RAFT for America Experience

August 2025

Arkansas River

Water
Management

As one of the nation’s only headwater states, water issues dominate local and regional planning.  Agencies need to work together across competing interests to find solutions that are effective and responsible.  This RAFT for America trip highlights the unique and growing water management challenges in the American West and how policy makers with different political affiliations and ideologies must come together to be able to implement successful water policy.
RAFT for America  (Reuniting America by Fostering Trust) continues its 2025 series of events in August outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado on the Arkansas River.  The headwaters of the Arkansas River begin in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, dropping nearly 5,000 feet in the first 125 miles.  Rafting the Bighorn Sheep Canyon is an incredible experience that combines lots of white water with gorgeous scenery and stunning wildlife!
Apply to join us on the river

Sponsorship

Water management and policy is competitive with multiple parties attempting to sway the public to support or oppose a proposed course of action.  There are significant challenges due to increasing water scarcity, population growth, climate change, and the need to balance urban, agricultural, and environmental needs. Addressing these issues requires a combination of conservation measures, innovative water management technologies, and policy reforms.  Thoughtful consideration is needed to understand differing perspectives, trade-offs and impacts.

Team Democracy has engaged award-winning filmmaker, Kristi Kendall, to produce a video from the event that will be shared widely across the community, and across social and traditional media outlets.

We are grateful to our sponsors whose donations make this event possible!  If you, your business, or your organization is interested in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to ryan.kleeman@teamdemocracy.org.

Sponsors will be recognized on our website, in our video, and in our social media outreach. Additionally, any funding beyond what is necessary to run this event will be donated to organizations that support effective solutions for more sustainable water management in the American West.

Thank you for your support!

The RAFT for America event on the Lehigh River is made possible through collaboration with: