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News and Updates

Educators Submerged in Western Rivers for a Week

7/1/2019

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​Fifteen educators from across Colorado convened for a River Ecology and Water in the West courses during the 3nd annual Western Rivers Teacher Workshops during the 2019 Western Colorado University's Summer Teacher Institute. In addition to five days of instruction in the field and classroom, participants learned to use ESRI story maps and Google My Maps to share special watershed topics and create walking field trip maps from their school. 
  • view Walking Field Trip Maps
  • view Watershed Topic Story Maps
Plans are underway for the 2020 Western Rivers Teacher Workshops at Western Colorado University. If you would like to be added to the educator alert email list, let us know, and we'll keep you up to date on upcoming registration deadlines.

River as Text: Ecology course

River Ecology course group
National Park Service park ranger gave us a history of Curecanti National Recreation Area
Studying aquatic macroinvertebrates
Our river classroom
conducting a stream flow survey
visiting Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery with Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Water in the West course

learning from Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District at Taylor Park Reservoir
Water in the West course group
watershed map
using primary sources
Curecanti National Recreation Area ranger sharing management issues
learning from maps
thoughtful discussions
learning from Bureau of Reclamation about Blue Mesa Dam and Aspinal Unit
Feedback from participants:
  • There were many hands on activities and outdoor experiences to support the learning of concepts about watersheds and the appropriation of water in the west. The variety of guest speakers: Bureau of Reclamation, Taylor River User Group, and the National Park Rangers greatly enhanced my knowledge and understanding.
  • The topics were all relevant and and useful to K-12 teachers. I loved that the class was mostly field experiences.
  • I loved the other participants, being outside, and learning about River Ecology.
  • This course helped me understand the value of the river and how much demand it has.
  • It was informative, helpful for lesson planning and hands on.
  • Information and activities were well-organized. Hands-on experiences that can be directly applied to the classroom. Knowledgeable leadership.
  • It was an outstanding experience! Thank you for all of the work you put into making this workshop meaningful for the broad range of participants. That's not an easy thing to do.
  • Sarah did a great job with these classes. It is always a challenge to meet the needs of every participant but she did a great job accommodating everyone involved.
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Seeing Things Whole: John Wesley Powell and an Understanding of the American West

10/8/2018

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Wednesday, November 14, 2018, 6pm, Pitkin County Building, Main Street, Aspen
Thursday, November 15, 6pm, Third Street Center, 520 S. Third Street, Carbondale

Join Grand Canyon rafting guide, paleontologist, and author Christa Sadler for her talk about John Wesley Powell the man, the scientist, the explorer and visionary policy-maker with excerpts from her new book “The Colorado” on Wednesday, November 14th at 6 pm at the Pitkin County Administration and Sheriff’s Office BOCC meeting room 530 E. Main Street in Aspen and again in Carbondale on November 15th at 6pm at the Third Street Center.  Free. Sponsored by Pitkin County Healthy Rivers and Wild Rose Education.
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Interviews with Christa
  • Aspen Public Radio Interview (7 min)
  • KDNK Valley Voices with Amy Hadden Marsh (25 min)
  • KDNK News (4 min)
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John Wesley Powell recognized inherent problems in our vision of settlement of the West more than a century ago, and his prescient ideas may help guide us into the future. Join author and river guide Christa Sadler as she discusses John Wesley Powell the man, the scientist, the explorer, and the visionary policy maker from her new book The Colorado, about the human relationship with the Colorado River Basin. 

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Although most people are familiar with John Wesley Powell as the intrepid one-armed Civil War veteran who became the first European to explore the canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers in 1869 and again in 1871-72, it is the work that Powell did following his epic journeys for which he truly should be famous. Powell understood the challenges of life in a land of little water like few others of his time, and his ideas for settlement of this region were visionary. As water becomes scarcer and more precious in the West, Powell’s ideas may provide valuable guidance for water managers at all levels in the coming decades. 

