Western States Water Council

USGS – Water Programs and the National Water Census
2015-09-24 00:00 (America/Denver)
WestFAST members and webinar participants reviewed selected USGS Water Resources Programs with focus on the National Water Census . Pixie Hamiliton, USGS Cooperative Water Program National Coordinator and Sonja Jones, USGS Water Census Programs, led the discussion which included an overview of the USGS Water Availability and Science Program. Click here to find webinar presentation materials.

(2015) 14th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2015-08-25 08:00 - 2015-08-27 18:00
2015 NARF Symposium on Indian Water Rights Settlements

The Western States Water Council and the Native American Rights Fund held their fourteenth Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims on August 25-27, at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada. The Symposium began on Tuesday, August 25, at 8:30 a.m. and continued throughout the day, with an evening reception. Discussions continued through the morning of August 26, followed by a review of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe’s settlement, a field trip to view the settlement features along the Truckee River, and a dinner hosted by the Tribe at Pyramid Lake, 40 miles from Reno. The Symposium concluded on August 27 at noon, after a morning discussion panel.
Agenda
PowerPoint Presentations:
NEGOTIATION OF INDIAN WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS: THE BASICS
Gathering Background Information and the Role of Technicians in Negotiations
Tom Paul, Deputy Director, Oregon Water Resources Department
Gerald Lunak, Director, Natural Resources Department, Blackfeet Tribe
Doug Oellermann, Deputy Program Manager, Bureau of Reclamation
Identifying Parties and Issues and How Negotiations Bind Larger Groups
Michael Bogert, Attorney, Parsons Behle & Latimer
PRESENTATION
Kiel Weaver, Majority Staff, House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans
THE ADMINISTRATION’S SETTLEMENT POLICY
Belin and Williams Presentation
Letty Belin, Senior Counselor to the Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior
Pamela Williams, Director, Secretary’s Indian Water Rights Office, Department of the Interior
Response Panel
Kenneth McDarment, Vice-Chairman, Tule River Tribe
DESCRIPTION OF THE PYRAMID LAKE PAIUTE TRIBE’S WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
Jason King, Nevada State Engineer, Nevada Division of Water Resources
Vinton Hawley, Chairman, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Terri Edwards, Lahontan Basin Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation

NASA – Watching Water in the West: An Overview of NASA Missions and Applied Science for Water Resources Management
2015-08-20 00:00
Dr. Bradley Doorn and Forrest Melton from the NASA Applied Sciences program provided an overview of NASA satellite and airborne missions relevant to water resources monitoring and management in the western US. They also presented highlights from NASA’s portfolio of applied science activities that are focused on applying NASA’s remote sensing capabilities to support advances in water resources management. Click here to view presentation slides.

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Collaborations in “Challenge & Prize Competition” Programs for Priority Water Resource Solutions
2015-07-29 00:00
Challenge and prize competitions are one path that federal agencies are taking to drive innovation and solve mission-centric problems. More than 425 challenges have been run in the Federal government since 2010. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is participating, in collaboration with other WestFAST agencies, in several water-resource challenge and prize competitions including solutions in brackish water desalination, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and water availability. Chuck Hennig, Deputy Chief of the Research and Development Office, Denver Colorado, will lead a presentation and discussion on Reclamation’s involvement in challenge and prize competitions toward helping solve critical water and water-related resource problems facing our Nation.
Find presentation materials here.
Here are some additional links on the our webinar topic –

Bloomberg News Video about the Desal Prize Competition
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-04-24/burning-man-for-water-geeks

GSA Video (the agency that provides us with Challenge.gov) Overview of 4 Years of Prize Competitions on Challenge.gov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YryUplWQDR0

Our Water Prize Competition Center crowd sourcing pavilion:
https://www.innocentive.com/ar/challenge/browse?pavilionName=Water&pavilionId=1942&source=pavilion

Our Water Prize Competition webpage:
http://www.usbr.gov/research/challenges/
Challenges Celebrates 4 Years – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YryUplWQDR0&authuser=0

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region, Reclamation Water Operations: How does it all work?
2015-06-25 00:00
Malcolm Wilson, Chief of the Water Resources Group for Reclamation’s Upper Colorado Region will brief WestFAST on operations of the Upper Colorado Basin system and how Reclamation engages with state and local water users and other federal agencies in their water delivery. Malcolm’s Presentation (.pdf) ~2MB

(2015) WSWC/CDWR Workshop on Sub-Seasonal and Seasonal Precipitation Forecasting
2015-05-27 08:00 - 2015-05-29 18:00
WSWC/CDWR Workshop on Sub-Seasonal and Seasonal Precipitation Forecasting

