Blog

June 4 & 5: 2026 Conference on the Colorado River

Annie Carlozzi — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:10:39 +0000

June 4 & 5: 2026 Conference on the Colorado River Annie Carlozzi Thu, 06/04/2026 - 09:10

The Colorado River:

Searching for Solutions in the Face of Uncertainty

The Colorado River is facing unprecedented change and uncertainty. Average annual flows continue to decline, and negotiations to craft post-2026 guidelines to manage the river have repeatedly bogged down over disagreements about delivery obligations, sharing shortages and mandatory conservation. While some clarity may emerge in the coming months, the ability to sustain many existing municipal and agricultural water users is already compromised. Meanwhile, there is growing recognition that a durable resolution must also address the water rights of sovereign Tribal nations and better integrate environmental values into river management. All sovereigns, stakeholders, and sectors must work together now more than ever to find solutions for short-term needs and long-term goals.

The Getches-Wilkinson Center and Water & Tribes Initiative will co-convene the 2026 Conference on the Colorado River at the Wolf Law Building in Boulder, CO.

Thursday, June 4th and Friday, June 5th
Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom

Thursday, June 4th
7:30-8am: Registration Opens and Light Breakfast
8am-5pm: Colorado River Conference
5-6:30pm: Reception for Registered Attendees

Friday, June 5th
7:30-8am: Registration Opens and Light Breakfast
8am-3pm: Colorado River Conference

Breakfast, Snack and Lunch provided daily
Free parking onsite. Parking details will be sent out the week of the conference.

We hope you join us for what will be sure to be an engaging 2-day conference bringing together thought leaders from across the Colorado Basin.

Conference Agenda (subject to change)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3

Public Event: Screening of The American Southwest.
This event requires a separate registration which can be found here.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4

Session 1: Climate & Hydrology: Expectations for an Ever-Shrinking Pie. Growing water shortages on the Colorado River system derive from a mismatch between supplies and human demands. While water managers can proactively manage demands, natural inflows to the basin are not easily manipulated, placing a premium on understanding trends and forecasts.

Session 2: Sustaining a Living River. Respecting and protecting the ecological lifeline of the Southwest is a formidable challenge given that existing laws and policies are largely designed to divert water out of the river and consumptively use it off-stream. This panel will highlight some emerging efforts to recover and sustain the Colorado as a living river.

Session 3: Living with Less on Farms and Ranches. Irrigated agriculture is the largest water use in the basin, and is where most of the current and projected curtailments are aimed. Although there have been some notable innovations already, more will be required to balance the basin’s water budget. This panel will highlight lessons learned from farms and ranches where adapting to less water is already underway.

Session 4. Designing Water Conservation Programs for the Future. Large-scale water conservation is essential to future management of the Colorado River, however, these efforts raise a host of legal, political and administrative challenges. This panel will reflect on lessons learned in prior conservation efforts, and identify suggestions for the design of more comprehensive and effective future programs.

FRIDAY, JUNE 5

Session 5: Status of the Post-2026 Guidelines. The process of developing the post-2026 operating guidelines remains an ongoing challenge. The basin’s four sets of sovereigns -- including federal and state governments, Tribal nations, and Mexico – along with multiple stakeholders have discussed a range of options to share water shortages, conserve water, and coordinate operations of Lake Powell/Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead/Hoover Dam. This series of panels will provide an update on the process of developing post-2026 guidelines, review the options under consideration, and reflect on the potential alternatives to a negotiated solution.

Session 6: Learning from the Process: How do we Do Better in the Future? As substantive negotiations over reservoir operations and conservation programs have languished, it’s worthwhile to think about what this says about the processes and traditions being relied upon to identify the needed solutions. This panel will examine recent efforts to improve inclusivity, and proposals for making problem-solving more proactive, transparent, and holistic.

