UPCOMING EVENT:  

October 16th at 7:30 pm - Thunder River Theatre, Carbondale

WESTERN WATER CRISIS

Jonathan Waterman, Peter Nichols, Eric Kuhn and Colorado State Representative Kathleen Curry will debate the looming western water crisis and discuss the 3 leading solutions. They will talk about new water development, conservation and reallocation in terms of their economic, environmental and political feasibility.

Questions: call 948-7060        

Rep.Curry                                Eric Kuhn                                   Jonathan Waterman        Peter Nichols  Jonathan Waterman has broken trail with 10 unique journey books exploring history, culture & environment. He is renowned for unprecedented mountaineering ascents, long river descents & arduous wilderness traverses such as his 2,200 mile solo of the Northwest Passage (Arctic Crossing, Knopf, 2001). Jon has also written for, appeared in & created 5 TV documentaries about his wild journeys. The accolades for his work include 7 book & magazine awards, an Emmy, & a Denali National Park Special Achievement Award for his rescue service on Mt.McKinley. The multi-year research for the "Colorado River Project" was supported by a National Geographic grant. His 1,450 mile, 5 month-long trip included unintentional swims through rapids; trespasses across dams; weeks of solitude on the river balanced by meetings with scientists & water operators; a 10 day walk through the dried-out delta. Until his journey, the full descent of the Colorado River had never been completed. Eric Kuhn is General Manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District.  Some of his responsibilities include technical management of River District activities such as Taylor Draw Dam & Reservoir, Wolford Mountain Reservoir, water marketing, interstate water issues & integrated project operations.  He has served on the Engineering Advisory Committee of the Upper Colorado River Compact Commission since 1981. From 1994 through 2001, Eric served on the Colorado Water Conservation Board representing the Colorado River mainstem. In 2006, Eric was appointed by Governor Owens as an at-large representative on the Colorado Interbasin Compact Commission. Eric is currently serving as one of the technical panel co-chairs of the Colorado Climate project. Peter Nichols is a partner in Trout, Raley, Montano, Witwer & Freeman, P.C. (Denver, Steamboat, Carbondale) practicing water, environmental, conservation & related law.  Significant clients include Pitkin County, Aspen Valley Land Trust, Colorado Open Lands, Great Outdoors Colorado, Snowmass Water & Sanitation District. Nichols also serves as special assistant attorney general to Colorado & New Mexico & represents western water users in litigation involving water transfers under the Clean Water Act. Nichols has authored numerous publications relating to water & the environment, such as "Water Rights Handbook for Colorado Conservation Professionals" (Bradford 2005) & "Environmental Regulation of Colorado Real Property" (Bradford 2007). In addition, he has served on various governmental panels, including the Interbasin Compact Commission (2008-present), Metro Water Roundtable (2008-present) & the Garfield Planning & Zoning Commission (1987-1993). Prior to practicing law, Peter was general manager of Unocal's Parachute Creek Oil Shale Project and an international mountaineering guide. Representative Kathleen Curry is the Colorado State Representative for House District 61, which includes Hinsdale, Gunnison, Pitkin, Eagle & Garfield counties. She served as Speaker pro tempore in 2009, & served as the Chair of the Agriculture, Livestock & Natural Resources Committee for 5 years. For the 2010 session, Kathleen serves on the Agriculture Committee & the Appropriations Committee.  Rep. Curry is very familiar with natural resources issues & policies. She has a broad understanding of agriculture, property rights, ranching, oil & gas, water rights, & economic development issues. Rep. Curry has served as manager of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, as a Water Rights Specialist for Wright Water Engineers in Denver, & as a Physical Scientist for the State of Colorado Water Conservation Board. She also helps her husband, Greg Peterson, ranch in the Gunnison Valley & is a part-time professor at Western State College.           ♦      ♦      ♦      ♦      ♦      ♦      ♦      ♦      ♦      ♦     ♦      ♦       ♦      ♦       ♦      ♦      ♦       ♦      ♦       ♦

FUTURE EVENTS:   *Madeleine Albright event is being RE-SCHEDULED for the first of next year November 13: Steven Emerson Former member of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, journalist & author who writes about national security, terrorism & Islamic extremism. We will discuss "Jihad in  America".

The Roaring Fork Cultural Council will host a series of events this year,featuring prominent experts on cultural, political and ecological issues. “Our purpose is to make an affordable, lovely opportunity for all the people in the Roaring Fork Valley, hoping it will last into the future, long after I’m gone, to enrich and benefit our lives.”     - Jim Calaway, co-chairman