The Western States Water Council and the California Department of Water Resources cosponsored a workshop on precipitation forecasting held May 27-29, 2015 in San Diego, California.
REPORT: Workshop on Improving Sub-Seasonal and Seasonal Precipitation Forecasting for Drought Preparedness
WORKSHOP PURPOSE: The purpose of the workshop was to develop a Western vision for improving precipitation forecasting at timescales beyond the two-week weather forecast time domain, loosely modeled after the Council’s vision for an observing network for Western extreme precipitation. Improved forecasts of precipitation at longer timescales can be used for many purposes, such as interstate compact or water rights administration, planning for local water agency supply deliveries, or flood season preparedness. Forecasting needs vary not only with the purpose of a forecast, but also with geographic location, because the seasonal pattern of storm activity and large storm types varies with location. Improved skill in precipitation forecasting can be achieved by improving prediction of large storm types, such as atmospheric rivers on the West Coast or the monsoon in the Southwest.
A workshop summary report will be prepared, with the intent of using the report to inform a dialog with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center on taking advantage of prediction skill that may be available at a regional (Western) scale to improve the outlooks now issued at a national scale. The workshop’s ultimate goal is to advance the Council’s position calling on the federal government to improve precipitation forecasting.

AGENDA: Improving Sub-Seasonal and Seasonal Precipitation Forecasting
PRESENTATIONS:
May 27, 2015
Opening Remarks, Jeanine Jones, Interstate Resources Manager, California Department of Water Resources (CDWR)
NOAA’s California Drought Service Assessment, Kevin Werner, Western Regional Climate Services Director, NOAA
Activities of NOAA’s NWS Climate Prediction Center, Jon Gottschalck, Chief, Operational Prediction Branch, Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
The National Weather Service: Western Region Perspective, Grant Cooper, Director, Western Region National Weather Service (NWS)
Forecasting Needs of NWS River Forecast Centers (RFCs) and Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs)
NOAA’s NWS California-Nevada River Forecast Center, Rob Hartman, Hydrologist in Charge
Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, John Lhotak, Development and Operations Hydrologist
San Diego Weather Forecast Office, Roger Pierce, Meteorologist
May 28, 2015
NOAA’s Research Program
Improving Seasonal-to-Decadal Climate Understanding and Prediction, V. “Ram” Ramaswamy, Director
Regional-Scale Research Projects
Building an Atmospheric Rivers Catalog Using Big Data Approach, Soroosh Sorooshian, Distinguished Professor, University of California (UC) at Irvine
Conditioning an Analog Years Database, Amir Aghakouchak, Assistant Professor, UC Irvine
Probabilistic Seasonal Predictin of Drought using Long-Term Precipitation and Temperature Data, Ali Behrangi, Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Western State Climatologists Perspectives on Precipitation Forecasting
Seasonal Forecasting – California Perspectives, Mike Anderson, State Climatologist, CDWR
Oregon’s Drought and Seasonal Forecasting, Kathie Dello, Associate Director, Climate Change Research Institute, Oregon State University
Perspectives in Sub-Seasonal and Seasonal Forecasts in New Mexico, David DuBois, State Climatologist, New Mexico State University
NOAA’s Research Programs
Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections Program, Dan Barrie, Program Manager, NOAA’s Climate Program Office
Forecasting Needs and Water Agency Perspectives – Drought Preparedness and Response
Will it Rain in Texas?, Robert Mace, Deputy Executive Administrator, Texas Water Development Board
Drought-Proofing Oklahoma: Forecasting Needs, J.D. Strong, Executive Director, Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Needs for Seasonal Precipitation Forecasting: California Perspective, Jeanine Jones, Interstate Resources Manager, CDWR
New Mexico Perspective, John Longworth Statewide Projects Manager, New Mexico Office of the State Engineer
Double-edged Swords, James Rufo-Hill, Climate Resilience Advisor, Seattle Public Utilities
Benefits of Improved Long Range Weather Outlooks to the Salt River Project, Charlie Ester, Manager, Water Resource Operations, Salt River Project
May 29, 2015
Forecasting Needs and Water Agency Perspectives – (Cont’d)
Prediction Needs of a Complicated River, Eric Kuhn, Secretary/General Manager, Colorado River Water Conservation District
Potential Applications – Reservoir Operations
Reservoir Operations – Missouri Basin, Tim Davis, Administrator, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
Upper Colorado River Basin Reservoir Operations, Don Ostler, Executive Director, Upper Colorado River Commission
Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations – An Opportunity to Improve the Resiliency of our Water Supply, Jay Jasperse, Chief Engineer, Sonoma County Water Agency
Forecast-Coordinated Operations & Forecast-Informed Operations for Central Valley Reservoirs, Boone Lek, Senior Water Resources Engineer, CDWR

Western State Water Resources: Planning, Policy and Appropriation
2015-05-21 00:00
Tony Willardson, Executive Director of the Western States Water Council presented WestFAST member and others with an overview of water allocation approaches and policies in western states. The Webinar was co-sponsored with WestFAST by the Western Regional Partnership’s Natural Resources Committee. The WRP provides a proactive and collaborative framework for senior-policy level Federal, State and Tribal leadership to identify common goals and emerging issues in the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah and to develop solutions that support WRP Partners and protect natural resources, while promoting sustainability, homeland security and military readiness.
Mr. Willardson presented

An overview of the WSWC mission
Information on the varying approaches to water right allocation in western states (with focus on the states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah) and western states’ concepts of water supply and availability

You can view the presentation at this link.