Confirmed Speakers Bios and Headshots Can be Found HERE

Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Colorado River Indian Tribes
Amy Moyer, Colorado River Water Conservation District
Anne Castle, Getches-Wilkinson Center
Becky Mitchell, Upper Colorado River Commission
Brad Udall, Colorado State University
Carlos de la Parra, Centro Luken
Celene Hawkins, The Nature Conservancy
Chris Winter, Getches-Wilkinson Center
Daniel Anderson, Getches-Wilkinson Center
Daryl Vigil, Water & Tribes Initiative
David DeJong, Gila River Indian Community
Doug Kenney, Getches-Wilkinson Center
James Eklund, Taft Law
Jason Robison, University of Wyoming College of Law
Jay Weiner, Quechan Tribe Attorney
John Berggren, Western Resource Advocates
John Bezdek, CRIT Attorney
John Entsminger, Colorado River Commissioner for Nevada
Kathryn Sorensen, Kyl Center for Water Policy
Katrina Grantz, Bureau of Reclamation
Mark Squillace, Colorado Law School
Roger Fragua, Flower Hill Institute
Samantha Barncastle, Family Farm Alliance
Chairman Selwyn Whiteskunk, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
Scott Cameron, Bureau of Reclamation
Scott Campbell, The Freshwater Trust
Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, Gila River Indian Community
Tina Shields, Imperial Irrigation District
Zak Podmore, Author

Colorado CLE credits have been approved: 11 general credits and 1.20 EDI credits

REGISTER HERE

Registration Rates Early Bird - Register prior to May 1, 2026
General (In person) $370
Remote Access Only $170
Non-CU Student $170
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (In person) $25
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (Remote Only/Zoom) Free with BuffOne Card #

Registration Rates - Register on or after May 1, 2026
General (In person) $395
Remote Access Only $195
Non-CU Student $195
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (In person) $50
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (Remote Only/Zoom) Free with BuffOne Card #

Registration will close Thursday, May 28th (one week prior to the conference).
Registrants of all categories will be provided remote access.
No refunds will be offered after Friday, May 15th.

Conference reception, campus parking, and lunches/refreshments included with in person registration.

REGISTER HERE

Hotel Information

GWC has a hotel room block at the Residence Inn Canyon Blvd in Boulder from Wed, June 3rd - Sat, June 7th. Book your group rate for GWC26 The room block is available on a first come, first serve basis and is valid until Thurs, April 30th or until all rooms are filled.

Thank You to 2026 Conference Partners:

Water & Tribes Iniative Partners

Off

Traditional

White

June 3: The American Southwest Film Screening

Annie Carlozzi — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:37:48 +0000

June 3: The American Southwest Film Screening Annie Carlozzi Wed, 06/03/2026 - 10:37

The American Southwest Film Screening
Wednesday, June 3rd
6:00-7:30pm: Film Screening followed by Q&A with Filmmaker Len Necefer

On the eve of the 2026 Conference on the Colorado River, GWC, American Indian Law Program, Center of the American West and Center for Humanities & the Arts are pleased to invite the public to join us for an inspiring film and an engaging conversation with Filmmaker Len Necefer.

This is a free, in person event. Advanced registration is required.

REGISTER HERE

The American Southwest is a wild and unforgettable journey down the mighty Colorado River. Narrated by Quannah Chasinghorse, the film beautifully showcases the region’s abundant wildlife, confronts the ecological impacts of dams and river depletion, and boldly advocates for increased water and wildlife conservation. This Fin and Fur Films production travels through legendary landscapes from the perspective of some of the Southwest’s most charming characters—such as wetland-building beavers, bugling bull elk, and desert-adapted rattlesnakes.

Created in association with Natives Outdoors, The American Southwest highlights the region’s deep cultural history and the urgent need to manage the river more sustainably so that both wildlife and society can thrive.

Dr. Len Necefer, Ph.D. — Producer
Len Necefer is an Indigenous (Diné) scholar, filmmaker, and founder of NativesOutdoors, a media and advocacy collective focused on outdoor recreation, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Arizona. Raised between urban and reservation life, Len offers a distinctive perspective on environmental storytelling—rooted in scientific rigor, cultural knowledge, and lived experience. His work centers on building more inclusive narratives around public lands, water, and the future of conservation.

