Carolyn Cummins
Director of Fort Lewis College’s Four Corners Water Center
Durango, CO
October 14th, 2025
On a dark and stormy night (literally), Carolyn Cummins, PhD, introduced our group to one of the most critical topics of the arid west: the Colorado River. Despite the rain, wind, thunder, and occasional bouts of marble-sized hail, Carolyn gave us a thorough and accessible introduction to the ecohydrology of the Colorado River basin, and the history and politics of its apportionment. In 1922, states in the Colorado River basin agreed upon how much water each state would receive creating the Colorado River Compact. We learned that the Compact is up for renegotiation this year, which is an extremely turbulent and fraught issue for the seven states, numerous tribes, and Mexico, all of which rely on the river’s water. In her role as director of Fort Lewis College’s Four Corners Water Center, Carolyn plays an important part in the water science, policy, and community engagement occurring in Colorado, part of the Upper Basin. As a Bayfield local, Carolyn returned to the region after getting her doctorate at the University of Georgia. She focused her research on the effects of temperature on carbon cycling and aquatic insects in headwater streams, and is now using her expertise in freshwater science to educate students, community members, and groups like us. In the days that followed, we learned more about just how scarce water is in the Colorado basin, hearing from farmers, ranchers, politicians, and scientists about the destructive effects of the ongoing drought in the region. Thanks to Carolyn, we had the necessary context to understand the water issues that we would learn about, and gained a more appreciative perspective on the rain that poured down on us that night.
by Liza Lebo