Selected Federal Activities on Hydraulic Fracturing
2015-04-30 00:00
Briefing on three water-resource assessment areas on unconventional oil and gas development activities:

EPA study of potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources: Jeanne Briskin (briskin.jeanne@epa.gov), Hydraulic Fracturing Research Coordinator, EPA Office of Research and Development (Click to view presentation)
Trends in water quality in areas of unconventional oil and gas development – Watershed/surface-water resources, Zach Bowen (bowenz@usgs.gov) Ecosystem Dynamics Branch, USGS Fort Collins Science Center (Click to view presentation)
Injection induced earthquakes, Bill Ellsworth (ellsworth@usgs.gov), USGS Earthquake Science Center Staff Director (Click to view presentation)

Links to discussed publications and products
EPA’s Homepage for the study of potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources
Gallegos, T.J., and Varela, B.A., 2015, Trends in hydraulic fracturing distributions and treatment fluids, additives, proppants, and water volumes applied to wells drilled in the United States from 1947 through 2010—Data analysis and comparison to the literature: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2014–5131, 15 p.,
Gallegos, T.J., and Varela, B.A., 2015, Data regarding hydraulic fracturing distributions and treatment fluids, additives, proppants, and water volumes applied to wells drilled in the United States from 1947 through 2010: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 868, 11 p
W. L. Ellsworth, Injection Induced Earthquakes, Science 341, 1225942 (2013).
DOI: 10.1126/science.1225942

Open Water Data
2015-03-26 00:00
Briefing on activities of the ACWI Subcommittee on Spatial Water Data (SSWD) and the Drought Use Case Work Group. Al Rea, USGS/SSWD and Angela Adams, Reclamation Lower Colorado, Special Assistant to the Regional Director presented. (Links to SSWD presentation)

NRCS Snow Survey, Water Supply Program, and the Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN)
2015-02-26 00:00
Mike Strobel (WestFAST), Director of NRCS’s National Water and Climate Center in Portland, Oregon will be our presented. (Link to webinar presentation)

NIDIS – The Next Generation
2015-01-29 00:00
Roger Pulwarty (WestFAST), Director, National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and Kevin Werner (WestFAST), NOAA National Climate Data Center Western Regional Climate Services Director presented NIDIS accomplishments and future directions. (Link to webinar presentation)

(2012) Annual Water Management Symposium – Western State Water Resources Infrastructure Needs and Strategies
2014-11-14 08:00 - 2014-11-16 18:00
2012 Annual Water Management Symposium – Western State Water Resources Infrastructure Needs and Strategies

Phoenix, Arizona
November 14-16, 2012
Agenda

Wednesday, November 14
Arizona’s Water Future: Infrastructure Financing and Conservation
Melanie Ford, Technical Program Supervisor, Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority
Brad Hill, Utilities Director, City of Flagstaff
Dennis Rule, Manager, Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District
Guy Carpenter, Vice President, Carollo Engineers
Water Needs for the Sun Corridor
Grady Gammage, Senior Fellow, Morrison Institute, Arizona State University
Western State Water Resources Infrastructure Projects, Programs & Funding
Derek Sandison, Director, Washington State Department of Ecology’s Office of Columbia River
Brian Patton, Bureau Chief, Idaho Water Resources Board
Eric Millis, Deputy Director, Utah Division of Water Resources
Adele Basham, Bureau Chief, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
Sue Lowry, Wyoming, Interstate Streams Administrator, State Engineer’s Office
Scott Verhines, New Mexico State Engineer/Blue Ribbon Commission Member
Dave Templeton, Director, South Dakota Division of Technical and Financial Assistance
Scott Verhines, New Mexico State Engineer/Blue Ribbon Commission Member
Thursday, November 15
Western State Water Resources Infrastructure Projects, Programs & Funding (cont’d)
Tracy Streeter, Director, Kansas Water Office
Steve Gaul, Comprehensive Planning Coordinator, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources
Melanie Callahan, Executive Administrator, Texas Water Development Board
J.D. Strong, Executive Director, Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Construction Innovations: Better, Faster & Smarter
Chitra Foster and John Awezec, (combined presentation)
Chitra Foster, Associate, Southern California Area Manager, CDM Smith
John Awezec, Alternative Delivery Director, Water Business Group, HDR
Friday, November 16
Integrated Water Resources Management: Infrastructure Needs and Streamlining Regulatory Requirements
Dave Palumbo, Deputy Regional Director, Lower Colorado Region, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
James Hannon, Chief, Operations and Regulatory Community of Practice, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Public/Private Sector Roles in Financing/Building Projects
Shawn Dralle, Managing Director, RBC Capital Markets
Daniel Ferons, General Manager, Santa Margarita Water District Board
David Pitcher, Assistant General Manager/Chief Engineer, Central Utah Water Conservancy District
Bruce Moore, Acting Director of Surface Water Resources, Las Vegas Valley Water District