Off

Traditional

White

UPDATE: Colorado River Basin Storage Continues Slide Toward System Crash

Annie Carlozzi — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:39:02 +0000

UPDATE: Colorado River Basin Storage Continues Slide Toward System Crash Annie Carlozzi Mon, 06/01/2026 - 10:39

Anne Castle , Jack Schmidt , Eric Kuhn , Kathryn Sorensen , Katherine Tara

Stored water reserves in the Colorado River system continue to decline. The mismatch between natural supply and overall Basin water use is having the inevitable effect on Basin-wide storage. This paper analyzes the impact on storage in the system’s major reservoirs under two scenarios – a wet year and a dry one. Another dry year brings the system dangerously close to crashing (i.e., run-of-the-river operations), and a wet year provides only a temporary reprieve. Without significant reductions in use throughout the Basin, water users will no longer derive any benefit from the extensive and expensively-constructed Colorado River reservoir system, intended to bring reliable water supplies and associated prosperity to the southwestern United States.

Authors: Anne Castle, Jack Schmidt, Eric Kuhn, Kathryn Sorensen, and Katherine Tara

UPDATE: Colorado River Basin Storage Continues Slide Toward System Crash

Off

Traditional

White

Wind River Water Forum 2026

Annie Carlozzi — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:28:05 +0000

Wind River Water Forum 2026 Annie Carlozzi Thu, 05/14/2026 - 12:28

Daniel Anderson

On Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd, the Wind River Water Resource Control Board (WRWRCB), Gina Guy Center for Land and Water Law, and Getches-Wilkinson Center hosted the 2nd Annual Wind River Water Forum. Gathering at the Frank B. Wise Building in Fort Washakie, this year’s forum focused on water management issues and solutions led by the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho of Wind River Reservation. Attendees engaged throughout the forum, and both in-person and remote attendance was roughly four times that of last year’s inaugural Wind River Water Forum. One message rang clear from this year’s Wind River Water Forum: dedicated interest in responsible and thoughtful water management at Wind River Reservation is growing – starting first from the local community but also expanding to a diverse national audience.

Wind River Water Resource Control Board Panel

By 9AM on May 1st, there was standing room only as community members from Wind River Reservation, local non-profits, university researchers and students, government officials, and more packed in to hear from the Wind River Water Resource Control Board. Moderated by John Washakie, Former Deputy Tribal Water Engineer, and featuring Lokilo St. Clair, Tribal Water Engineer, and members of the WRWRCB, this panel discussed the key history and pressing issues for Tribal-led water management at Wind River Reservation. Topics during the panel, and the Q&A that followed, ranged from how the Tribal Water Engineer’s office strives to maintain and improve Tribal irrigation projects to efforts to collaborate with other Missouri River Valley Basin Tribal Nations on water management.

Community Organizations Panel

After moving to a larger conference room during the break, the second panel of the day featured several community-based organizations working on water-related projects at Wind River Reservation. Moderated by Dr. Tarissa Spoonhunter, Assistant Professor at the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and Director of the High Plains American Indian Resource Institute, the panel included Jason Baldes from the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, Colleen Friday from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Big Wind Carpenter from Wyoming Outdoor Council, Leslie Shakespeare from the Wind River Development Fund, and Darwin St. Clair III. The panelists shared how water intersects with their work, including the cultural connections between water and buffalo recovery, the importance of water investments to support Tribal governance, and ongoing threats to water quality at Wind River Reservation. The throughline from these presentations? The community understands that water is vital to the health, culture, and economy of Wind River Reservation – and they are working hard to protect the many values that flow from water.

Following a community lunch, the conference shifted to consider emergent proposals to address long-standing water management issues facing many Tribal Nations. Moderated by Daniel Anderson, Getches-Wilkinson Center Water Law Fellow, the panel featured presentations by Jason Robison, Carl M. Williams Professor of Law and Responsibility and Co-Director of the Gina Guy Center at the University of Wyoming College of Law, Alyson White Eagle, Tribal Water Institute Fellow at the Native American Rights Fund, and Bethany Aragon, Student Fellow at the Gina Guy Center and J.D./M.A. student at University of Wyoming. These presentations examined the interstices between the Federal Trust Responsibility, Tribal sovereignty, access to clean water, structural exclusion of Tribal Nations from interstate water compacts, and tools within the Clean Water Act available to Tribal Nations. Dialogue on legal considerations followed the presentations, including the panelists’ thoughts about ongoing global efforts led by indigenous peoples to recognize their relationships with – and the rights of – rivers.

