John Carron
Hydros Consulting
Huerfano River Valley
October 26, 2024
On a blustery afternoon, the Westies met with John Carron, longtime water policy professional and resource engineer. Co-founder of Hydros Consulting firm in Boulder, Colorado, John has been involved in the water and resources field for around three decades. In addition to his work he is also the father to the Semester in the West Field Manager, Abigael Carron and his dedication to both aspects of his life easily shows through in his casual, joking conversation style. He enjoys the problem solving aspect of his job the most. Maybe some of this comes from his background in STEM, but it also seems to come from a place of deep care and consideration for the individuals he works with and for.
In terms of the future of water issues in the Colorado River Basin John says, “It will get sorted out in slow, painful steps.” He reminds the group that water policy takes a very long time to negotiate and that timescales on which environmental policy shifts can be brutal and frustrating, but that change around the vital resource of water will take extremely hard work and perseverance.
At one point a student asks if there is anything that John’s wife and daughter don’t know about his job. He jokingly replies, “I wear a cape.” But I don’t think he’s that far off. His work is imperative to communicating to different people the stakes around water conservation in the Colorado River Basin. He analyzes huge issues and finds ways to solve and settle disagreements around them. He works with policy makers to look at what the general population is willing to give up or take on in the vein of water conservation. In many ways, he really is a superhero.
by Linnea Krig