(2014) Remote Sensing Applications Workshop
2014-08-25 08:00 - 2014-08-27 18:00
Remote Sensing Applications Workshop

The Council and NASA organized a workshop that was held on August 25-27, 2014 at the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, to exchange information about opportunities and challenges associated with use of remote sensing applications to support water management. The workshop began at 1:00 on Monday the 25th and concluded at noon on Wednesday the 27th. The event included a tour of JPL’s Earth Science Center, Space Flight Operations Facility, and Mars Yard. The Mars Yard is a simulated Martian landscape used by researchers to test different robotic prototypes, such as the Mars rovers. (See this website (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/interactives/photosynth/) for images of the Mars Yard.) Cameras are permitted on the facility.
The workshop provided an opportunity for NASA to brief Council members on current and emerging observations and research activities that may have applicability to Western water, and for Council members to discuss needs for research and continuity of observations with NASA. Topics covered included: status of Landsat program continuity, observing snowpack, mapping land subsidence with radar imagery, mapping fallowed agricultural lands, and observing extreme precipitation/atmospheric river storms.
The Council advocated vigorously (and successfully) for inclusion of a thermal infrared sensor on Landsat 8, launched in 2013, so member states such as Idaho could continue using remotely sensed data for water rights administration. Language in the 2014 Senate Appropriations Committee budget bill for NASA directs NASA to immediately start working on Landsat 9, at a cost not to exceed $650 million.
AGENDA: JPL Meeting Agenda
PRESENTATIONS: (Permission has been received to share the following presentations.)
NASA Earth and Applied Science – Brad Doorn, Program Manager, Water Resources Program, NASA
Landsat 8 Mission Status – Jeff Masek, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Mapping Snow from the Air – Tom Painter, Scientist, NASA JPL
Mapping Fallowed Areas – Forrest Melton, Senior Research Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
Monitoring Water Infrastructure – Cathleen Jones, NASA JPL
Mapping Land Subsidence using Satellites – Tom Farr, NASA JPL
Monitoring Subsidence in Arizona – Brian Conway, Arizona Department of Water Resources
Atmospheric Rivers and Sub-seasonal Forecasting – Duane Waliser, Chief Scientist, Earth Sciences & Technology, NASA JPL
GPS Inference of Soil Moisture – Kristine Larson, Professor, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado
Overview of Water Resource Applications – John Bolten, Physical Scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Exploring Remote Sensing Options for Water Management in Montana – Tim Davis, Administrator, Water Resources Division, MT Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
Using Remote Sensing for Irrigation Water Use – Mindy Conyers, Program Specialist, Texas Water Development Board
Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission – Dara Entekhabi, Director, Earth System Initiative, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Evapotranspiration (ET) Advances in Airborne and Satellite Technology – Josh Fisher, NASA JPL
NASA/Indian Space Research Organization Synthetic Aperture Radar (NI-SAR) Mission – Paul Rosen, NASA JPL

(2014) Hydroclimate Monitoring Systems and Measurement Needs Workshop
2014-06-23 08:00 - 2014-06-25 18:00
Workshop on Hydroclimate Monitoring Systems and Measurement Needs

The Western States Water Council and the California Department of Water Resources are cosponsoring a workshop to discuss strategies for supporting and improving key observing systems, to be held in San Diego on June 23-25, 2014. The workshop will begin Monday, June 23 at 1:00 pm and conclude Wednesday, June 25 by 12 noon. Topics to be covered include an overview of the funding status of key federal monitoring programs, development of a 21st century observing system for extreme precipitation in the West, emerging opportunities for supplementing ground-based observations with remote sensing, and strategic planning for sustaining long-term observing records.
LOCATION/LODGING: A block of rooms has been reserved and will be held through June 2, 2014. Please contact the Doubletree San Diego Downtown reservations department directly at ( 619) 239-6800, or central reservations at (800) 222-TREE, and announce the Western States Water Council room block. You may also make reservations online at: http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/S/SANDWDT-WSW-20140620/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG. Reservations are subject to availability at the time of booking. Room rates will apply three (3) days before and after the meeting, subject to availability. Reservations received after the cutoff date of June 2, 2014 will be confirmed on a room availability basis at the rate in effect at the time of the request. Reservations must be made by the June 2nd deadline to obtain the rate of $110 single or double occupancy.
Please note: The Hotel maintains a forty-eight (48) hour cancellation policy for individual guest room reservations.
COMPLIMENTARY AIRPORT SHUTTLE: The Doubletree San Diego Downtown offers complimentary airport shuttle. Call the hotel directly at 619-239-6800 from the airport after luggage pick up, or confirm airline and arrival time in advance. To return to the airport, make a reservation with the Concierge or Front Desk. the airport shuttle arrives at the front entrance and departs every thirty (30) minutes.
Agenda CDWR-WSWC Hydroclimate Monitoring Workshop
Powerpoint Presentations
Monday – June 23rd
USGS Surface and Groundwater Monitoring Networks – Jerad Bales – USGS Chief Scientist for Water
External Perspectives on USGS Budget & Fiscal Constraints – Sue Lowry (Prezi Presentation) – Wyoming State Engineer’s Office, Interstate Streams Administrator
State Surface and Groundwater Monitoring Networks – Brian Dunnigan – Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Director
State Surface and Groundwater Monitoring Networks – Ken Stahr – Oregon Water Resources Department, Hydrographics Manager
USDA NRCS Snotel Network – Mike Strobel – National Water & Climate Center, Director
CDWR Perspective on Use of Remote Sensing for Snow Measurement – Frank Gehrke – CDWR, Chief, Cooperative Snow Surveys
Unmet Monitoring Needs in the Upper Midwest/Missouri River Basin – Dennis Todey – South Dakota State Climatologist (remote presentation)