Finally, the day ended with a keynote address from Representative Ivan Posey, Wyoming House District 33, who also serves as the Co-Chairman of the Select Committee on Tribal Relations. Representative Posey expressed his thoughts on the importance of balancing water use at the Wind River Reservation, as well as the need to continue advancing education about water rights and water management concerns within Wind River Reservation and beyond.

Washakie Reservoir

On the following morning, May 2^nd, attendees of the Wind River Water Forum toured key water infrastructure across the Wind River Reservation. This included stops at Washakie Reservoir, Bull Lake, the proposed site of Steamboat Reservoir, and Diversion Dam. Led by Howard Brown, WRWRCB member, and Gary Collins, Former Tribal Water Engineer, the group considered not only the infrastructural challenges, but also the potential opportunities to improve Tribal benefits from water infrastructure. Discussion topics also included protection of Tribal cultural resources and how to more closely align water management decisions with enduring Tribal water relationships at Wind River Reservation.

Tour group at the Lenore Bridge over the Wind River

Planning for the 3rd Annual Wind River Water Forum is currently underway. Feel free to reach out to Daniel Anderson (daniel.anderson-1@colorado.edu) with any thoughts or questions regarding next year’s water forum.

To access recordings of panel discussions from May 1st, please click here.

Off

Traditional

White

Reflections on Steve Bloch's Visit to Colorado Law

Annie Carlozzi — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:18:50 +0000

Reflections on Steve Bloch's Visit to Colorado Law Annie Carlozzi Thu, 04/23/2026 - 11:18

Andrea Shipton and Obie Johnson

On April 1st, thanks to the generous support of the Wyss Foundation, we had the opportunity to host Steve Bloch, legal director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (“SUWA”). SUWA is a non-profit organization that fights to defend Utah’s stunning redrock wilderness for the benefit of all Americans. Steve has worked at SUWA since 1999.

The inspiration to ask Steve to speak at Colorado Law came from the Advanced Natural Resources Seminar on the Colorado Plateau, which we both enrolled in during the spring of our 2L year. During that spring break, we spent ten days exploring the unique landscapes of Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, under the guidance of Professors Chris Winter and Mark Squillace. We met with numerous stakeholders, including tribal representatives, employees of federal land management agencies, and Neal Clark—Wildlands Director for SUWA, based in the Moab office. That trip really opened our eyes to all of the incredible work being done by public lands advocates in some of the most unique landscapes in our country. It certainly solidified our desire to use our legal degrees to fight for the lands, wildlife, and people of not only the Colorado Plateau, but the rest of the nation and even world as well.

During his visit, Steve spoke to us about the substance of his work at SUWA and his advice for students interested in non-profit environmental litigation. He spoke candidly yet optimistically about some of the most severe threats facing the Colorado Plateau right now—from proposals to sell off Utah’s public lands, to attacks on national monuments via the obscure Congressional Review Act, to stagnant grazing and other resource extraction fees set by the federal government. He also gave us a peek into his day-to-day life at SUWA and shared helpful advice for the many students in the room aspiring to work for an organization like SUWA after graduation. Having read the Supreme Court decision Norton v. SUWA at least three or four times during our law school careers, it was great to hear his perspective on a lawsuit he worked so closely on and a decision that has been so key in guiding administrative law jurisprudence ever since.

We are so pleased with how Steve Bloch’s visit went and would like to thank the Wyss Foundation, the Getches Wilkison Center, and Steve himself for making it all possible. With so much uncertainty right now surrounding federal public lands law, it was so reassuring to hear inspiring words from one of our public land’s greatest advocates.

