Warren Rider – Coordinator

Email: healthyanimas.awp@gmail.com or warren@riderwater.com

Phone: ​970.274.3646

Website: http://animaswatershedpartnership.org/

Mission

To protect and improve the quality of water resources; to benefit the Animas River, now and in the future.
Our values inspire us to create a community-based collaborative process involving all stakeholders in which we operate by consensus, use all available data sources, and make informed decisions based on sound science.

Vision

Our diverse Animas River watershed community is united to keep the river healthy, productive and fun for all uses.

Who is AWP?

The full AWP is a diverse, grassroots group of individuals from Colorado, New Mexico, the Southern Ute Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, and governmental agency representatives – in short, anyone interested in collaborating across boundaries toward the protection and improvement of water resources in the Animas Watershed.

The AWP Steering Committee guides the partnership’s day to day efforts. The Steering Committee supervises the Partnership Coordinator and is responsible for hosting full Partnership meetings, shepherding the strategic direction of the AWP, approving grant applications and projects, and any hiring decisions. The Steering Committee is comprised of 9 representatives from New Mexico, Colorado, and the Southern Ute Tribe.

Our Bylaws reflect the fundamental rules that govern our organization including processes and procedures and our purpose and activities.

In addition to individuals, some of our partner organizations include: San Juan Watershed Group, City of Farmington, City of Durango, San Juan Water Commission, Southern Ute Tribe Water Quality Division, Southwest Water Conservation District, Animas River Stakeholders Group, CO Riverwatch, CO NPS, Trout Unlimited, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Mountain Studies Institute, La Plata Conservation District and the San Juan RC&D.

AWP’s Beginnings

Green string algae and warm, cloudy waters. Concern for the health and quality of the waters of the Animas River spurred collaboration and action in 2002. Individuals and agencies from New Mexico, the Southern Ute Tribe and Colorado came together as the Animas River Nutrient Workgroup to sample and assess the levels of nutrients in the Animas River between 2003 and 2005. Out of this effort came useful and informative data, and the commitment to continue working together across borders as the Animas Watershed Partnership.

AWP’s Steering Committee

Buck Skillen – Chair, Five Rivers Trout Unlimited
Carrie Padgett – Vice Chair, Southwest Water Conservation District
Forrest Vaughan – Southern Ute Tribe
Melissa May – San Juan RCD
Colin Larrick – Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
Paul Montoia – City of Farmington
Kevin Lombard ​- New Mexico
Jeni Nicovich – City of Durango
Robert Ludwig – Colorado Member
Nathan Goodman – Colorado Member
Alyssa Richmond – New Mexico Member