2026 Annual Water Seminar
September 18 – Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction
Thank you to all our speakers and staff and the more than 400 people who joined us at the 2026 Annual Water Seminar.
We’ll see you next year!
Event Summary:
On September 18, the Colorado River District will host its Annual Water Seminar from 8:30 am 3:15 pm at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. Join us for timely conversations with leading water experts, decision-makers, and practitioners from across the state and throughout the Basin as we examine today’s challenges, highlight successful approaches, and discuss the actions needed to prepare for the river ahead.
Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. Be sure to stick around after the program for a happy hour networking event on the terrace from 3:35 – 5:00 p.m. A complimentary drink ticket is included with all registrations.
The River Ahead – AGENDA AVAILABLE HERE
If 2026 reminded us of anything, it’s that there isn’t a silver bullet for the challenges facing the Colorado River. Across western Colorado, water users have been adapting in real time – stretching limited supplies, finding practical solutions, and proving once again that the people closest to the resource are often the ones leading the way. While post-2026 negotiations continue to search for a durable path forward for the management of reservoirs Powell and Mead, the real work hasn’t stopped. It’s happening every day in our fields, on our streams, in our communities, and around countless kitchen tables where difficult decisions are being made about the future of water.
The Colorado River District’s 2026 Annual Water Seminar, The River Ahead, will explore what we’ve learned from this pivotal year and what comes next for western Colorado and the Colorado River Basin. Join us in Grand Junction for timely conversations with leading water experts, decision-makers, and practitioners from across the state and throughout the Basin as we examine today’s challenges, highlight successful approaches, and discuss the actions needed to prepare for the river ahead.