The South Platte Forum was initiated in 1989 to provide an avenue for a timely, multi-disciplinary exchange of information and ideas important to resource management in the South Platte River Basin. Its stated mandates are:
- to enhance the effective management of natural resources in the South Platte River Basin by promoting coordination between state, federal and local resource managers, and private enterprise, and
- to promote the interchange of ideas among disciplines to increase awareness and understanding of South Platte River Basin issues and public values.
South Platte Forum Planning Committee
Dawn Jewell, Chair
Aurora Water
15151 East Alameda Pkwy.
Aurora, CO 80012
(303) 739-7145
[email protected]
Aurora Water
15151 East Alameda Pkwy.
Aurora, CO 80012
(303) 739-7145
[email protected]
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Noah Greenberg
Wright Water Engineers, Inc. 2490 W. 26th Ave., Ste. 100A Denver, CO 80211 (303) 818-0006 [email protected] Erik Wardle CSU Extension Dept. of Soil and Crop Sciences Fort Collins, CO 80523-1170 (970) 491-4923 [email protected] Morgan Lynch Denver Water 1600 West 12th Ave. Denver, CO 80254 (303) 446-3609 [email protected] |
Scott Griebling
St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District 1715 Iron Horse Drive, Suite 250 Longmont, CO 80501 [email protected] Peter Ismert Watershed Team, EPA Region 8 1595 Wynkoop Street (8EPR-EP) Denver, CO 80202 (303) 312-6215 [email protected] Taylor Winchell Denver Water 1600 West 12th Ave. Denver, CO 80254 (303) 628-6163 [email protected] |
Jason Marks
Denver Water 1600 West 12th Ave. Denver, CO 80254 (303) 628-6528 [email protected] Jeff Stahla Northern Water 220 Water Ave. Berthoud, CO 80513 (970) 622-2229 [email protected] Teresa Patterson Mile High Flood District 2480 W. 26th Ave. Suite 156-B Denver, CO 80211 [email protected] |
Myles Baker, Treasurer
Northern Water 220 Water Ave. Berthoud, CO 80513 (970) 622-2344 mbaker@northernwater.org Cole Bedford CWCB 1313 Sherman St., Room 718, Denver, CO 80203 (303) 866-3441 [email protected] Dai Lin, Conference Coordinator [email protected] |
Committee Bios
Dawn Jewell, Chair
Dawn Jewell is the South Platte Basin Water Resources Manager for the City of Aurora. She has worked in Water Resources, focusing on the South Platte River, for the Aurora Water Department since 2007. Her focus has been on building relationships with Aurora’s partners in the municipal, industrial, agricultural, environmental, and recreational communities while looking for sustainable options for long-term grown for the City of Aurora, a city of 400,000 people. Dawn holds a Bachelor of Science in Land Use with an emphasis in environment and resources from Metro State University and is a 2014 alumnus of the Water Education Colorado Water Leaders Program. She serves on the boards for the Brighton and New Brantner Extension Ditch Companies as well as the Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance (DARCA) board.
Dawn Jewell is the South Platte Basin Water Resources Manager for the City of Aurora. She has worked in Water Resources, focusing on the South Platte River, for the Aurora Water Department since 2007. Her focus has been on building relationships with Aurora’s partners in the municipal, industrial, agricultural, environmental, and recreational communities while looking for sustainable options for long-term grown for the City of Aurora, a city of 400,000 people. Dawn holds a Bachelor of Science in Land Use with an emphasis in environment and resources from Metro State University and is a 2014 alumnus of the Water Education Colorado Water Leaders Program. She serves on the boards for the Brighton and New Brantner Extension Ditch Companies as well as the Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance (DARCA) board.
Myles Baker, Treasurer
Myles Baker is a Financial Analyst at Northern Water. His major areas of responsibility are financial reporting on enterprise funds and maintaining the capital improvement plan. Prior to joining Northern Water, Myles was a Budget Analyst for a travel logistics company based in Irvine, California. Myles served 8 years (2012 – 2020) on the Windsor City Council. He currently serves as a Board Member on the Poudre River Trail Corridor Board and on the Four States Irrigation Council. Myles lives in Windsor with his wife and two teenage boys.
Myles Baker is a Financial Analyst at Northern Water. His major areas of responsibility are financial reporting on enterprise funds and maintaining the capital improvement plan. Prior to joining Northern Water, Myles was a Budget Analyst for a travel logistics company based in Irvine, California. Myles served 8 years (2012 – 2020) on the Windsor City Council. He currently serves as a Board Member on the Poudre River Trail Corridor Board and on the Four States Irrigation Council. Myles lives in Windsor with his wife and two teenage boys.
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Cole Bedford
Cole Bedford is the Chief Operating Officer of the Colorado Water Conservation Board. In his role, he oversees CWCB’s Water Plan Grant Program and Technical Assistance Grant Program and supports the budgeting, accounting, and procurement processes for the agency. Previously, he was a project manager for CWCB’s Water Project Loan Program administering the funds for construction projects across the state. Before coming to CWCB, Cole worked in consulting engineering, designing water infrastructure in New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado and served in the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan. Cole is an engineer by training, having a BS in Civil Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and an MS in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University. |
Scott Griebling
Scott is a water resources engineer with the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District. He focuses on collaborative approaches to meet diverse stakeholders’ water needs. He draws on a background of integrated hydrologic modeling and hydrologic systems monitoring and particularly enjoys the human element of water and the connections it brings.
