CMC and partners secure funds to support water resource management in the Upper Yampa River Basin

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CMC and partners secure funds to support water resource management in the Upper Yampa River Basin

The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) and key partners Colorado Mountain College (CMC) and Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District (UYWCD) have secured $860,000 in funding for the project, “Enhancing Soil Moisture Observations to Support Water Resource Management in the Upper Yampa River Basin.” This funding enables the project team to expand upon the first soil moisture monitoring station that was installed in the Yampa River Basin in September 2022 and install eight more stations over the next two years.

The expanding Yampa Basin soil moisture network measures moisture concentrations in the soil as well as soil and air temperature, precipitation, snow depth, fuel moisture, and other key climatic variables. Soil moisture data is key to understanding how snowpack relates to spring runoff and river flows. Snow-to-flow dynamics – or how much water is delivered to our rivers from our snowpack – are mediated by soil moisture. Drier soils in upland areas function like dry sponges and absorb water, reducing the amount of water delivered to rivers and thus reducing flows. The Yampa Basin is already experiencing changes in snow-to-flow dynamics, where normal snowpack years are followed by low spring and summer flows.

“The timing for the launch of the network is key,” said Dr. Michelle Stewart, Executive Director of YVSC. “Our snow-to-flow patterns have been changing considerably in recent years and monitoring soil moisture data is an important step towards a better understanding of how water in our basin is changing due to changing climate.”

The Yampa Basin soil moisture network stands to benefit forecasters, water managers, and water users to better understand water supply by increasing the understanding of soils, which Dr. Marty Ralph, Principal Investigator on the project and Director of CW3E, calls the “fourth reservoir” in water planning. The primary types of reservoirs water managers think about are snow, rivers/streams, and reservoirs, but soils have been a missing part of the puzzle. The project goals are to reduce uncertainty in seasonal snowmelt runoff predictions and work with stakeholders in the Yampa Valley to appropriately integrate these data into water management decision support, including at sub-seasonal to seasonal forecast lead times ranging from weeks, months, and seasons. The network will be critical to establishing a baseline for long-term monitoring of new trends in soil moisture expected due to greater evapotranspiration – the cumulative transfer of moisture from soils and plants to the atmosphere – related to warming as climate changes.

The funding is an exciting development for the Basin because it allows for investments in infrastructure that increase resilience to water changes in the basin. According to Andy Rossi, General Manager of the UYWCD, “the data will be invaluable to UYWCD in forecasting runoff and assisting with reservoir and water resource management decisions,” and the hope is that, “this network will help close a data gap in the Yampa River Basin and serve as a useful tool for water managers in our basin and beyond.” UYWCD’s initial funding has been instrumental to the successful installation of this first station and an important anchor for building out the network.

Colorado Mountain College, which will partner to provide student career training in climate monitoring and instrument maintenance, sees the expansion of the network as an important contribution to regional workforce development. Dr. Nathan Stewart, Professor of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, identifies this funding as integral to student career pathways in water.

“Expansion of our region’s Soil Moisture monitoring network will provide us with a state-of-the-art platform for technical training in meteorology, hydrology, and ecosystem science,” says Stewart. “Student engagement with this network is essential to the recruitment and development of our future western water workforce.”

The Yampa Basin soil moisture network began in 2021 when extreme drought conditions led CW3E and YVSC to partner with the UYWCD to identify critical areas for soil moisture monitoring in the basin through a basin analysis. In 2022, UYWCD funded an additional $130,000 for the installation of the first soil moisture and surface meteorological monitoring station near Stagecoach Reservoir and the development of an online data portal site for project partners and public use.

Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) approved $560,025 in Water Plan Grant funds for Enhancing Soil Moisture Observations to Support Water Resource Management in the Upper Yampa River Basin at a March 16 meeting. In addition to Water Plan Grant funding, CW3E, YVSC, UYWCD, and CMC secured $140,017 from the Colorado River District’s (CRD) Community Funding Partnership for a total of $700,042 in grant awards so far in 2023. This project is further supported by the UYWCD, which has committed $100,000 to network expansion. The project received its full funding request of $864,980 over three years.

