VISION FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Water education, outreach, and public engagement are critical
to addressing Colorado’s significant water challenges. To
maximize impact, SWEAP-focused water educators embrace
a holistic approach that empowers Coloradans to effectively
participate in addressing these challenges. Creating and
executing SWEAP, based on the common strategic framework
described in this Plan, is an essential step toward achieving a
sustainable water future for Colorado.​

MANY ENTITIES CONTRIBUTING TO IMPLEMENTATION

• ​Water Education Colorado and other statewide groups can use this shared framework to guide a focused strategy, mobilize funding, and provide capacity-building opportunities.
• Public Education, Participation and Outreach (PEPO) workgroups and Basin Roundtables can use SWEAP as a model for planning, building in alignment with Education Action Plans where possible, and as a framework to foster cross-pollination among and between basins.
• Organizations and Local Water Educators can better align local and regional actions with statewide strategies; contribute to statewide impact; facilitate funding and reporting.

Click to learn more about How to Use this Plan.

BUILDING CAPACITY FOR WATER EDUCATION

SWEAP is a basis for increasing funding and creating resources to build capacity toward effective and equitable implementation of this Plan. Curated or newly developed resources and toolkits will help to bring all implementation strategies to a common standard of practice. Toolkits will be supported by technical assistance programs that provide training, coaching, or mentoring at different locations throughout the state. The Water Educator Network, led by Water Education Colorado, will fill a critical role as a peer-to-peer learning network, sharing information about successes, lessons learned, and other training or informational resources.

FILLING WATER EDUCATION GAPS

With shared outcomes and related metrics, progress at a statewide level can be documented and evaluated. In geographic areas where progress is slow, technical assistance can be provided to support local groups in adapting strategies that achieve better and more equitable results.​

AN ITERATIVE PROCESS

SWEAP is a living document supported by coordinated, ongoing efforts. Mirroring the iterative process used in developing the Colorado Water Plan, SWEAP implementation is coordinated at the state, regional, watershed and local levels.

An adaptive management approach will be used to:

• Guide actions that achieve shared outcomes and measurable objectives
• Develop, track, and assess specific metrics
• Evaluate and document progress based on outcomes
• Share learning and deliberately build capacity to support implementation of strategies
• Adapt priority strategies and actions based on documented results and identified gaps