Photos of Colorado River Basin
Oct. 1, 2025

The Course 

HON 410.1002 – Western Water Policy 
Spring 2026
Fridays, 11:30am–2:15pm | Trip Dates: March 19–21, 2026
Andy Belanger and Annalise Porter 
 
The Colorado River is the lifeline of the American West, but competing demands, climate change, and rapid growth have put unprecedented strain on this vital resource. Drawing on their professional experience with the Las Vegas Valley Water District, Professors Belanger and Porter invite students to examine these challenges, focusing on the Colorado River Basin and Nevada’s unique role in shaping its future.
 
Students will gain an understanding of policy and politics in the basin, including competing interests, aridification and climate change, growth patterns, internal dynamics, and how regional politics affect policy development. The first half of the course will focus on the Colorado River, and the second half will focus on Nevada-specific water policy and legislative processes.
 
The course includes a three-day field trip to the Colorado River Basin over Spring Break, allowing students to connect classroom learning with lived experience in the field. Participation in the three-day trip is a core requirement of the course. 

The Trip 

Thanks to the generosity of the Investment Counsel Company of Nevada (ICC) and Founder and CEO Randy Garcia, enrolled students will engage in a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip during Spring Break to key sites across the Colorado River Basin.

Led by Professors Belanger and Porter, students will travel by bus from Las Vegas through Arizona and Utah, ending in Colorado before flying home from Denver. Along the way, they’ll visit key sites that offer firsthand insight into how water is used and managed across the upper and lower basins.

Travel Dates: March 19–21 (Thursday–Saturday)

Trip Highlights include:

  • A Lake Powell boat tour and a stop at Glen Canyon Dam
  • A visit to Lees Ferry and the confluence of the Paria and Colorado Rivers in Arizona 
  • A scenic lunch at Goosenecks State Park on the San Juan River 
  • A sunset stop overlooking the Colorado River in the canyonlands of Utah
  • Exploring agricultural and recreational water use in Colorado
  • A visit to the Headwaters River Journey in Winter Park, Colorado
  • Return flight from Denver International Airport to Las Vegas
All Expenses Paid: All major trip expenses (transportation, lodging, group meals, and flight home) are fully covered and come at no cost to students.

How to Apply

Because of the unique travel requirements of this course, students must submit an application. Only students who have been approved will be allowed to enroll in the course. 

Priority Deadline: October 26, 2025

Students who complete the application by the priority deadline will be notified of their application status via email by October 30. Students who have been selected for the course will be granted permission to enroll in the course in MyUNLV.

Complete the Application