The We are Water project highlights how access to clean, reliable water varies dramatically across the Four Corners region, where drought, agriculture, and aging infrastructure shape daily life. A new, permanently installed exhibit in the Alamosa Public Library in Alamosa, Colorado, was co-created with local residents and uses place-based education and storytelling to help communities explore the past, present, and future of their water.  The bilingual exhibit features an interactive 3D topographic model of the Rio Grande Watershed and a wall display built by CU Boulder students and local artists.

Rather than teaching policy, the project creates a welcoming space for people to share experiences and cultural perspectives on water, blending art and science, Indigenous and Western knowledge, and formal and informal learning. Through community listening sessions and collaborative design, the exhibit encourages visitors to think critically about where their water comes from, how systems like aquifers actually function, and how water issues intersect with climate change and local needs. Ultimately, We are Water aims to spark curiosity, foster connection, and build awareness of water as a vital yet vulnerable resource that unites all communities.

We are Water is a National Science Foundation-funded education project within CEEE and a grant recipient of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship. Read more on WaW's website here. 

Read what We Are Water program manager Tory Nau had to say about the project on the University of Colorado Boulder's Outreach and Community Engagement website below.