Water courses are available for Adams State students, SLV high school students, and community members

Water touches everything, from the environment to the economy, to our food supply and our future. The health of our communities relies on people who understand these vital connections.

To help students and community members better understand the water challenges and opportunities in the Valley, Adams State University is again offering the introductory Water 101: Water Essentials course this fall semester. It’s the first step to a water studies minor, to a career in water, or deeper engagement as a community member. The Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center at Adams State developed this degree plan to provide students and community members the tools needed to work for a more sustainable water future for the San Luis Valley, Colorado, and the West.

Water 101 will be taught by local water expert Maya ter Kuile-Miller, a career agronomist and teacher. After earning her bachelor’s degree at Oxford University, Maya returned to Colorado for a master’s degree in agronomy at Colorado State University. She was involved in project management for the Alamosa River Watershed Restoration Foundation, sampling for Colorado Riverwatch, and now consults with many Valley farmers on issues from irrigation water management and crop nutrition to farm economics.

“In the arid West, water is more precious than gold,” ter Kuile-Miller said. “I look forward to navigating with you through these waters, including the basics of hydrology, water uses, administration, regulation, exploitation and some politics of this most valuable resource.  I hope this course will help you find your niche as a citizen in a water scarce world.”

Beyond the classroom, the course will also include local field trips that make the role of water come to life.

In addition to being available to Adams State students, youth at local high schools can enroll in these courses as concurrent classes, for early college credits, through their school counselor.

Community members can also audit the courses as “Listening Classes” for just $150 to deepen their water knowledge and engagement in the vital issues around water.

To register for WATR 101 or to learn more about the entire water studies minor, please contact the Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center Director Paul Formisano, Ph.D., at pformisano@usd.edu or 719-587-7111.