Tuesday – June 24th
Overview of NOAA Observing Systems and Budgets

Hilawe Semunegus – NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
John Murphy – National Weather Service (NWS) Observing Systems Portfolio
Howard Diamond – NESDIS Climate Reference Network
Matthew Menne – NESDIS Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily
Chris Sabine – Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)

Perspectives on Precipitation Observations

Mike Anderson – California State Climatologist
Nolan Doesken – Colorado State Climatologist
Roger Pierce – San Diego National Weather Service, Meteorologist

Synthesizing Observations: A Western Observing Systems Vision

Marty Ralph – Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Director, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E)
Mike Anderson – CDWR, State Climatologist
Scott Sellars – University of California, Irvine, Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing, Ph.D. Candidate

Landsat & Follow-On Missions: Water Use Applications and Their Value

Tony Freeman – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Manager, Innovation Foundry
Tim Newman – USGS Land Remote Sensing Program Coordinator (remote presentation)
Lee Johnson – CSUMB/NASA Ames Research Center, Senior Research Scientist
Tony Morse – Retired, Idaho Department of Water Resources
Sue Lowry – Wyoming State Engineer’s Office, Interstate Streams Administrator

Wednesday, June 25th
Strategic Planning for Maintaining Long-Term Observing Records

Tony Willardson – WSWC, Executive Director
Jonathan Kennen – USGS, National Water Census
Dwane Young – EPA Senior Data Advisor/WestFAST Water Data Work Group Lead (remote presentation)
Chris Lowry – Hach Hydromet, Director of Sales & Service

(2013) 13th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2013-08-13 08:00 - 2013-08-15 18:00
Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims Symposium – Presentations

SYMPOSIUM
ON THE
SETTLEMENT OF INDIAN RESERVED WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS
AGENDA
MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2013
5:00 – 7:00 pm Early Registration
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2013
7:00 am Registration
8:30 am WELCOME
Introductory Remarks
John Echohawk, Executive Director, Native American Rights Fund
Tony Willardson, Executive Director, Western States Water Council
Invocation – by invitation
9:00 am Navigating the Federal Process and Budget
Melanie Stansbury, Program Examiner, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
10:00 am Break
NEGOTIATION OF INDIAN WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS: THE BASICS
10:30 am Gathering Background Information and the Role of Technicians in Negotiations
Moderator – Greg Ridgley, Deputy Chief Counsel, New Mexico Office of the State Engineer
Cynthia Chandley, Partner, Snell & Wilmer
Oliver Page, CEO/CFO, Stetson Engineers
Christopher Banet, Trust Resources and Protection Manager, Southwest Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Peggy Barroll, Hydrologist, New Mexico Office of the State Engineer
Noon Luncheon Presentation – Indian Water Rights Settlement Database
Barbara Cosens, Professor, University of Idaho College of Law
Darcy Bushnell, Director, Joe M. Stell Water Ombudsman Program, University of New Mexico School of Law
1:30 pm Identifying Parties and Issues and How Negotiations Bind Larger Groups
Moderator – Bill Staudenmaier, Partner, Snell & Wilmer
Nelson Cordova,Taos Pueblo Water Administration Office
DL Sanders, Chief Counsel and Director, Litigation and Adjudication Program, New Mexico Office of the State Engineer
Duane Mecham, Attorney, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior
Maria O’Brien, Shareholder, Modrall Sperling
3:00 pm Break
3:30 pm A RETROSPECTIVE DISCUSSION ON SETTLEMENTS
Moderator – Susan Cottingham, Former Director, Montana Reserved Compact Commission
Bidtah Becker, Assistant Attorney General, Navajo Nation Department of Justice
Chris Tweeten, Chairman, Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission
Pam Williams, Director, Secretary of the Interior’s Indian Water Rights Office
5:00 pm Adjourn
6:00 pm Reception

