June 4 & 5: 2026 Conference on the Colorado River
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
8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Time)Ìý
Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom
Breakfast, Snack and Lunch provided daily
Attendee reception provided on Thurs, June 4th
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:ÌýScreening of The American Southwest.Ìý
This event requires a separate registration which can be found here.Ìý
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.Ìý
Session 2: Sustaining a Living River.ÌýRespecting 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.Ìý Ìý
Session 3: Living with Less on Farms and Ranches.ÌýIrrigated 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.Ìý
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.Ìý
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?Ìý 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.ÌýThis panel will examine recent efforts to improve inclusivity, and proposals for making problem-solving more proactive, transparent, and holistic.Ìý
Registration Rates Early Bird - Register prior to May 1, 2026
General (In person)Ìý Ìý Ìý$370
Remote Access OnlyÌý Ìý $170
Non-CU StudentÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $170
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (In person)ÌýÌýÌýÌý $25
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (Remote Only/Zoom)Ìý Ìý ÌýFree with BuffOne Card #
Registration Rates - Register on or after May 1, 2026
General (In person)Ìý Ìý Ìý$395
Remote Access OnlyÌý Ìý $195
Non-CU StudentÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý $195
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (In person)ÌýÌýÌýÌý $50
CU Faculty/Staff/Student (Remote Only/Zoom)Ìý Ìý ÌýFree 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.
Colorado CLE credits are pending.
Hotel Information
GWC has a hotel room block at the Residence Inn Canyon Blvd in Boulder from Wed, June 3rd - Sat, June 7th. 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.
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