“It is an exciting opportunity for our Center and key partners YVSC and CMC to pull together and create this network,” says Ralph. “It is envisioned as a pathfinder for the future. We are excited to be working closely with UYWCD, CRD, and CWCB to develop this capability and apply it to the special water management needs in the Yampa, from local to state and regional scales.”

This collaborative effort between CW3E, YVSC, CMC, and UYWCD includes additional project partners at Aspen Global Change Institute and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Beatriz Soto, Keynote Speaker

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Beatriz Soto About the Keynote Speaker 2023

CMC Sustainability and Ecology Conference 2023

Beatriz Oliva Soto Ruvalcaba (she, her, ella) is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, through her childhood and youth she grew up in a bi-cultural setting between Mexico and the United States navigating the broken US immigration system. She has a Bachelor Degree in Architecture from the Instituto Tecnologico de Chihuahua and practiced architecture for over 15 years.

She has been at the intersection of community building and working towards a stable climate for the past two decades. Beatriz is a LEED certified architect and has worked on a variety of energy related projects, from Net-Zero affordable housing and commercial buildings to high performance custom homes, sustainable developments in the pacific coast of Mexico, as well as providing professional development workshops with the US and the Mexican Green Building Councils. Beatriz developed a bilingual program on building science for just transition and empowerment of construction workforce, which she ran for the Community Office of Resources Efficiency in Pitkin County, Colorado.

In 2021 Beatriz was appointed to serve on the Colorado Environmental Justice Action Task Force representing Disproportionately Impacted Communities in Congressional District 3, the recommendations set forward by the taskforce have currently been endorsed by Colorado Gov. Polis and will begin to be implemented across state agencies. She was also a proud member of the US delegation at the World Forestry Congress in Seoul, South Korea in 2022, where her work elevating diverse and minority voices in conservation and the future of the US mountain west resort economies was shared at a global scale.

Beatriz is former Director of Defiende Nuestra Tierra for The Wilderness Workshop, also a co-founding member of Voces Unidas de las Montañas, first political non-profit organization in the central mountain region, made up of Latino and Latina leaders that helps create opportunities for local leaders to speak and advocate for themselves. She currently is the Director of Protegete, a statewide program from Conservation Colorado, who has the mission to elevate Latino driven solutions to protect our lands, water, air and fight for environmental and climate justice. You can find her volunteering in local schools to encourage Latinx youth to see themselves as leaders in STEM fields, become stewards of the land and to understand the importance of their voice in environmental and social issues.

Recreational and Professional Avalanche Training Courses in Leadville

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Avalanche Training Today: The Professional/ Recreational Split

Anyone interested in exploring the backcountry should seek out formal avalanche training. Whether you are skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or simply hiking around some of your favorite trails it is important to have an understanding about avalanche safety, awareness, and emergency strategies.

When it comes to avalanche training, the number of options and course types can be overwhelming. This guide will explain the different paths of recreational and professional avalanche training courses to help you safely recreate in the backcountry this winter.

REC or PRO?

The REC track—short for recreation—is the starting point for recreationalist and professionals alike. Working professionals like ski patrollers or outdoor educators may be interested in continuing their education with PRO (professional) courses after completing REC courses.

graphic explaining recreational and professional avalanche training courses at cmc leadville

Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue

Level 1 Avalanche Training

The Level 1 course, also known as Avy 1, is the starting point for recreationalists and aspiring professionals. The Avy 1 and Avalanche Rescue courses are the minimum training recommendation for anyone traveling in the backcountry. A Level 1 course is generally a 3-day course with a field component, where students begin to learn about avalanches and snowpack. You’ll study the basics about types of avalanches, and learn to identify hazardous terrain and avalanche conditions.