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2013
8:30 am KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Estevan López, Director, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission
THE ADMINISTRATION’S SETTLEMENT POLICY
9:15 am Presentation
Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
Anne Castle, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, U.S. Department of the Interior
10:45 am Break
11:00 am Response Panel
Moderator – Matt Campbell, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
Jeanne Whiteing, Water Rights Counsel, Blackfeet Nation
Gerald Lunak, Natural Resources Director, Blackfeet Nation
Phillip Ward, Director, Oregon Water Resources Department
Noon Lunch Break
1:00 pm DESCRIPTION OF THE AAMODT WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT
Moderator – Sue Noe, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
Remarks
Governor George Rivera, Pojoaque Pueblo
Governor Phillip Perez, Nambé Pueblo
Governor Mark Mitchell, Tesuque Pueblo
Governor Terry Aguilar, San Ildefonso
Former Governor James S. Hena, Tesuque Pueblo
Former Governor Ernest Mirabal, Nambé Pueblo
Panel Presentation – Aamodt Settlement
Charles Dorame, Chairman, Northern Pueblos Tributary Water Rights Association
Arianne Singer, Managing Attorney, Northern New Mexico Adjudication Bureau, New Mexico Office of the State Engineer
Christopher Banet, Trust Resources and Protection Manager, Southwest Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs
John Utton, Partner, Shareholder/Director, Sheehan & Sheehan
2:30 pm FIELD TRIP
6:00 pm DINNER AND CULTURAL PRESENTATION

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013
SETTLEMENT LEGISLATION: GETTING BILLS THROUGH CONGRESS
8:30 am Congressional Outlook for Indian Water Rights Settlements
Moderator – Joel Williams, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
Camille Calimlim Touton, Minority Professional Staff, House Natural Resources Committee (via phone)
David Mullon, Jr., Minority Staff Director and Chief Counsel, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Aaron Trujillo, Senior Legislative Assistant, Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico
Cisco Minthorn, Counsel for the Majority, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
10:15 am Break
10:30 am Response Panel
Moderator – Nathan Bracken, Legal Counsel, Western States Water Council
Jay Weiner, Assistant Attorney General, Montana Attorney General’s Office
David Gover, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
11:45 am WRAP-UP/SUMMARY
Stanley Pollack, Assistant Attorney General, Navajo Nation Department of Justice
12:15 pm Adjourn

(2013) Quantifying Drought Impacts Workshop
2013-08-05 08:00 - 2013-08-07 18:00
Workshop on Measuring, Quantifying, and Reporting Drought Impacts – Presentations

RELATED ITEMS: Click here for the Drought Impacts Data Clearinghouse
Workshop
Measuring, Quantifying, and Reporting Drought Impacts
Sponsored by: Western States Water Council and California Department of Water Resources in cooperation with the Western Governors’ Association
August 5 – 7, 2013
Doubletree San Diego Downtown
1646 Front Street, San Diego, CA
Monday, August 5
11:00 am Registration
1:00 pm Welcome and Opening Remarks, Workshop Purpose and Desired Outcomes
Tony Willardson, Western States Water Council (WSWC)
Jeanine Jones, California Department of Water Resources (CDWR)
1:30 pm Federal Agency Panel – (federal program data sources)
Links to Department of Agriculture Data Resources

Mary Bohman, Administrator, USDA’s Economic Research Service (via phone)
Vic Tolomeo, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service
Jeff Yasui, Regional Director, USDA’s Risk Management Agency
Jeffrey Prestemon, U.S. Forest Service, Forest Economics and Policy Research
Bob Boyd, Branch Chief, Assessment and Monitoring, Bureau of Land Management
Rolf Olsen, Water Resources Systems Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Dionne Thompson, Chief, Office of Congressional Affairs, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
3:30 pm Break
3:45 pm State and Local Agency Panel – (state/local agency data needs, data sources)
J.D. Strong, Executive Director, Oklahoma Water Resources Board (via phone)
Dr. Robert Mace, Deputy Executive Administrator, Texas Water Development Board
Tracy Streeter, Director, Kansas Water Office
Greg Fisher, Water Demand Manager, Denver Water
Anne Steinemann, California-Nevada Applications Program, Scripps Institute
David Bolland, Senior Regulatory Advocate, Association of California Water Agencies
5:15 pm Adjourn
6:00 pm Reception – Cash Bar
Tuesday, August 6
8:00 am Potential Role for the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS)
Veva Deheza, NIDIS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
8:30 am Breakout Session – Discussion of Data Needs and Sources
10:15 am Break
10:30 am Remote Sensing and Wildfire
Nghiem -Kafatos, Son Nghiem, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory & Menas Kafatos, Chapman University
10:50 am Report Back From Breakout Session and Discussion
11:20 am Emerging Approaches to Measuring Drought Impacts
NIDIS CA Crop Fallowing Project — Forrest Melton, Senior Research Scientist, NASA Ames
Evaporative Demand: Drought Impacts and Assessment – Mike Hobbins, NOAA
12:15 pm Lunch (on your own)
1:45 pm Breakout Session – Discussion of Impact Quantification
3:45 pm Break
4:00 pm Report Back From Breakout Session and Discussion
5:00 pm Adjourn
Wednesday, August 7
8:00 am Lessons Learned From NDMC’s Drought Impact Reporter
Kelly Smith, Drought Resources Specialist, National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC)
8:30 am Breakout Session – Building Institutional Framework for Quantification and Reporting
10:15 am Break
10:30 am Report Back From Breakout Session and Discussion
11:30 am Action Items and Closing Remarks
12:00 noon Adjourn

