Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Symposium: 10am - 4pm
Sunflower Theater, 8 E. Main St, Cortez, CO
Reception: 4pm - 7pm
ZU Gallery, 48 W Main St, Cortez, CO
Refreshments provided
Tickets are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Due to limited capacity, please let us know if your plans change so we can offer your spot to someone on the waitlist.)
Join us for a one-day symposium on the critical dust-on-snow issue in the San Juan Mountains. This event is free and hosted by the Wright-Ingraham Institute in partnership with the Mountain Studies Institute.
Nexus of Land and Water takes place in Southern Colorado and highlights the findings of an interdisciplinary team of researchers focused on addressing land health and water resource challenges in the Southwest. Experts from diverse fields will present innovative strategies to tackle these pressing concerns.
Event Details
We invite you to join us for an engaging one-day symposium, Nexus of Land and Water: Southwest Initiative on Land Health and Water Resources, hosted in collaboration with the Mountain Studies Institute. This event is the culmination of interdisciplinary research projects to devise novel approaches to the critical issue of dust-on-snow in the San Juan Mountains.
As climate change intensifies in western North America, the region faces hotter and drier conditions, which increase dust mobilization. Topsoil loss diminishes land productivity, while airborne dust harms the health and daily lives of nearby communities. When deposited on snowpack, dust accelerates snowmelt, creating a dangerous cycle that worsens drought and water scarcity for downstream communities.
Over the last six months, 21 researchers – scientists, artists, professionals, and community leaders from diverse fields – have been working together on applied research projects to identify implementable management practices that align with community values and reduce dust mobilization. Though centered on the San Juan Mountains, the issue of dust-on-snow and the insights of our researchers have global implications.
At this symposium, our interdisciplinary teams of researchers will share their findings and discuss strategies to manage land health and water resources more effectively. Through presentations, collaborative sessions, and discussions, we will explore practical solutions and innovative ideas to address these pressing challenges.
This project of the Wright-Ingraham Institute is funded by the Southwestern Water Conservation District, Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Gale Family Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. We extend our gratitude to our collaborators at the Mountain Studies Institute, Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies, New Mexico State University, USDA Soil Health Services, and the Center for Earth Theology.
Follow @wrightingrahaminstitute.org or visit wright-ingraham.org/nexus-of-land-and-water/ for more information.