Most importantly, the Avy 1 course teaches students how to make educated decisions and have meaningful discussions about tour plans, risks, and mitigation. This course offers many opportunities to develop decision making skills in the backcountry and the field component allows students to make real world applications to class topics.

avalanche science student practicing a beacon search in an avalanche rescue class while two instructors overseeAvalanche Rescue

The Avalanche Rescue course focuses on companion rescue and what to do if someone in your group gets caught in an avalanche.This is a 1- day course with a focus on how to properly use avalanche rescue equipment effectively and make educated decisions in the case of emergency.

There is the opportunity for a lot of hands on practice with companion rescue, avalanche beacon use, and other professional tips. The companion rescue course is a great class to retake every couple years to hone your skills and learn about changes within the industry.

Both Avy 1 and Avalanche Rescue courses have no prerequisites. Students are able to take one or the other in any order, but be aware that any higher level avalanche courses requires both the Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue.

Level 2 Avalanche Training

The Level 2 Avalanche course, also known as Avy 2, allows backcountry users to continue to build off of topics introduced during the level I and rescue courses. This is a great course for the more experienced recreationalist looking to get more tools for their backcountry tool kit.

This course expands on topics about decision making, risk and terrain management, and group travel. Avy 2 courses tend to be particularly fun because most of the participants are excited to dive further into topics and really work on developing their skills.

PRO 1

The professional level 1 course is now the baseline for avalanche professionals. The primary focus of the PRO 1 course is on safe travel, snow and weather observations, and time spent in snow pits. PRO 1 runs for 5 days with a 2 days of assessments. The structure of this course shifts away from the recreational perspective and focuses on professional level risk management, observations, and rescue skills. This is a course designed for aspiring forecasters, ski patrollers, and mountain guides.

PRO 2

The American Avalanche Association describes Professional Avalanche Training 2 (PRO 2) as designed for developing avalanche professionals with several seasons of applied professional experience as well as seasoned professionals who are looking to develop skills applicable to leadership roles within their operation.

The PRO 2 is for experienced workers who desire to continue to develop their forecasting, risk management, and leadership skills. Workers will analyze information from various sources and make operational decisions on multiple spatial and temporal scales.

This course contains a much heavier workload than previous courses and is targeted to those already well into their career as forecasters and snow safety professionals.

Free Avalanche Education Resources

There are many free resources for the aspiring avalanche safety student. These are not substitutes for professional training but it is a great place to start.

The Know Before You Go program is a resource offered by the Utah Avalanche Center and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center/ Friends of CAIC. This is a great introduction to avalanche safety and an alternative to attending a live session.

Avalanche.org provides avalanche forecasts from all across the country, but it has free tutorials and a useful course finding tab.

Many nonprofits and organizations, like Friends of the CAIC, Colorado Mountain School, REI and Ski-Doo, also offer free avalanche awareness seminars.

Most Importantly, remember to check local avalanche forecasts for the area you plan to recreate in. Most of these forecast centers also have climate specific educational resources.

Course Providers

When considering avalanche training courses you will often see American Avalanche Association (A3) and AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education). The American Avalanche Association is responsible for setting curriculum guidelines and AIARE uses those guidelines to develop courses and instructors. People often believe that AIARE is the only course provider but there are other providers that follow the A3 guidelines as well. Colorado Mountain College is an AIARE and A3 certified professional course provider!

 

An avalanche in berthoud pass with the avalanche science program logo

Recreational and Professional Avalanche Training at Colorado Mountain College

Recreational Training

Colorado Mountain College offers both the recreational and professional tracks for avalanche training. Recreational backcountry users can begin their avalanche education with Level 1 Avalanche Training (OUT-168), Avalanche Rescue (OUT-268), and progress to Level 2 Avalanche Training (OUT-269).

Avalanche Science: Professional Avalanche Courses at Colorado Mountain College

Colorado Mountain College Leadville also offers professional level avalanche training and continued education for current or aspiring avalanche industry professionals. The Avalanche Science program is a two-year certification designed by industry experts from the Colorado Avalanche information Center, Colorado Mountain College, and U.S. Forest Service. Program graduates earn a Snow, Weather & Avalanche Field Technician certificate as well as an American Avalanche Association PRO certification.

Find a complete list of avalanche courses offered at CMC on the course catalog.

