Dr. Reagan Waskom, director of the Colorado Water Institute at Colorado State University, provides an overview on agricultural water use in the west. Learn about types of agriculture, how water is used in agriculture, and why so much water is needed for agriculture in the west. This video is part of the Water in the Western US lecture series.
Reagan Waskom currently serves as the Director of the Colorado Water Institute and Director of the Colorado State University Water Center. Dr. Waskom is a member of the Department of Soil & Crop Sciences with a joint appointment to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at CSU, where he has worked on various water related research and outreach programs for the past 27 years, conducting statewide educational and applied research programs on water quality, water quantity, water policy, and natural resource issues related to water use.
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.
