With drought intensifying across the Southwest, and stretches of the Rio Grande already running dry, there is no time like the present to prepare our communities and economy for a drier future. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation says there is a 52 percent chance the Colorado River will be in an official shortage in 2020. Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman urged Lower Basin states to adopt drought contingency plans this year, saying, “We all—states, tribes, water districts, non-governmental organizations—have an obligation and responsibility to work together to meet the needs of over 40 million people who depend on reliable water and power from the Colorado River.” We would add businesses to Burman’s list of groups that have a stake in ensuring a reliable water future. Below are some ways businesses are stepping up. If you've ever been to the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre located outside of Denver, you know how dependent the vibe is on the beauty of the Western landscape. Over 2 million people visit the site every year to enjoy concerts, movies, weddings and the iconic trails that wind throughout the park. Legendary bands like the Beatles and U2 have performed at the park. We are excited to announce that Red Rocks Amphitheatre will be the first entertainment/concert venue to balance 100% of its annual water footprint (and offset 100% of its annual greenhouse gas emissions) through a partnership with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and Business for Water Stewardship. Our team is working with Red Rocks to design customer-facing engagement focused on Colorado freshwater, giving visitors the chance to show their support for Colorado rivers and surrounding landscapes that are so important to this venue and quality of life in the West. Start planning your trip to Red Rocks by checking out their 2018 calendar here and stay tuned for more info on how you can be part of protecting the rivers we all love! Corporate partners are helping to sustain Western rivers and freshwater resources across the country. One of our latest water stewardship success stories is located in West Clear Creek, Arizona. This is one of the few cold and clear streams draining into central Arizona, and it provides some of the most intact aquatic habitat in the region. However, so much water is diverted along the lower reaches of West Clear Creek that parts of the Creek are completely dry throughout much of the year—this impacts recreation, fish, wildlife and water quality. A new project, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, will boost critical flow to this iconic Arizona stream by replacing a 100-year-old irrigation canal with a pipeline that will improve water delivery to farmers while leaving more water in the creek to benefit fish and wildlife. Initial funding for this project was provided by Coca-Cola, with Intel Corporation committing support to expand the project in 2018. At a time when Arizona is struggling with record drought and complicated water management issues, projects that modernize irrigation systems are more important than ever. They demonstrate that investment in collaborative water solutions can benefit communities, farmers, and rivers. For more on Intel’s global freshwater commitment you can watch a short video here. For examples of other BEF partnerships that restore rivers, check out our project portfolio here. The 5-year Farm Bill is up for reauthorization in 2018, and BWS has been working with partners and leaders in Congress to ensure Western agriculture producers benefit from Farm Bill programs that promote watershed health and irrigation modernization and efficiencies. If successful, this would provide significant resources for water conservation and efficiency projects in the drought-stricken West. The bill was initially defeated on the U.S. House floor due to an unrelated immigration debate. But the House is expected to reconsider the bill on June 22nd. The bill contains major funding for Department of Agriculture water and irrigation programs including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Watershed Act and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). These programs were all recently given a budgetary boost in the 2018 budget, and the BWS federal team is optimistic that leaders on both sides of the aisle are starting to recognize the severe impacts drought is having on our rivers, communities, and economy. Learn more here about solutions we support that will make the Farm Bill work better for the West. Email our policy director for more information and to get involved with our federal policy efforts craig@businessforwater.org. From July 22-26, the Outdoor Retailer show will take over Denver for its first summer show in the city (it was previously held in Salt Lake City). Thousands of businesses and leaders attend OR every year. BWS is working with industry and conservation partners to raise awareness about the connection between rivers, businesses and the economy. Tuesday, July 24 has been declared “River Day” at Outdoor Retailer with events shining a spotlight on river health, conservation and protection including a “Pub Crawl for Rivers” and the show’s popular Outdoor Industry Association lunch showcasing business engagement and solutions to advance river health. Henry’s Tavern (near the OR venue) is co-hosting with BWS a week-long opportunity to sustain flows on Colorado’s Crystal River through beer drinking! Henry’s will donate all of the proceeds from the purchase of a $5 Kleen Kanteen cup and a beer to our Cheers to Rivers campaign to sustain flows on Colorado’s Crystal River. If you are at the show, join us for a beer (or two!) and support all of the energy for rivers that will be generated in Denver that week! And stay tuned to BWS emails for more information on all of the events happening July 22-26 in Denver, CO. WORTH THE READ‘We need action,’ federal official tells Colorado River states, Las Vegas Review-Journal, May 10, 2018. Agua es Vida and we are all in this together, Albuquerque Journal, May 4, 2018. Let’s Invest in Our Water Future, Glenwood Springs Post Independent, May 4, 2018. Water Critical to Keep Arizona Open for Business, Arizona Capitol Times, April 12, 2018. |