Colorado Water Dec 2005

• Year: 2005
• Title: Colorado Water
• Author: Water Center of Colorado State University
• Description: December 2005 Issue
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

Message of Farewell from Robert Ward
After writing 84 editorials for Colorado Wa-
ter over the past 14 years, it is time to write
my last editorial and say `farewell'. I will
be retiring after 35 very enjoyable years as a
faculty member at Colorado State University.
As director of CWRRI for the past 14 years, I
have attempted to connect Colorado's higher
education `water' expertise with the research
and education needs of Colorado's water
managers and users. The limited resources
available to CWRRI to establish and nurture
such connections places considerable value
upon the voluntary contributions from both
groups of people. If CWRRI has been able
to contribute to enhanced connections, it is
because so many people were willing to write a news-
letter article for Colorado Water, speak at a CWRRI
sponsored conference, present a seminar on campus,
contribute matching funds to a CWRRI research
project, make a special effort to attend a meeting
discussing university /water community connections,
and answer my phone calls and questions regarding
basic facts about Colorado's water management sys-
tem. And do all this for no financial return! I cannot
thank enough the many, many people both on and off
campus who have helped CWRRI make constructive
connections between theory and practice.
Robert takes the plunge.
CWRRI operates with only one full time person who
must edit the newsletter, handle all research project
budget and personnel tracking, submit all legisla-
tively required reports, and staff CWRRI's office.
The two ladies who have held this position during
my tenure at CWRRI, Shirley Miller until 2004 and
Gloria Blumanhourst since then,
deserve considerable credit
for CWRRI accomplishments.
Their commitment to the mis-
sion of CWRRI, and willingness
to go the extra mile, are very
much appreciated.
Reagan Waskom will take on
the position of Interim CWRRI
director on January 1, 2006.
Reagan brings a wealth of
experience and connections
to the position and I encourage all of
you to support Reagan as he continues
to strengthen the bridges between the
Colorado's academic community and its
water management community.
As a member of the College of Engi-
neering faculty since 1970 and having
taught a number of engineers working
in the field of water resources today, I
have another big thank you to make — to
the taxpayers of Colorado who provided
the funds and the opportunity for me to
teach their sons and daughters. I greatly
enjoyed teaching the entire spectrum of
engineering students (from freshmen to
graduate) and watching them transformed, through
their own hard work and that of my faculty colleagues,
into professional engineers. It is extremely satisfying
to attend water meetings across the state of Colorado
today and visit with former students who are now into
very productive phases of their careers as water man-
agers. When I began to encounter some of the former
students who have retired, it dawned on me that it was
time for me to consider retirement!
While I am retiring from the university, I intend to
remain active in Colorado's water community as a
private citizen. The subject is too fascinating to me
to do otherwise. I will continue to actively support
CSU's Water Archive and the Poudre Heritage Alli-
ance as both strive to preserve, protect, and promote
Colorado's rich water history. I intend to continue
consulting and conducting research into the design of
water quality monitoring systems — my area of per-
sonal research.
Robert, Brenda, Justin, Ryan and stephante
(1989)
I look forward to more time with
my family, time to exercise, time
to enjoy more of Colorado's out-
doors, and time to travel. Until
our paths cross, best wishes with
your endeavors to employ the
latest in scientific and policy
findings to improve the manage-
ment of Colorado's most pre-
cious natural resource - water.