Steve Wolff and Mo Rock

General Manager and Programs Coordinator

Southwest Water Conservation District, Durango, CO

October 16th, 2025

It was yet another cloudless day in Durango when we visited the Southwest Water Conservation District’s (SWWCD) headquarters. Here we met with Steve Wolff, the general manager, and Mo Rock, the Programs Coordinator for the conservation district. Steve has a long history in the Colorado River Basin, first working with Wyoming’s Fish and Wildlife department for twenty years before moving to Durango to aid water rights users in southwest Colorado. Mo grew up in Eastern Washington, and joined SWWCD after doing seasonal work, including helping NASA map earth environments from space. She now aids SWWCD in acquiring and giving various grants. After providing a hefty amount of snacks and coffee, the two explained their work as a part of SWWCD.

In 1922, every state within the Colorado River Basin was apportioned a certain percentage of the Colorado River’s flow. SWWCD, founded in 1941, works to ensure the water from the San Juan and Dolores rivers is protected, conserved, and utilized. Historically, the conservation district focused on developing water projects, but now is focused more on conservation. As a part of this mission, Steve and Mo work to award grants that help further develop local water infrastructure, give money to organizations protecting the health of watersheds and endangered species, and interact with entities from other states to ensure the future of the Colorado River Basin as a whole.

by Everett Calhoun