San Juan Bark Beetles and Watersheds Workshop: What are the effects of beetle infestations on water supply and water quality?

CLICK HERE for the Beetles, Water, & Climate archive and download the ZIP file to access all presentations.

The Western Water Assessment (WWA), the Mountain Studies Institute (MSI), the San Juan Headwaters Forest Health Partnership, and the U.S. Forest Service co-sponsored this workshop to explore the water-related impacts of bark beetle infestations in the San Juans and the Rocky Mountain West. Over 40 people participated in the workshop, representing forest management agencies, water management agencies, Indian tribes, ski areas, and universities.

The goals of the workshop were to:

• Share key findings and uncertainties from beetle-water research in Colorado and elsewhere in the West, and describe ongoing studies

• Seek input from resource managers on the Western Slope about their water/watershed concerns and information needs related to ongoing beetle infestations, particularly the spruce beetle infestation

• Help connect decision-makers with researchers and information resources

There was also a community meeting and open house in Pagosa Springs on the evening of Tuesday, April 9, co-sponsored by Firewise Communities of Southwest Colorado (Firewise).

Workshop Agenda and Presentations

Video: Links from video/audio files are posted below from all of the workshop sessions, as well as the following playlist link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_B2fL6AW3d4KtezJ3qghXYHZP9eAaiYk

Powerpoint Slides: Most of the sessions have a link to a .pdf file with the slide deck.

Notes: Scott Wagner's presentation on fire regimes and fire behavior, and the group discussion session, have a link to a .pdf file with notes from those sessions.