Off

Traditional

White

Wind River Water Forum

Annie Carlozzi — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:35:22 +0000

Wind River Water Forum Annie Carlozzi Thu, 04/23/2026 - 09:35

Wind River Water Forum

May 1, 2026

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Community breakfast: 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.
Community lunch: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Frank B. Wise Building, Fort Washakie, WY

Join us for an in-depth discussion of water management issues facing Tribal Nations on the Wind River Reservation and elsewhere across the United States. More information coming soon!

For more information and to register: https://www.uwyo.edu/law/centers/center-for-land-and-water-law/events/wind-river-water-forum.html

Wind River Water Forum 2026 Agenda

Please join us, in person or over Zoom (registration link), for a Water Forum addressing the historical, current, and future water-management challenges facing the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Panel discussions among members of the Wind River Water Resources Control Board, as well as community-based organizations doing water-related projects on the reservation, will be featured alongside research presentations on water-management issues confronting Tribal Nations across the United States. An optional tour will also be offered to visit water infrastructure across the reservation.

Friday, May 1

The main portion of the Water Forum will be held on Friday, May 1, from 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at the Frank B. Wise Building in Fort Washakie (3 Ethete Road, Fort Washakie, WY 82514). In addition to our panels and keynote address, a community breakfast will be held from 8:00-9:00 a.m., followed by a community lunch from 12:30-1:30 p.m. In-person attendance is encouraged, and online attendance over Zoom is also welcomed (registration link).

8:00-9:00 a.m. MDT: Community Breakfast

9:00-9:30 a.m. MDT: Prayer & Introduction

James Trosper, Tribal Elder
Travis Shakespeare, Co-Chair, Wind River Water Resources Control Board (invited)
Orville St. Clair, Co-Chair, Wind River Water Resources Control Board (invited)

9:30-11:00 a.m. MDT: Wind River Water Resources Control Board (WRWRCB) Panel

This first panel, composed of Tribal Water Engineer Lokilo St. Clair and WRWRCB members, this first panel will discuss foundational aspects of water management on the Wind River Reservation, as well as cutting-edge issues the Board is now facing.
Moderator: John Washakie, Former Deputy Tribal Water Engineer (invited)
Panelists: Lokilo St. Clair, Tribal Water Engineer, and WRWRCB Members

11:00-11:15 a.m. MDT: Break

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MDT: Community Organizations Panel.

A host of community-based organizations are doing water-related work on the Wind River Reservation, and this second panel will shed light on several of these organizations and their respective projects.
Moderator: Dr. Tarissa Spoonhunter, Asst. Professor at Haub School of Env’t. and Natural Resources & Director of High Plains American Indian Research Institute, Univ. of Wyoming
Panelists:
- Jason Baldes, Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative
- Big Wind Carpenter, Wyoming Outdoor Council
- Colleen Friday, Greater Yellowstone Coalition
- Shila Aragon, Wind River Development Fund

12:30-1:30 p.m. MDT: Community Lunch

1:30-2:45 p.m. MDT: Beyond Wind River Panel

Tribal Nations across the United States are navigating challenges similar to, and different from, those facing the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, and this third panel will present research on some of these challenges, including their potential connections to future water management on the Wind River Reservation.
Moderator, Daniel Anderson, Water Law Fellow, Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment, University of Colorado Law School
Panelists:
- Bethany Aragon, Research Fellow, Gina Guy Center for Land & Water Law, University of Wyoming College of Law
- Jason Robison, Professor, University of Wyoming College of Law
- Alyson White Eagle, Tribal Water Institute Fellow, Native American Rights Fund

2:45-3:00 p.m. MDT: Break

3:00-3:30 p.m. MDT: Closing Keynote

Ivan Posey, Wyoming House District 33 Representative

Saturday, May 2

Led by past and present members of the Wind River Water Resources Control Board, including Richard Baldes, Gary Collins, and Howard Brown, an optional tour will be offered on Saturday, May 2, from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., involving site visits to water infrastructure across the reservation. The tour will depart from the Frank B. Wise Building in Fort Washakie (3 Ethete Road, Fort Washakie, WY 82514). Simple grab-and-go breakfast and lunch will be provided, and the tour will be followed by a debrief at the Wise Building from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Please fill out this form if you are interested in joining the tour.

