The fifth annual Rio Grande State of the Basin Symposium will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023, on the Adams State University campus.

Sponsored by the Adams State Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center, the symposium will begin at 8 a.m. with registration and breakfast. Following morning presentations participants will move to the Student Union Building for lunch and keynote address by Craig Childs.

According to Amazon, Craig Childs, an Arizona native now lives in western Colorado. Winner of the 2009 Rowell Art of Adventure Award, he is part deep traveler, part writer who focuses on natural sciences, archaeology, and journeys into the global wilderness. He is a commentator for National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, and his work has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Men’s Journal, Outside, the Sun, and Orion. Subjects range from pre-Columbian archaeology to US border issues to the last free-flowing rivers of Tibet and Patagonia.

“We are continuing to organize speakers and panelists for the morning sessions,” said Nick Saenz, Ph.D., professor of history and special assistant to the president.

Currently presenters include Colorado Division of Water Resource Division Engineers Craig Cotton and Kevin Rein; a legislative report by State Senator Cleave Simpson; Rio Grande Farm Park Program Director Seth Armentrout and Fairfield and Woods, P.C., Director Phillip E. Lopez, Adams State Class of 2004; as well as a presentation by the Colorado Water Conservation Board Member Nathan Coombs.

The Rio Grande State of the Basin Symposium is free and open to the public. For more information, or to register, contact Dr. Saenz at cnsaenz@adams.edu.