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Eric Kuhn

Terry J. Stevinson Fellow 2022

For media inquiries, please contact cinamon@csinstituteus.org

Eric Kuhn is the retired General Manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District and co-author with John Fleck of Science Be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River, University of Arizona Press, 2019.

The Colorado River District is the largest and oldest of Colorado’s four conservation districts. It covers most of the Colorado River Basin within Colorado. Almost two thirds of the flow at Lee Ferry originates in or flows through the district. Eric started employment with the Colorado River District in 1981 as Assistant Secretary-Engineer. In 1996 he was appointed General Manager, a position he held until his retirement in 2018.

From 1994 through 2001, he served on the Colorado Water Conservation Board representing the Colorado River mainstem. Eric served as an at-large representative on the Colorado Inter-basin Compact Committee, from 2005 – 2018. He also served on the Engineering Advisory Committee of the Upper Colorado River Compact Commission from 1982 -2019.

Prior to working for the Colorado River District, he served as an engineer officer aboard nuclear submarines in the U.S. Navy and worked as a nuclear start-up engineer for Bechtel Power Corp.

In addition to Science Be Dammed, a book about Colorado River hydrology and politics, Eric has authored or coauthored numerous other articles and papers about the Colorado River.

 
Expert's Work
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Energy & Our Environment
Adapting Colorado’s Water Systems

Background information and recommendations to meet challenges facing Colorado’s water supply at the state and local level.

November 01, 2022 Eric Kuhn
Energy & Our Environment
Minding Colorado’s Water
The Gazette

Adapting Colorado’s Water Management Systems for a 21st Century Economy and Water Supply.

May 05, 2024 Eric Kuhn
Energy & Our Environment
Calls grow for statewide #Colorado water #conservation standards
Coyote Gulch

Jennifer Gimbel and Eric Kuhn, cites the need for broader conservation measures such as removing non-functional turf in new development.

February 13, 2023 Eric Kuhn
Energy & Our Environment
Colorado’s Water Future: Leadership lessons from the past
Colorado Real Estate Journal

Terry J Stevinson Fellows with Common Sense Institute say we stress that our state is facing significant future water supply and management challenges

January 18, 2023 Eric Kuhn