Conference on World Affairs at CU Boulder

The Colorado River is more than a river—it’s the hardworking backbone of the American West. It delivers drinking water to more than 40 million people, including 30 Tribal Nations. It irrigates more than five million acres of farmland that feed the country. It powers homes and businesses with critical hydropower and fuels a $26 billion recreation and tourism economy. And it is a lifeline for countless fish, birds, plants and wildlife. But this iconic river is in trouble. After two decades of severe drought intensified by climate change and rising temperatures, demand now outstrips supply. The region is being forced to take unprecedented, historic steps to confront a crisis that can no longer be ignored. So what happens next—for the communities that depend on the river, for the ecosystems shaped by its flow and for the future of the West itself? How do we chart a path that protects both people and nature? Join us for a vital conversation about the challenges facing the Colorado River, the solutions taking shape and the role each of us can play in securing its future.

Public lands are at a crossroads. From wide‑open spaces where people hike, hunt, fish and explore, to the landscapes that support energy development, timber harvesting, mining and grazing, these shared places are under mounting political pressure. Efforts to sell off millions of acres of federal public land were recently halted thanks to rare bipartisan pushback—but the momentum behind those proposals hasn’t disappeared. This panel will dig into why public lands matter so deeply to communities, economies and ecosystems, and what it will take to ensure public lands stay in public hands.