The Colorado River Basin is one of the driest river basins in the world, yet it has nonetheless birthed extraordinary landscapes and entire civilizations. The waters of this desert basin now support more than 40 million people—more than 10% of the country’s population depends in part or entirely on the waters of the Colorado River and its tributaries. The Colorado examines nine episodes in the history of our interaction with the Colorado River, from early prehistoric cultures to the Spanish explorations of the lower reaches of the river, the dam building frenzy of the early and middle 20th century, industrial agriculture and the current use of water throughout the region. This book provides important history and context to one of the country’s most important—and most endangered—watersheds. 

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AUTHOR BIO
As a rafting guide on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and elsewhere in the region, Christa Sadler has called the rivers of the Colorado River Basin home for more than three decades. She holds a Masters Degree in Earth sciences and paleontology from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor's Degree in physical anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley. Christa has been writing and teaching in the landscapes shaped by the Colorado River since 1988 and has published several books and articles about the region. She can be contacted at www.thisearthpress.com. ​​
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River Institute Inspires Teaching Through a Watershed Lens

7/7/2017

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The first annual Gunnison River Teacher Institute was a success! Western State Colorado University's Extended Studies Program and the Colorado Water Workshop collaborated to create the teacher institute.  Teachers participated from the Gunnison, South Platte, and Arkansas Basins. Through many hands-on interactive activities they learned how to incorporate watershed thinking into their curriculum to create relevant context and connections for their students.

The fast paced week long rigorous 3 graduate credit course included  tools for teaching western water management, river ecology, fisheries, and geography of the Colorado River Basin.  Field experiences included a hike to Morrow Point Reservoir and up East Elk Creek with Curecanti National Recreation Area, Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery tour, Spring Creek river ecology field day with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado Trout Unlimited, tour of Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, whitewater rafting on the Taylor River, and a visit to Coldharbour Ranch.

The second half of the week teachers participated in the 42nd annual Colorado Water Workshop conference engaging with water resource professionals from across Colorado learning about current water issues and innovative management strategies. Participating in the Gunnison River Festival was also included throughout the week including water trivia night, live music, and a celebration at the Gunnison Whitewater Park.

Learning all about watersheds and how they work

Institute Feedback from Participants

  • This course has motivated me to go from wanting to learn more about my own back yard to the actually doing.
  • Another thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. The class was wonderful.
  • Great info, speakers and field trips! 
  • Well thought out and planned. visiting Coldharbour was the perfect mix of "think" and "brain break" activities. So enjoyable!   Wow, I soaked in and thoroughly enjoyed the entire workshop. I wish we had more time to delve deeper. I look forward to building on to the new knowledge through possible future workshops.
  • I will use activities learning during the workshop in lesson plans for MS. Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems.
  • I will make my lessons more relative to CO water
  • I want more ‘at the river’ experiences
  • I am in Alaska now and much more observant of my surroundings because of the class.
  • I feel that everything was well planned out and packed to overflowing in order to get as much out of the course as possible; and I was still left wanting more. Maybe a two week course with more hands on projects to help solidify learning? 
  • The workshop was attended primarily for personal gain to broaden my general watershed knowledge. The information will be very useful as I become more involved in school and community projects regarding water. This course has encouraged and motivated me to want to be a more inquisitive person regarding my surroundings. I am so EXCITED to use the new skills learned to "play" in my own backyard. Thank you for that!

Reflection on the River Institute from Sarah Johnson, Instructor

View all story maps created by teacher participants and their feedback. 

The 2018 River Teacher Institute planning is underway and details will be announced in January 2018. Sign up here to get information about upcoming workshop details. 

A couple final videos from the week

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Creating Water Curriculum for Colorado's Giant National Geographic Map

11/10/2016

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Sarah was invited during the fall of 2016 to collaborate with the Colorado Geographic Alliance to create lessons and  curriculum using the new Colorado Giant Map. The lessons designed by Sarah focused on Colorado's rivers, watersheds, and the continental divide. This map will travel around the state to elementary and middle schools in coming years. Read more.
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  • Home
  • About
  • Workshops and Trainings
    • Curiosity and Wonder Project
    • Leave No Trace Trainer Course
    • Public Lands of the USA Course
  • Arctic
    • Arctic Girls Science
  • Climate Action
  • News
    • Arctic Ruminations
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    • Youth River Voices
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