8:00-8:15 a.m. MDT: Meet at Frank B. Wise Building + Load Vehicles

8:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MDT: Tour

Itinerary: Bull Lake, proposed Steamboat Reservoir project location, Diversion Dam/Wyoming Canal, Ray Lake, and Washakie Reservoir.

12:00-2:00 p.m. MDT: Debrief + Sack Lunch at Frank B. Wise Building

Off

Traditional

White

Andrea Shipton Receives Natural Resources Law Outstanding Student Award

Annie Carlozzi — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:22:06 +0000

Andrea Shipton Receives Natural Resources Law Outstanding Student Award Annie Carlozzi Mon, 04/20/2026 - 13:22

The GWC is thrilled to recognize Andrea Shipton as the winner of the 2026 Natural Resources Law Outstanding Student Award. Andrea won the prestigious Wyss Scholarship, which is awarded to an outstanding student who is dedicated to career in public interest land conservation. She served as the Managing Editor of the Colorado Environmental Law Journal, and she also led the adventure club.

GWC Chris Winter shared, "Andrea was in the field seminar last year, and I think I’ll always remember the Spotify listening parties in the long car rides. I won’t go into more details, but it was eye opening. But I’ll also remember her love for being outside, exploring, and connecting those experiences to the study of law and policy." Andrea, congratulations and thank you.

Off

Traditional

White

Patricia Alquiza Receives Gary Bryner Distinguished Service Award

Annie Carlozzi — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:05:56 +0000

Patricia Alquiza Receives Gary Bryner Distinguished Service Award Annie Carlozzi Mon, 04/20/2026 - 13:05

The GWC is thrilled to recognize Patricia Alquiza for this year’s Gary C. Bryner Distinguished Service award. Gary C. Bryner served as Director of what was then called the Natural Resources Law Center. He came to Colorado after a successful career as a Professor of Political Science at BYU, and while he left the Center’s Director position in 2001 he remained a regular presence at Center events, even serving a sabbatical year at the Center. Gary possessed two attributes that became the inspiration for the Bryner Award. First, he had a deep love and passion for the study of natural resources and he knowledgeably engaged people on a wide range of resource topics. What set Gary apart, however, was his deep sense of humanity, and his kindness and generosity toward others.

The Bryner Award honors a graduating student who shares Gary’s passion for natural resources law and especially his kindness and generosity to others and the deep sense of humanity that he practiced in his daily life.

We’re so pleased to recognize Patricia because she has brought a quiet strength, compassion, and grace to her work here at Colorado Law School. Chris Winter, GWC executive director shared, "I had the pleasure of spending 9 days with her during last year’s Advanced Natural Resources Field Seminar as we traveled across the Colorado Plateau. And I got to see how Patricia not only supported her friends on that trip, but also how she brought that same sense of caring and compassion to the natural world and especially the friendly dogs on the Hopi Reservation. For a second, I was afraid she was going to bring a couple of them with us on the rest of the trip." Patricia, thank you for everything you do.

Off

Traditional

White

GWC Welcomes New Water Law Fellow Tyanne Benallie

Annie Carlozzi — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:54:43 +0000

GWC Welcomes New Water Law Fellow Tyanne Benallie Annie Carlozzi Wed, 04/01/2026 - 15:54

Colorado Law is ranked seventh in the nation for environmental law with the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment (GWC) advancing its commitment to educating young leaders through the Water Law Fellows Program. Now in its fifth year, the program addresses the rising demand for thoughtful policy initiatives at all levels of government by training the next generation of outstanding leaders in sustainable water management, water law, and policy.

With the accelerated need to address extraordinary circumstances in an unprecedented era, Colorado Law and the GWC are uniquely situated as a premier pipeline of diverse future leaders in environmental and natural resources matters.

The Water Law Fellows Program is not just an educational experience — it’s a career accelerator. This intensive multidisciplinary program equips Fellows with the skills and knowledge to produce high-quality work that influences law reform in the public interest, setting them up for successful careers in environmental law and policy.