(2013) Improving Drought Prediction at Seasonal to Inter-Annual Timescales
2013-04-29 08:00 - 2013-05-01 18:00
Improving Drought Prediction at Seasonal to Inter-Annual Timescales Workshop – Presentations

AGENDA
Improving Drought Prediction at Seasonal to Inter-Annual Timescales
Sponsored by
Western States Water Council and California Department of Water Resources
Cooperating Organization
Western Governors’ Association
April 29 – May 1, 2013
Doubletree San Diego Downtown
1646 Front Street, San Diego, CA
Monday, April 29
11:00 Registration
1:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks, Workshop Purpose & Desired Outcomes
Tony Willardson, Western States Water Council (WSWC)
Jeanine Jones, California Department of Water Resources (CDWR)
Jim Ogsbury, Western Governors’ Association (via phone)
1:30 National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) Activities and Reauthorization
Robin Webb, ESRL Branch Chief, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2:00 Other Federal Activities
NOAA Drought Taskforce Activities, Annarita Mariotti, Climate Program Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (via phone)
Spring Sub-seasonal Prediction for Reservoir Operations – Levi Brekke, Water and Climate Research Coordinator, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
3:00 Drought Prediction: Good News (and Other News)
Martin Hoerling, Meteorologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (via phone)
3:30 Break
3:45 The Colorado River Basin Drought – How Much Longer Will it last?
Michelle Stokes, Hydrologist in Charge, Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (via phone)
4:15 Potential Interstate Cooperation on Irrigation Scheduling Data
Kent Frame, Program Manager, California Department of Water Resources
5:00 Adjourn
6:00 Reception – Cash Bar
Tuesday, April 30
7:30 Continental Breakfast
8:30 State Perspectives on Drought Prediction
Jeanine Jones (2), Interstate Resources Manager, California Department of Water Resources
Don Ostler, Executive Director, Upper Colorado River Compact Commission
Tracy Streeter, Director, Kansas Office of Water
John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas State Climatologist
10:15 Break
10:30 Opportunities With Existing Information
Exploiting Indicator Information – Anne Steinemann, Visiting Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Regional Hydrological Extremes Assessment System – Joshua Fisher, Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab
Exploring Hydroclimate Time Series – Kelly Redmond, Regional Climatologist, Western Regional Climate Center/Desert Research Institute
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Synergies/Relationships With Other Forecasts/Predictions
Seasonal Wildfire Prediction – Tom Rolinski, Meteorologist, USFS Riverside Fire Prediction Center
Operational NWS Forecasting – Alex Tardy, Meteorologist, San Diego Weather Forecast Office
2:00 Predicting Wet Conditions to Predict Dry Conditions
HMT’s Progress on Atmospheric River Storms – Marty Ralph, ESRL Branch Chief, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Atmospheric Rivers as Drought Busters: Past, Present and Future – Mike Dettinger, U.S. Geological Survey, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Interannual Variability & Climate Transitions – Mike Anderson, California State Climatologist, California Department of Water Resources
Soil Moisture Measurement Needs – Mike Strobel, Director, National Water & Climate Center, NRCS
3:45 Break
4:00 Small Group Break-Outs to Discuss Potential Ways to Improve Drought Prediction
5:00 Adjourn
Wednesday, May 1
7:30 Continental Breakfast
8:30 Report Back From Break-Outs and Discussion
Breakout Group 1
Breakout Group 3
9:15 Drought Economic Impacts and the Value of Improved Predictive Ability
Midwestern Agricultural Drought – Mark Svoboda, National Drought Mitigation Center
Urban Water Agencies – Jeff Mosher, Executive Director, National Water Research Institute
Small Water Systems – Michael Sims, Circuit Rider, California Rural Water Association
10:30 Break
10:45 Where Do We Go From Here? (facilitated discussion)
11:30 Action Items and Closing Remarks
12:00 Adjourn

(2013) WSWC / WGA Energy-Water Workshop
2013-04-02 08:00 - 18:00
WSWC-WGA Water/Energy Workshop

WHERE: Sheraton Denver Downtown
1550 Court Place
Denver, CO
WHEN: April 2nd, 2013
Energy-Water Workshop Summary Report
WSWC-WGA 2013 Energy-Water Workshop Agenda
The Western States Water Council and the Western Governors’ Association are co-sponsoring a workshop on water/energy nexus topics pertinent to water and energy planners and utility managers on April 2nd, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. The purpose of the workshop is to present new information on water/energy studies and efforts in the West that may be helpful to the attendees, and to examine topics that the Council or the WGA may wish to emphasize for the western states’ governors. For example, water used for energy extraction, different energy sources, renewable energy development, water use trends and how some states are integrating energy resources into their statewide water planning efforts. There is no cost to attend, but seating is limited, so please register early. We hope you can join us on April 2nd!

