Colorado State University Magazine (September 26, 2024)—Brad Udall, a senior water and climate researcher at the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University, has been honored with the prestigious 2024 David Getches Flowing Waters Award. The award recognizes Udall’s substantial contributions to water science and policy.
Named after the renowned water law scholar David Getches, the award celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to water policy and law. Getches, best known for his influential textbook Water Law in a Nutshell and his extensive work on the Colorado River, left a lasting legacy in the field.
The award was presented to Udall by the Colorado Water Trust on Sept. 24 at a ceremony at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Kate Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Water Trust, said that presenting Udall with the award celebrates “the innovative and collaborative spirit exemplified by both David and Brad over their careers.” She continued, “By researching and communicating to broad audiences and key policymakers how climate change impacts hydrology in the Colorado River Basin, Brad has given water users including the Colorado Water Trust tools that are essential for protecting healthy flows in our rivers.”
Udall said that receiving the David Getches Flowing Waters Award is a deeply meaningful honor and acknowledged the critical role Getches played in shaping modern water law and policy.
“David was beloved by students, by faculty, by his family – by anybody who knew him,” Udall said. “Being a part of this legacy is a gift that is hard to come up with words for, frankly.”
Early influences and career path
Udall’s journey into the world of water science and policy was shaped by a long-standing family tradition of public service. Coming from a family with strong political roots – his father, uncle, brother and grandfather all held significant public offices – Udall initially seemed destined to follow in their footsteps.
“In some ways, my story starts with my political family, which deeply influenced who I am,” Udall said. “There’s a deep commitment to public service in my family. It extends back to my grandfather, who was a Supreme Court justice in Arizona.”
However, he carved out his own path, pursuing a career in engineering and earning degrees from Stanford University and Colorado State University.
Udall began his career as a consulting engineer but soon found his calling in the intersection of climate science and policy. His work with the University of Colorado’s Western Water Assessment, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-funded Regional Integrated Sciences Assessment program focused on integrating climate science with regional water management decisions, was instrumental in shaping his career.
“The goal at the Western Water Assessment was to connect climate science with decision-makers in a meaningful way,” Udall explained.
In 2014, Udall transitioned to the Colorado Water Center at CSU, where he continues to focus on making climate science accessible to both policymakers and the public. His mission to translate complex scientific concepts into actionable insights to guide better decision-making around water management in the U.S. West aligns with the Colorado Water Center’s mission. Since 1965, the center has served as a hub for water-related research, education and outreach to address complex water management issues in Colorado and the West.
Bridging science communication and decision-making
Udall sees science communication as a critical tool in making research meaningful and applicable to real-world decisions. “It’s not enough for scientists to understand the data,” he emphasized. “We need to be able to explain it in a way that decision-makers and the public can understand, and then that understanding can fuel action.”
Udall’s experience working with CU’s RISA program helped sharpen his communication skills. However, he acknowledges the challenges of conveying the intricacies of climate science, particularly when it comes to long-term projections and uncertainty.
“Too many scientists want to caveat their findings to the point where they’re truly worthless for decision-making,” Udall said. “That’s where communication and journalism come in – many scientists don’t know that there’s a real art in being able to condense science down into stuff that decision-makers and the public can hear and understand.”
In his role at the Colorado Water Center, Udall strives to communicate the urgency of water issues in the U.S. West while providing clear, actionable recommendations for policymakers.
Looking ahead: Ongoing research and future challenges
While Udall is now working part time, his research and outreach efforts remain a top priority. He recently submitted a paper focused on groundwater issues in Arizona, highlighting the complexities of maintaining water balance in a state that is heavily dependent on groundwater resources.
Udall is also leading a review paper on the future of the Colorado River, a waterway that is central to the region’s economy and ecosystem. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the current state of knowledge on the river and offer guidance on future management strategies.
“Understanding the political and social context of water law is essential to producing better science,” Udall said.
In a statement by the Colorado Water Trust, Udall is described as a humble person with a passion for the environment that “leads him to share what he knows about climate change and the coming impacts on rivers with audiences nationwide.”
“Brad was one of the original voices speaking out on climate change impacts on water in the West long before many of us even had climate change in our vocabulary,” said Karen Schlatter, interim director of the Colorado Water Center. “His unwavering quest to educate and inform decision-makers and the public on water and climate change issues has shifted the dialogue from the abstract to reality, heightening awareness that climate change is now, it affects everyone and we must adapt to an altered water future. Brad is highly deserving of this award, and we are excited to celebrate his impactful career to date.”
Reflections on a changing climate
Udall reflected on the broader challenges facing water management in the West. “Water is everything out here,” he said, “and climate change is altering the water cycle in ways we’re only beginning to understand.”
He emphasized the need for adaptive management strategies that can respond to the unpredictable nature of climate change. “The only constant is change,” he remarked, “and we have to be ready for it.”
Colorado State University Magazine
Benjamin Randall
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