Annual William Howard and Hazel Butler Peters Lecture
The Colorado River is a river in crisis. A millenial drought, a growing population, increased demands on the river, and our perpetuation of myths about the American West have pushed the river to its limit. To address these challenges, we need to reimagine our relationship to water. This presentation will discuss a group of oft-neglected perspectives from the river basin—the tributary voices—that prompt this reimagination and move us toward a more equitable and sustainable water future.
Paul Formisano
Director, Salazar Rio Grande Water Center at Adams State University
Dr. Paul Formisano recently joined Adams State University in southern Colorado to direct the Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center where he works with university and community partners to steward the San Luis Valley's water, land and cultural resources. A graduate of BYU (Humanities, '02), he earned advanced degrees at the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of New Mexico Western American where he studied Western American literature and the environmental humanities. Prior to returning to Colorado where he was raised, he taught for twelve years at the University of South Dakota and directed the English department's writing program. He is the author of numerous articles about the intersections of water, literature, and the American West and a monograph Tributary Voices: Literary and Rhetorical Explorations of the Colorado River (University of Nevada Press, 2022).
Students in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences gain Experience Points for attending this event. Learn more about Experience Points.