Fellows conduct reform-oriented research on the most pressing issues in their field and interact with public and private sector leaders to inform policymaking, all while under the mentorship of leading researchers. Colorado Law and the GWC are known for distinguished faculty, a long record of public service, an extraordinary body of research and an interdisciplinary curriculum that includes unique on-the-ground learning.

The Getches-Wilkinson Center is thrilled to announce that Tyanne Benallie will be joining the team as a Water Law Fellow in August 2026. Tyanne Benallie (Ty) is a member of the Diné Nation, born for the Tó’ahaní (Near the Water Clan) and born into Naashashí (Bear Clan), with family roots in the Bisti region (Checkerboard) of northwest New Mexico. Raised in Albuquerque, she developed an early appreciation for diverse cultures, which has led her to travel to 43 countries.

Ty holds a B.A. in Political Science from Fort Lewis College, with a minor in Spanish, and an M.A. in International Development and Social Change from Clark University. She has dedicated her career to working with resilient populations, bringing expertise in Indigenous capacity-building initiatives and policy across environmental, social, education, and health sectors. Her experience includes work in tribal communities, roles in Washington, D.C., and volunteer service in developing countries.

She will graduate with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of New Mexico School of Law in May 2026, along with dual certificates in Indian Law and Natural Resources and Environmental Law. Outside her studies and work, Ty enjoys traveling, running, hiking, skiing, ice skating, yoga, photography, writing, film, reading, music, and time with family. Ahé’héé.

Off

Traditional

White

Advanced Natural Resources Seminar Explores the Colorado Plateau

Annie Carlozzi — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:03:58 +0000

Advanced Natural Resources Seminar Explores the Colorado Plateau Annie Carlozzi Mon, 03/30/2026 - 14:03

Celeste Baro , Sydney Stellato

After an approximately seven-hour drive from Boulder, we arrived at Dugout Ranch and the Canyonlands Research Center, tucked deep within canyon country near Bears Ears National Monument and Canyonlands National Park. We spent our first night under a sky full of stars, and in the morning, we woke from our tents surrounded by towering orange and red rock formations.

That morning, we met with Matt and Kristen Redd, managers of the Dugout Ranch and Canyonlands Research Center. In 1997, The Nature Conservancy worked with the Redd family to purchase the Dugout Ranch, securing a major conservation win and protecting important lands and waters from development. Later, in 2009, The Nature Conservancy purchased the Dugout’s cattle herd for use as a research tool, and in 2010, a suite of partners formally launched the Canyonlands Research Center. Hearing about the ranch’s transformation into a living research laboratory showed us what collaborative conservation can look like in practice where ranching, science, and conservation all intersect.

While at the ranch, we also heard from Shaun Ketchum, a young Diné and Ute Mountain Ute leader and Director of the 100 Years of Silence Project. He shared the history behind the project, which seeks to illuminate a painful and little-known event in Ute history, when 80 Ute tribal members were rounded up and imprisoned in a barbed-wire camp near Blanding, Utah, based on false accusations. The project works to bring this history to light in order to promote public understanding and healing for Ute people.

We also hiked into Shay Canyon to view petroglyphs etched into the canyon walls. After our hike, we drove to Bluff, Utah, where we stayed for the night.

The following morning, we met Amanda Podmore, Conservation Director at the Grand Canyon Trust, for breakfast before heading out for a hike along Comb Ridge. There, we talked about the Trust’s work on Bears Ears National Monument, Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, and their broader public lands and tribal outreach efforts across the Colorado Plateau.

From there, we made our way to the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, where we stayed at the Grand Canyon Trust’s Kane Ranch. In September 2005, the Trust completed a historic transaction to purchase the grazing rights and base property of the Kane and Two-Mile Ranches in the heart of the Arizona Strip. Together, the ranches encompass 850,000 acres. Because current law requires that some cattle be grazed on the ranches, the Trust maintains a cattle operation while also carrying out an ambitious conservation program to assess and improve land health. They collect baseline data across different ecosystems—ponderosa pine forest, pinyon-juniper woodland, and wetlands—and track changes over time to guide restoration and management.

