Thirteen early to mid-career water professionals from across the West have been chosen to participate in the Water Education Foundation’s 2024 Colorado River Water Leaders cohort.

Like our California Water Leaders program, the Colorado River Water Leaders cohort includes engineers, lawyers, resource specialists, scientists and others working for public, private and nongovernmental organizations from across the river’s basin in the United States and Mexico. The 2024 cohort roster can be found here.

The Water Leader programs, led by Foundation Executive Director Jenn Bowles, deepen knowledge of water issues, enhance individual leadership skills and prepare participants to take an active, cooperative approach to decision-making about water resource issues. Leading experts and top policymakers serve as mentors to cohort members.

The 2024 Colorado River Water Leaders program launched earlier this month with an orientation followed by our three-day Lower Colorado River Tour where the cohort members learned firsthand about challenges plaguing the iconic Southwestern river.

As part of their program, the cohort will evaluate the potential of augmentation projects in the Colorado River Basin such as water recycling, cloud seeding and ocean desalination that would offset pressure on the over-allocated river. In September, members of the cohort will present their ideas at the Foundation’s biennial Colorado River Symposium in Santa Fe.

Follow along with both Water Leader cohorts this year by signing up to receive Foundation announcements and following us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook!