Confluence: BizWest’s newest event examines regional water issues

LOVELAND — BizWest will launch a new content-rich event on Thursday, July 18, called “Confluence: the Northern Colorado Water Conference.”

The new event, to be held the same day and at the same venue as the annual Colorado Energy Summit, will explore the many facets of water availability, cost, conservation, development and supply. It will try to answer, “how can the region protect its water supplies for the benefit of future generations in Northern Colorado.”

The program kicks off at 7:30 a.m. with a panel discussion about the Northern Integrated Supply Project, or NISP, and examines the pros and cons of increasing water storage.

The second session will be called Banking on Water during which a panel will discuss recent efforts to determine if a water bank — which would acquire and preserve water rights for use in the region — is the appropriate response to efforts from metro-Denver communities to look north for their future water needs.

Session three will discuss the rising prices of water and the effect that share prices have on development, housing costs and more.

The Impact of Ag is the title of session four, which will delve into how the transfer of water from farms to development affects the economy and the agricultural heritage of the region.

At lunch, Patty Limerick, director of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado Boulder, will keynote an address that demonstrates the nexus of water and energy. She’ll explain how water is critical in energy exploration and what impact that has on water supply.

After her address, the afternoon Energy Summit will begin with topics that will examine not only the challenges faced by the traditional energy sector but also the latest issues affecting the development of renewable sources of energy.

Confluence and the Energy Summit will be at the Ranch in Loveland, 5280 Arena Circle, Suite 100. Tickets are available here. Attendees can attend either event for $53.49 or purchase a full-day pass for $103.49.

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