In this part of the Water in the Western US lecture series, Eric Gordon from the University of Colorado Boulder discusses the rapid growth of Las Vegas and the history of its water use. This western water story can help us learn about how desert towns can improve their water sustainability.
Eric Gordon has nearly 20 years of experience in environmental science, policy, and education. From 2010 to 2015, Eric served as the Managing Director of the Western Water Assessment, a NOAA-supported program that works to connect climate science to water and other natural resource managers in the Intermountain West. He served as lead editor of the Colorado Climate Change Vulnerability Study, contributed to a climate change assessment for the Southwestern US, and published on the watershed impacts of tree mortality due to bark beetle infestation.
Water in the Western US is a free course, “Water in the Western United States,” offered through the platform Coursera, runs for five weeks, accommodates flexible schedules, and requires a total of 15 hours to complete. The course’s five modules are open for learners to complete at any time.
Over a dozen experts in water management, policy, and research contributed to the course to help learners consider the scientific, legal, political, and cultural issues impacting water and climate in the Western United States. Building on this foundational understanding of climate and water in the West, students examine the Colorado River Basin as a case study and conclude the class with a deeper understanding of controversial water issues faced in the American West.
