Managing Forward: A Tool for Adaptively Managing Watersheds in Colorado
Deb Hummel1*
1Left Hand Watershed Center, Longmont, Colorado, USA, dhummel@lwog.org
Successful watershed planning must account for the influences of dynamic geological, hydrological, and ecological processes, as well as the needs of the community. The Left Hand Watershed Center utilizes an adaptive management approach to watershed planning, in order to address the needs of people and the environment. Our approach to watershed management includes (1) conceptualizing desired future conditions, using conceptual models as “thinking tools”; (2) monitoring and assessing watershed conditions and comparing to the desired trajectory; (3) learning and adjusting to make smarter management decisions. This presentation will explore the components of Left Hand Watershed Center’s adaptive management tool and how it is currently being used in the St. Vrain Basin. Given the extensive watershed planning efforts currently underway or recently completed throughout Colorado, this is a particularly pivotal time to learn from existing projects and improve future efforts.