Farmers, ranchers, students, agency personnel, educators, and the interested public are invited to attend a Stewarding Our Water Future Field Day presented by Ogallala Commons (www.ogallalacommons.org) on Tuesday, October 28th from 9:30am-2:00pm beginning at Minnick Building (28500 County Rd 24.6) out at the Baca County Fairgrounds in Springfield, CO.

The purpose of the field day is: 1) to shift the public conversation about groundwater depletion toward a more hopeful narrative built on a wide range of innovative solutions, and 2) to expand the stakeholder coalition focused on improving the water realities we live with and leave for future generations on the Southern Plains.

Doors will open at 8:30am Mountain Time at the Minnick Building for registration and light refreshments. After a Welcome and Introductions at 9am, an “Overview of the Stewarding Our Water Future Project” will be given at 9:20am by Dr. Darryl Birkenfeld, Deputy Director, Ogallala Commons, Nazareth, TX. Immediately following will be a presentation entitled “Landscape Rehydration in Bent, Baca, and Prowers Counties” given by Henry Pollock, Ex. Director, Southern Plains Land Trust, Lamar, CO. The Southern Plains Land Trust currently protects more than 60,000 acres of grasslands in southeast Colorado—providing shortgrass prairie habitat for wildlife such as burrowing owls, golden eagles, pronghorn, prairie dogs, and bison. After a break, the final presentation entitled, “Abundant Ogallala Project: Opportunities for Eastern CO Landowners” will be offered at 11:10am via Zoom by Darron Gaus, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Victoria, TX. For eligible counties in eastern Colorado, including eastern New Mexico and western Kansas, the Abundant Ogallala program offers farmers and ranchers a practical path toward greater resilience and long-term sustainability.

At 11:50am, the group will enjoy a catered lunch, and at 12:40pm, attendees will depart to view some best management practices at Storm Casper’s place, six miles from Springfield. The event will be adjourned at 2pm.

Registration for the event is $20 per person. Otherwise, you can register by contacting Darryl Birkenfeld, Ogallala Commons Director (darryl@ogallalacommons.org or by phone at 806-336-1713).

***The field day is the first event for the Stewarding Our Water Future Project, which will continue with a two-day conference on March 26-27 in Burlington, CO, as well as with follow-up roundtable discussions and field days in 2026. The project is presented by Ogallala Commons and made possible by grant support from the Gates Family Foundation.

AGENDA:

Stewarding Our Water Future Field Day

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Minnick Building, Baca County Fairgrounds

Springfield, Colorado

9am – 2pm Mountain Time

8:30am: Registration and Signing Liability Release Forms at Minnick Building (28500 County Rd 24.6)—with light refreshments

9:00am: Welcome and Introductions

9:15am: “Stewarding Our Water Future Project Overview” Darryl Birkenfeld, Deputy Director, Ogallala Commons, Nazareth, TX

10:00am: “Landscape Rehydration in Bent, Baca, and Prowers Counties” Henry Pollock, Ex. Director, Southern Plains Land Trust, Lamar, CO

10:45am: Break

11:10am: “Abundant Ogallala Project: Opportunities for Eastern CO Landowners” Darron Gaus, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Victoria, TX

11:50am: Catered Lunch

12:40pm: Field Trip to Storm Casper’s Place (six miles west of Springfield)

2:00pm: Adjourn