‘No place on Earth like CMC’

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‘No place on Earth like CMC’

Ali Henry graduates with a bachelor’s from CMC Breckenridge

Ali Henry

Ali Henry was working in a Breckenridge restaurant when she decided that she needed to shift her focus.

“One day the cook asked me, ‘If you care so much about animals and nature, why do you still eat them and why don’t you do something to help Earth?’” Henry said. “That evening I went home and educated myself. I went vegan overnight and enrolled at CMC the next day. I then learned about sustainability studies and my entire life fell into the perfect pathway for this degree.”

Henry said that her time at Colorado Mountain College Breckenridge expanded her mind in new ways.

“I learned about environmentalists who have changed the world,” said the graduate, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in sustainability studies in May 2020. “I learned about biomimicry, conservation, endangered species, TerraCycling and so much more that I will use throughout my life.”

The knowledge she gained also prepared her to create the “Not-so-Silent Auction: Australian Wildlife Relief” this past February at CMC Breckenridge. Along with fellow CMC students, the fundraiser generated nearly $5,000 for wildlife injured by Australia’s devastating wildfires.

Now that her bachelor’s program at Colorado Mountain College is complete, Henry wants others to know what a special and unique experience CMC offers.

“I want people to know that there is no other place on Earth like CMC,” she said. “If you have an opportunity to attend classes or get a degree at CMC, take it. We are so blessed to have a college throughout the Rocky Mountains with people who care about your well-being and have such incredible energy. It’s made me a better and much more educated human being.”

Sustainability degree follows Brocato’s lifelong aspirations

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Sustainability degree follows Brocato’s lifelong aspirations

Kate Brocato

Kate Brocato worked with the Bear Park Permaculture Garden, here, and beekeeping club at CMC Steamboat.

Kate Brocato was studying environmental science and had attended two large universities. Then, quite by surprise, she discovered Colorado Mountain College Steamboat Springs – and its sustainability studies program.

“The degree isn’t available at many other colleges,” Brocato said. “It covers the many facets of sustainability, from natural sciences to business and ethics.”

In addition, she appreciated the Steamboat campus’s approachable professors and small class sizes – different from what she had experienced before.

Brocato graduated in May with a Bachelor of Arts in sustainability studies. In many ways, she had been aspiring to earn the degree her whole life.

“Even at a young age I recognized the harmful effects that human action could have on many of the places that I loved so dearly,” she said.

And when Brocato was 12, her dad and stepmom started a community garden – which still exists. She grew up appreciating fresh vegetables and local food.

“It was one of the primary drivers behind why I have leaned towards food systems work during my college career,” she said.

Many ways to grow

Brocato took part in multiple opportunities for learning and growth.

“Working with the Bear Park Permaculture Garden and as vice president of the beekeeping club has given me a trajectory for my future career path,” she said.

She said that sustainability professor Tina Evans taught her valuable lessons about permaculture – and more. “I learned leadership and team management skills under Tina,” Brocato said.

Brocato feels that Colorado Mountain College has prepared her well for entering the workforce and being a sustainability leader and communicator.

“The close-knit community of CMC and the friends that I have made along the way will be something that sticks with me for a lifetime,” she said.

A Roadmap for Sustainability Studies Program Development

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CMC Professor Dr. Tina Evans presented her "Roadmap" webinar hosted by the Sustainability Curriculum Consortium on January 23, 2020.

Dr. Evans' recently published article, “Competencies and Pedagogies for Sustainability Education: A Roadmap for Sustainability Studies Program Development in Colleges and Universities,” is attracting national and international attention both for her leadership and the Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability Studies program.

The scholarly article presents a set of five competencies for the sustainability field and effective pedagogies for teaching them. The five include:

  • Systems Competence
  • Critical and Normative Competence
  • Interpersonal and Communication Competence
  • Creative and Strategic Competence
  • Transdisciplinary Competence

Dr. Evans earned her Ph.D. in Sustainability Education at Prescott College and teaches at CMC Steamboat Springs and other CMC campuses.