The workshop will begin Tuesday, April 2nd, at 10:00 am and conclude at 5:00 pm.

**The workshop was a tremendous success with over 70 attendees and much feedback given during the breakout sessions. We appreciate everyone who came, especially our wonderful speakers, who shared their research and knowledge with the workshop attendees. Powerpoint presentations (and Prezis) are available below. We will be issuing a report later this year on the workshop and will notify all attendees when it is published. **
Presentations:
Commissioner James Tarpey, Colorado Public Utilities Commissioner, Energy Policy Perspectives on Water in the West
Brad Nickell, Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC), Incorporating Water into Long-Range Electricity Transmission Planning
Paul Faeth, CNA Corporation, Policy Analysis for the Energy-Water Nexus at ERCOT
Vince Tidwell, Sandia National Laboratory, Energy and Water in the Western and Texas Interconnects
Jeanine Jones, California Department of Water Resources, Ongoing Energy/Water Research in California
Eric Evenson, US Geological Survey, Federal Perspectives on the Nexus: A Water/Energy Partnership
Doug Larson, Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB), Water and the Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB)
Richard Belt, Xcel Energy, Long-Term Water Strategies for Energy Utilities
Jordan Macknick, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Energy Production and Water Use Trends
Jessica Shi, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Innovative Water Saving Technologies for the Electric Power Sector
Robert Goldstein, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), WaterPRISM: Water Availability and Resource Risk Management
Sara Larsen, Western States Water Council (WSWC), WaDE: A Water Data Exchange for Energy/Water Utility Planners
Nathan Morris, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, INSIGHT: Integrated Water Resource Tools

(2011) 12th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2011-08-23 08:00 - 2011-08-25 18:00
12th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims

Billings, Montana
August 23-25, 2011
Please call the WSWC’ office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2009) 11th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2009-08-24 08:00 - 2009-08-26 18:00
11th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
Ferndale, Washington
August 24-26, 2009
Please call the WSWC’ office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2005) Water Information Management Systems (WIMS) Workshop
2007-09-07 08:00 - 2007-09-09 18:00
Water Information Management Systems (WIMS) Workshop
Missoula, Montana
September 7-9, 2005
Please call the WSWC’s office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2007) 10th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2007-08-27 08:00 - 2007-08-29 18:00
10th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
Albuquerque, New Mexico
August 27-29, 2007
Please call the WSWC’ office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2005) 9th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2005-09-14 08:00 - 2005-09-16 18:00
9th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
Moscow, Idaho
September 14-16, 2005
Please call the WSWC’ office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2003) 8th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2003-10-06 08:00 - 2003-10-08 18:00
8th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
Durango, Colorado
October 6-8, 2003
Please call the WSWC’s office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2002) Water Information Management Systems (WIMS) Workshop
2002-06-12 08:00 - 2002-06-14 18:00
Water Information Management Systems (WIMS) Workshop
Salem, Oregon
June 12-14, 2002
Please call the WSWC’s office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2002) Washington Roundtable
2002-03-11 08:00 - 2002-03-13 18:00
Washington Roundtable
Cosponsored with ICWP
Arlington, Virginia
March 11-13, 2002
Please call the WSWC’s office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2001) 7th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
2001-10-10 08:00 - 2001-10-12 18:00
7th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
St. George, Utah
October 10-12, 2001
Please call the WSWC’s office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(2000) Water Policy Roundtable
2000-03-12 08:00 - 2000-03-15 18:00
Water Policy Roundtable
Cosponsored with ASIWPCA, ICWP, and ASDWA,
Arlington, Virginia, March 12-15, 2000
Please call the WSWC’s office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(1999) 6th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
1999-09-08 08:00 - 18:00
6th Symposium on the Settlement of Indian Reserved Water Rights Claims
Missoula, Montana
September 8-10, 1999
Please call the WSWC’s office for a hard copy of publications and/or materials prior to 2012 that are not available on-line.

(1998) Endangered Species Act: Improving Implementation
1998-10-01 08:00 - 18:00
Endangered Species Act: Improving Implementation
Co-sponsored with the Western Governors’ Association and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
October 1998
Add “seminars-workshops” publications posts from here: https://westernstateswater.org/seminars-workshops/
