2025 Confluence Agenda
9:40 am – 10:40 am
Alternatives to the Big T
Declining availability of shares in the Big Thompson Project mean massive changes in how municipalities are procuring water for development. Projects such as Cobb Lake, Terry Bison Ranch and Firestone’s acquisition of native water signal a shift in approach. What is the extent of this trend, and what does it mean for growth and development in these communities?
Moderator: Adam Jokerst, Rocky Mountain Regional Director, WestWater Research; Amber Kauffman, District Manager, Little Thompson Water District; Grant Tupper, Director of Operations, Rocky Mountain Region, Select Water Resources; Brent Waller, President and Partner, FrontRange H2O
10:50 am – 11:50 am
Thirsty Neighbors
Communities in the Denver metropolitan area increasingly are looking north for water. From Thornton to Castle Rock, Aurora to Parker, Denver-area municipalities are acquiring land and water rights from Northern Colorado. What has been the extent of these acquisitions, and how will these purchases affect the ability of communities and industry to grow in Northern Colorado?
Moderator: Kristin Todd, President and CEO, NoCo Foundation; Sean Cronin, Executive Director, St. Vrain & Left Hand Water Conservancy; Lucy Harrington, Senior Regulatory Specialist and Project Manager, GEI; Patrick Wells, Water Strategy Specialist, Northern Water; Cassidy White, Research Associate, WestWater Research
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
The Trump Effect
A new administration in Washington, D.C., promises dramatic changes in many policy areas. What will these shifts mean for water projects and supply, particularly due to agricultural and energy policies, and how will opposition to climate research and funding affect the region’s climate-tech sector?
Mark Eiswerth, Professor/Economics, University of Northern Colorado; Julie Murphy, Natural Research Policy Advisor, Tri-State Generation & Transmission; Dan Powers, Executive Director, CO-LABS
1:10 pm – 2:10 pm
Colorado River: Spending Out of Trouble
Some cities and states that face cuts in Colorado River allocations are moving aggressively to invest in infrastructure to help address potential loss of water, including more storage, capturing seasonal runoff and wastewater recycling. What policy-level avenues being tried elsewhere might work along the Front Range, and how seriously are area municipalities and other water users exploring those options?
Moderator & Speaker: Alex Hager, Reporter, KUNC; Sean Chambers, Director, Greeley Sewer & Water; James Eklund, Member, Sherman & Howard; Joe Taddeucci, Director of Public Works, City of Boulder
2:20 pm – 3:20 pm
The Bright Side
Not all is doom and gloom on the water front. Prices for some water sources have actually flattened, if not fallen, in recent years, along with the cost of storage. Some industrial users are working with environmentalists to keep water in the region’s rivers, and some developers are working to maintain highly productive agricultural land in production. Several communities have joined to form the Cobb Lake Regional Water Treatment Authority. What are some of the positives that are occurring, and how is the region poised from an economic-development perspective in comparison with other metro areas in the West?
Moderator: Chris Matkins, Principal, Ally Utility Consulting; Kate Ryan, Executive Director, Sr. Staff Attorney, Colorado Water Trust; Robert Sakata, Ag Water Policy Advisor, Colorado Department of Agriculture/Sakata Farms; Karen Schlatter, Interim Director, Colorado Water Center
