ARKANSAS BASIN ROUNDTABLE
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    • Grants Submitted to Needs Assessment
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Public Education, Participation, & Outreach (PEPO)

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PEPO Workgroup

CONTACT US!
Interested in learning more about what we do, attending our monthly virtual meetings, or getting involved? Send us an email

Created through the Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act, the Public Education, Participation and Outreach (PEPO) Workgroup is responsible for:
 ​Creating a process to inform, involve and educate the public on water resource issues­
Educating Basin Roundtable members about water issues.​
The Arkansas Basin PEPO Workgroup members are Roundtable volunteers representing agriculture, municipalities, recreation, environment, and education. The PEPO Coordinator provides task management for the PEPO Workgroup, which is a committee under the direction of the Arkansas Basin Roundtable. ​
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Our Goal
"Our Goal is to inform, engage and educate the citizens of the Arkansas River Basin about local water resources"

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to provide Arkansas River Basin specific education and outreach to our citizens. We hope to engage the public on water resource topics and issues and provide a platform for water related dialogue. We strive to provide education and outreach on behalf of all water use categories including municipal  supply, irrigated agriculture, recreation, and the environment. 

Our Partners

There are nine roundtables in the state of Colorado and each roundtable has a PEPO workgroup. The PEPO Workgroup in the Arkansas Basin is unique in structure and vision. The PEPO Workgroup works in partnership and provides a line of communication between the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC), Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB),  Arkansas Basin Roundtable (ABRT), Arkansas River Basin Water Forum (ARBWF), and the Public that they serve. 

Programs and Projects

Over time, the Arkansas Basin PEPO Workgroup has been awarded several grants from the Colorado Water Conservation Board to provide education and outreach to the citizens in the Arkansas River Basin. PEPO Workgroup projects have included: 
  • Arkansas River Basin Documentary and webisodes
  • Support for community-wide and Children Water Festivals 
  • Education to Action Program to promote Basin Implementation Plan water projects 
  • Establish line of communication between water leaders and the public
  • Provide "Water 101" information 
  • Participation in the annual Arkansas River Basin Water Forum 
  • Provide funding Series 
  • Participate in Creek Week Cleanups
  • Support for fire and flood recovery​

Education Partnerships

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​Arkansas River Basin Water Forum
To provide the best possible outreach to citizens of the Arkansas Basin, the PEPO Workgroup has partnered with the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum (ARBWF). The ARBWF has been serving the educational needs of the Arkansas Basin for 25 years through an annual water forum that is held in a different Arkansas Basin location each year.  To learn more about the ARBWF and to sign up for their newsletter, please use this link.

Statewide Water Education Action Plan
In addition to working on basin projects and outreach, the Arkansas Basin PEPO also supports the Statewide Water Education Action Plan (SWEAP). You can find more details here.

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Colorado Waterwise - Live Like You Love It
We are proud members of CO Waterwise, and as a part of that have access to new resources! This nonprofit works to address the state's water challenges by improving water efficiency through diverse community connections, innovative solutions, and valuable member resources. Resources can be found below.
Storage
Colorado’s Water Plan has set an objective of attaining 400,000 acre-feet of storage by 2050 and the Arkansas Basin Implementation Plan has set an objective of attaining 70,000 acre-feet of storage in the Basin by 2020. Colorado’s Water Plan has also set an objective to achieve 400,000 acre-feet of water conservation by 2050. For conservation to be effective the saved water must be stored for use during drier periods. In the same respect capturing water from a wet year to have available for a dry year also requires storage. Re-timing of the use of the water saved, newly imported or captured is essential since the availability of the appropriation does not coincide with the time of need. Thus storage is essential for the saved supply to meet demands. 

Storage and the management of storage is essential for the success of all water activities and the protection of water for future use. The need for improved storage techniques has become more acute than ever. Storing water underground is one of these new techniques and has the ability to be more efficient than storing water in surface reservoirs. This is because storing water underground minimizes evaporation, which is a major cause of water loss in surface reservoirs in arid climates such as ours. The Arkansas River Basin is working diligently to address our storage needs and find new innovative storage and management techniques to provide storage in the Arkansas River Basin while also protecting our cultural and environmental values. 
Ark basin storage video (8 min)

Other Resources

More Coming Soon!

CSU Water Oral Histories Collection
The Water Oral Histories Collection consists of interviews and reminiscences covering the work of some of Colorado's distinguished civil engineers, irrigators, and water leaders. Subjects include Northern Colorado's irrigation history, irrigation engineering and research in Colorado, large water storage projects, groundwater issues, and the personal and professional lives of some of Colorado's water leaders.
  • Ralph "Terry" Scanga 
  • Jim Broderick
Colorado Water - Live Like You Love It Fact Sheets
General Fact Sheet
Water Quality
Waterwise Landscape
Waterwise Landscape (Spanish)


Educational Activities
Watershed Defenders Activity Book - printable
​St. Vrain Water Education Activities - link
Colorado Rural Water Association Water Activity Page - link
Understanding Water Activity Book - link


Other Basin Roundtables
Colorado Basin Roundtable
Gunnison Basin Roundtable
Metro/South Platte Basin Roundtable
North Platte Basin Roundtable
Rio Grande Basin Roundtable
Southwest Basin Roundtable
Yampa-White-Green Basin Roundtable


​Other Basin Partners
​Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District
Greater Arkansas River Nature Association
Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative 

Purgatoire Watershed Partnership
​Southeast Water Conservancy District
Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance
​CO Rural Water Association

Inland Ocean Coalition


Other State Partners
Water Education Colorado
Colorado Water Conservation Board
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​The Water Oral Histories Collection consists of interviews and reminiscences covering the work of some of Colorado's distinguished civil engineers, irrigators, and water leaders. Subjects include Northern Colorado's irrigation history, irrigation engineering and research in Colorado, large water storage projects, groundwater issues, and the personal and professional lives of some of Colorado's water leaders.

Educational Video Series

Documentary Film:
​"The Arkansas River: From Leadville to Lamar"

This comprehensive documentary was produced in partnership with Ebersole Media, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, and PEPO.
This hour-long documentary focuses on the economic and social value of the Arkansas River from Leadville to Lamar, and explores the many uses, benefits, needs, and issues associated with this precious resource. Short webisodes on specific topics have also been created to highlight various water use issues.
Please view this film and see below for webisodes that supplement the documentary. 
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The Arkansas River: From Leadville to Lamar Facebook
Webisodes
The webisodes below are supplemental videos that dive deeper into topics touched on in the documentary, The Arkansas River: From Leadville to Lamar and were done in partnership with EbersoleMedia, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservncy District, and PEPO. 
​Thank you to our partners, participants, and sponsors!
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  • Home
  • Ark Basin Details
  • Minutes and Presentations
  • Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative
  • Basin Implementation Plan
  • Education and Outreach
  • Environment/Recreation
  • Funding Opportunities
    • Grants Submitted to Needs Assessment
  • Resources
  • Agriculture-Municipal