We spent the next two nights at Kane Ranch cooking meals together, wandering the fields, and watching the stars at night. During the day, we visited the proposed dam site in Marble Canyon and discussed ongoing Colorado River issues—water scarcity, drought, and the immense pressure placed on the river by the many communities and states that rely on it. We also drove to a condor viewing area, where we learned about the reintroduction of the California condor, an endangered species that once had a population of only about 20 individuals. Seeing condors soaring again over the canyon felt like a rare conservation success story. We also visited the White Sage Burn area and discussed pinyon-juniper management and changing fire regimes on the landscape.

The next morning, we drove to Page, Arizona, for a tour of Glen Canyon Dam with Bob Martin, Deputy Power Manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Authorized by the Colorado River Storage Project Act of 1956 and completed in 1963, Glen Canyon Dam was built to store water for Colorado River Compact requirements and generate hydroelectric power. Standing inside the dam, we talked about the future of Lake Powell and the very real possibility of the reservoir reaching “dead pool,” the level at which water can no longer flow through the dam, and even “power pool,” where hydropower generation would no longer be possible. These questions—about water storage, electricity, drought, and the ability of Upper Basin states to meet compact obligations—made clear just how much the modern West depends on this single river system.

After the tour, we continued to Tuba City, located on the border of the Navajo and Hopi reservations, reflecting on everything we had seen and learned over the past several days—about conservation, history, water, energy, and the many different people and communities connected to these landscapes.

Tuba City happened to be the city that Professor Krakoff began her career in American Indian Law, working for DNA People’s Legal Services for three years. We visited her home when she lived in Tuba City – an old Mormon settlement with tall poplar trees. We got to see Newspaper Rock – a popular site for petroglyphs from various historical tribes that used the rock to communicate with each other. We spoke with women from Change Labs – a non-profit working on giving resources to Native run businesses through providing business coaching, microloans, and a workspace for people to work out of. They work with all different types of businesses to help make sure that businesses on the reservation can thrive. This was complimented by a talk with Amber Benally and Ethan Aumack who highlighted the Grand Canyon Trust’s Just Transition Program focused on helping tribes that benefitted from coal mining to transition to non-extractive industries.

At Window Rock, the capital of the Navajo Nation, we spoke to Bidtah Becker, the Chief Legal Counsel for the President and Vice President, about current water rights settlements happening on the Colorado River, the Navajo Nation’s water settlement, and how the two are intertwined. We also got to speak with one of the Navajo Nation’s hydrologists who explained the science of the water settlement to us. Finally, we had lunch in town with Navajo tacos, a specialty on the Nation. We stopped by the home of Deon Ben, the Native America Director, who talked about his work with the Grand Canyon Trust and working on coalition building for Southwest Tribes, including the tribes work with establishing and managing nearby National Monuments. He also allowed us to see into his home, a modern day hogan. Hogans are traditional dwellings of the Navajo people. Being able to see him living and working on his families homestead was a privilege.

On Thursday, we left the Navajo Nation and went back into Colorado. We stayed in Ignasio, Colorado where we met with Lisa Yellow Eagle, and got to visit the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. We talked about the Southern Ute’s federally reserved water rights and the water projects that they and the BIA have on tribal property. Then we got to tour the Pine River Indian Irrigation Project (“PRITT”) and see the miles and miles of irrigation and canals that the tribe uses to get water. We discussed water settlements and how the water of Colorado has been used to support the tribe, and various economic avenues that the tribe has used to support itself. As an added benefit we got to see a bald eagle flying away!

Finally, we met with a former student of the seminar, who went on his own field seminar down by the Rio Grande when he attended Colorado Law. We had dinner with Dan McCarl who currently works for Maynes, Bradford, Shipps & Sheftel. He has worked with the DOJ in the Environment & Natural Resource Division and Western Energy Project and had a very nuanced view into how various aspects of American Indian Law, energy law, and water law coincide. He offered insight into how to be an attorney working from different avenues to help achieve our goals.

We spent the night in Pagosa Springs before driving back up to Boulder on Friday. After eight days of learning and being on the road we were very excited to be back at Colorado Law to be able to put everything we learned about into action!

Off

Traditional

White