The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) consists of 15 members. Eight voting members represent the state’s major water basins: South Platte, North Platte, Arkansas, Rio Grande, Gunnison/Uncompahgre, Colorado Mainstem, Yampa/White and the Southwest Basin. One voting member represents the City and County of Denver and the tenth Ex-Officio voting member is the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources.

There are five Ex-Officio non-voting members who inform and advise the voting Members on water issues as they relate to or impact their agencies. These five members consist of the Director of the CWCB, the State Engineer, the Attorney General, the Director of the Division of Parks & Wildlife and the Commissioner of Agriculture.

Board Members serve three-year terms, are appointed by the Governor after they apply or are nominated for the position, and must be confirmed by the Senate. Board appointees are generally experienced in water resource management; water project financing; engineering, planning, and development of water projects; water law; irrigated farming, and/or ranching. No more than five appointees can be members of the same political party, and all appointees must reside in the area they represent. Individuals interested in applying for a Board position should visit the Governor’s Boards & Commissions Office.

CWCB Board Members

Board Member	Basin/Representation	Term	Type of Member
Alan Hamel, Chair	Arkansas River	2011-2014	Appointed
Russ George	Colorado River Mainstem	2013-2016	Appointed
Patti Wells	City & County of Denver	2013-2016	Appointed
John H. McClow	Gunnison-Uncompahgre River	2012-2015	Appointed
Ty Wattenberg	North Platte River	2012-2015	Appointed
Travis Smith	Rio Grande River	2011-2014	Appointed
April Montgomery, Vice Chair	San Miguel, Dolores, Animas & San Juan Rivers	2011-2014	Appointed
Diane Hoppe	South Platte River	2012-2015	Appointed
Jay Gallagher	Yampa/White Rivers	2013-2016	Appointed
Mike King, Executive Director	Department of Natural Resources		Ex-Officio
John Salazar, Commissioner	Department of Agriculture		Non-Voting Ex-Officio
Jennifer Gimbel, Director	Colorado Water Conservation Board		Non-Voting Ex-Officio
Rick Cables, Director	Division of Colorado Parks & Wildlife		Non-Voting Ex-Officio
Dick Wolfe, State Engineer	Division of Water Resources		Non-Voting Ex-Officio
John Suthers	Attorney General		Non-Voting Ex-Officio

CWCB Strategic Plan
Reviewed annually by the Board, the CWCB Strategic Plan ensures the CWCB provides the citizens of Colorado, and its water users and others, with an understanding of how the organization achieves its mandate to Conserve, Develop, Protect, and Manage Colorado’s Water for Present and Future Generations in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

The Board uses the Strategic Plan to: ­

• Identify policy development needs ­
• Set program direction ­
• Define program and project priorities ­
• Develop staff performance goals

The Board Member Work Plan within the Strategic Plan guides the Board’s actions and helps implement the authorities and objectives of the CWCB.