Russ Sands has worked in the water industry for 15 years. His career has included time spent ensuring water quality for Denver Water, managing water conservation and stormwater programs for the City of Boulder, and working as a consultant on climate, resilience and water issues. As the Section Chief for the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), Russ works with stakeholders across the state on local and regional water challenges. Russ is currently working with leaders from each of Colorado’s major river basins to update local and state analysis that will feed into the update to the Colorado Water Plan.
Title: The Colorado Water Plan: Where We’ve Been and the Path Forward – The 2002-2003 drought created a renewed drive for understanding water needs in the State of Colorado and led to the development of many water-planning efforts. Ultimately, those efforts led to the creation of the Colorado Water Plan (Water Plan). This year, the Water Plan celebrates its 5th anniversary just as the State and countless stakeholders across Colorado are involved in updating many aspects of the Plan. From incorporating the effects of climate change and scenario planning, to evaluating observed trends and recognizing where better data are required, understanding our future water needs has never been more important.