Scott is a water resources engineer with the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District. He focuses on collaborative approaches to meet diverse stakeholders’ water needs. He draws on a background of integrated hydrologic modeling and hydrologic systems monitoring and particularly enjoys the human element of water and the connections it brings.
Peter Ismert
Peter has been an Environmental Scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 in Denver, CO for 26 years. He works in the Office of Water Protection and is a member of the Watershed Planning and Restoration Unit. Peter works directly with the State of Colorado to implement the State’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Program and is the project officer for the annual Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant to the State. He also assists the Oglala Sioux and the Northern Cheyenne Tribes in developing and implementing their water quality programs. Prior to working in the water programs, Peter was a Remedial Project Manager in the Superfund program. Peter has a B.S. degree in Agronomy from Colorado State University.
Peter has been an Environmental Scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 in Denver, CO for 26 years. He works in the Office of Water Protection and is a member of the Watershed Planning and Restoration Unit. Peter works directly with the State of Colorado to implement the State’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Program and is the project officer for the annual Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant to the State. He also assists the Oglala Sioux and the Northern Cheyenne Tribes in developing and implementing their water quality programs. Prior to working in the water programs, Peter was a Remedial Project Manager in the Superfund program. Peter has a B.S. degree in Agronomy from Colorado State University.
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Morgan Lynch
Morgan Lynch is a stormwater project manager for Freese and Nichols. Morgan has both local public sector and private consultant experience with strengths in water resources design, modeling, construction, and collaborative project management. Since 2010, Morgan has focused her career on urban flooding, stream restoration, and flood control management. As a Colorado Native, she is passionate about all things water in the west and is excited to see current innovations and collaborations in the South Platte River Basin evolve into a sustainable future for generations to come. |
Jason Marks
As part of Denver Water’s Environmental Planning team, Jason works alongside planners, engineers and operations staff to provide coordination and secure necessary permitting for planned infrastructural projects and activities. He also represents Denver Water on external programs such as the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP), South Platte Water Related Activities Program (SPWRAP) and the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group.
Jason migrated to the Front Range from Summit County in 2015. Prior to coming to work for Denver Water, he spent 17 years at a consulting firm in Frisco that specialized in ski area planning and permitting. Jason attended his first South Platte Forum conference in 2015, and has remained on the planning committee since that time. He served at Board Chair between 2018 and 2022.
As part of Denver Water’s Environmental Planning team, Jason works alongside planners, engineers and operations staff to provide coordination and secure necessary permitting for planned infrastructural projects and activities. He also represents Denver Water on external programs such as the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP), South Platte Water Related Activities Program (SPWRAP) and the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group.
Jason migrated to the Front Range from Summit County in 2015. Prior to coming to work for Denver Water, he spent 17 years at a consulting firm in Frisco that specialized in ski area planning and permitting. Jason attended his first South Platte Forum conference in 2015, and has remained on the planning committee since that time. He served at Board Chair between 2018 and 2022.
Jeff Stahla
Jeff Stahla is the Public Information Coordinator for Northern Water, which provides water to Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Longmont, Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, many smaller communities, rural and domestic water districts and local industries. Before joining Northern Water, Stahla had been a journalist in the region for more than 20 years, most recently serving as the editor of the Loveland Reporter-Herald. He lives in Loveland.
Jeff Stahla is the Public Information Coordinator for Northern Water, which provides water to Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Longmont, Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, many smaller communities, rural and domestic water districts and local industries. Before joining Northern Water, Stahla had been a journalist in the region for more than 20 years, most recently serving as the editor of the Loveland Reporter-Herald. He lives in Loveland.
Erik Wardle
Erik is a water quality agronomist in the Department of Soil and Crop Science’s Water Quality Program at Colorado State University. In this position he does extensive research, writing and Extension work related to agricultural water quality issues including; pesticide use, nutrient management, soil moisture monitoring, groundwater/surface water interactions, conservation tillage, and irrigation water management. He supports the development, validation, and promotion of agricultural Best Management Practices that allow chemical handlers to use these products appropriately while preventing the contamination of surface and groundwater in Colorado. He works closely with the agricultural community to ensure that research and outreach efforts provide practical, real world solutions to water quality issues in agriculture.
Erik is a water quality agronomist in the Department of Soil and Crop Science’s Water Quality Program at Colorado State University. In this position he does extensive research, writing and Extension work related to agricultural water quality issues including; pesticide use, nutrient management, soil moisture monitoring, groundwater/surface water interactions, conservation tillage, and irrigation water management. He supports the development, validation, and promotion of agricultural Best Management Practices that allow chemical handlers to use these products appropriately while preventing the contamination of surface and groundwater in Colorado. He works closely with the agricultural community to ensure that research and outreach efforts provide practical, real world solutions to water quality issues in agriculture.
Taylor Winchell
Taylor Winchell manages the climate change adaptation program at Denver Water, where he focuses on translating climate change threats to on-the-ground adaptation efforts. Taylor’s work incorporates many areas of water resource planning, including climate and drought planning, water supply analysis, and long-range integrated resource planning. Taylor has additionally worked in the environmental non-profit sector and on water-focused projects in Southeast Asia. He received his MS in water resource engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his BS in environmental engineering science from the University of California, Berkeley.
Taylor Winchell manages the climate change adaptation program at Denver Water, where he focuses on translating climate change threats to on-the-ground adaptation efforts. Taylor’s work incorporates many areas of water resource planning, including climate and drought planning, water supply analysis, and long-range integrated resource planning. Taylor has additionally worked in the environmental non-profit sector and on water-focused projects in Southeast Asia. He received his MS in water resource engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his BS in environmental engineering science from the University of California, Berkeley.