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Healthy Headwaters Program

The headwaters landscapes that provide most of the West’s water for cities, farms, businesses and ecosystems are fundamentally threatened by climate change. Downstream communities are concerned about their water security. These factors provide an opportunity to build the next generation of ecological protection and restoration.

Carpe Diem West’s Healthy Headwaters Program is an alliance of upstream
land managers, downstream water utilities, scientists, economists, and conservation advocates whose goal is to increase the climate resiliency of the headwaters systems that provide water for the West. 

The Healthy Headwaters Alliance Policy Platform

In May 2012, the Helathy Headwaters Ladership Team came together produced an extraordinary accomplishment and came together around a Policy Platform for protecting headwaters regions.


More Information

Leadership Team
Program Information
Success Stories
Literature Review, Articles & Tools

The source of most of the American West’s water lies in high-elevation watersheds. Much of this supply is on public land, specifically belonging to the US Forest Service and other federal agencies; but private landholdings play a major role as well. Climate change is threatening these vital headwaters by:

  • increasing the risk of wildfire and invasive species
  • decreasing snowpack levels
  • altering the timing of runoff
  • changing vegetation patterns on a landscape scale

Downstream water utilities are becoming increasingly concerned about the ability of the West’s watersheds to continue providing reliable supplies of clean water. Even as these new threats are emerging, important changes are occurring at the federal level. Land management agencies are placing a renewed emphasis on their mission of providing water supplies for downstream use. At the same time, their ability to manage headwaters is coming under increasing strain from tightening budgets.

Together, these factors — climate stress, shifting agency priorities, and the need for new funding sources — create the opportunity to forge new partnerships in support of headwaters protection. Carpe Diem West’s Healthy Headwaters Program is built around a strong, non-traditional alliance of water utilities, agency officials, conservationists, and others who are creating on-the-ground examples of successful headwaters restoration. The goal of this Healthy Headwaters Alliance is to replicate these successful models in communities and watersheds across the American West. 

"We are developing a new understanding of where water comes from - not from the streams, but from the forest.”  

Ron Lehr President, Denver Water Board (1993-1999)

 

"What we really like about working with Carpe Diem West, is that for us to be successful, we need other utilities in the region to be successful.  We're all learning from each other."

Karl Morgenstern Eugene Water & Electric Board

  

 

"Carpe Diem West is a natural partner for the Forest Service to work with as we figure out how to implement the Watershed Condition Framework.  The whole connection with downstream users is a critical piece."

Anne Zimmermann U.S. Forest Service 

 
Program Information

Healthy Headwaters Alliance

Healthy Headwaters Testimony Before the United States Congress, March 2012

Watershed Investment Programs in the American West - Report, November 2011

"Leadership Convening Summary: Healthy Headwaters," Carpe Diem West, Oakland, October 2011 

USFS Watershed Condition Framework Webinar, October 2011

"Leadership Convening Summary: Healthy Headwaters," Carpe Diem West, Denver, March 2011

"User Contribution Programs: Linking Upstream Watershed Health to the Hearts, Minds & Wallets of Downstream Water Users", Carpe Diem West, October 2010

"Leadership Convening Summary: Healthy Headwaters," Carpe Diem West, Salt Lake City, September 2010

“Leadership Convening Summary: Healthy Headwaters,” Carpe Diem West, Seattle, March 2010

“Climate Change, Water, and National Forests in the West “ Carpe Diem West Briefing Paper, July 2009