of Loveland)

The City of Loveland will share their journey in performing annual M36 water loss audits, sharing the types of errors found, the lessons they learned and how performing these audits have helped their utility to better track water usage and reduce non-revenue water.

Facilitated by Rose Sandell (Eagle River Coalition) with panelists Laura Bohannon (Eagle County Conservation District), Allegra Waterman Snow (Eagle County Conservation District), Denyse Schrenker (CSU Extension Eagle County)

It's time for Coloradans to move Beyond Lawn. But how does a community with limited resources and multiple water districts develop a program that promotes water conservation and enhances ecosystem health?

Facilitated by Laura Belanger (Western Resource Advocates) with panelists Sean McDermott (Fort Lupton, CO), Rick Schultz (Castle Rock Water), Susan Carter (City of Grand Junction, CO), Jason Naughtin (Norris Design)

In 2024, Colorado passed SB-005, prohibiting nonfunctional turf, artificial turf, and invasive species on new commercial properties by 2026. This session will share resources for communities updating their codes, as well as insights from community panelists who will share their own experiences and strategies to limit turf and promote waterwise landscaping.

Presented by Victoria Arling (WaterNow Alliance) and Claire Sheridan (One Water Econ)

Colorado water providers are beginning to invest in sustainable watershed health and wildfire management strategies, such as habitat restoration and prescribed fire. To support elevated investment in these nature-based solutions, WaterNow Alliance, One Water Econ, and The Water Center at Penn developed the Colorado Wildfire Resilience Financing Dashboard—a tool for water providers that evaluates the feasibility of financing watershed health practices and helps make a compelling business case for these investments. This presentation will be an interactive, real-time demonstration of the decision tool.

Presented by Donny Roush (Colorado Watershed Assembly) and Casey Davenhill (Colorado Watershed Assembly)

How old will you be in 2050? A child born today will be an adult by 2050, the year the Colorado Water Plan is to be fully implemented. To deepen water literacy for young Coloradans, we have built a quality control system for water education. Over the next 5 years, we will identify 100 "Water Education Exemplars" and train 35 youth evaluators.

Presented by Ross Shrigley (Plant Select)

This presentation explores cutting-edge advancements in the horticultural supply chain that enhance water efficiency from production to planting. Discover how innovative technology is optimizing nursery operations, reducing water waste, and expanding the availability of climate-adapted, biodiverse plant selections, ensuring a more sustainable and vibrant future for Colorado’s landscapes.