There's a lot going on "Out In NWRA Country"!
LaRowe Takes the Reins at MWRA
Montana Water Resources Association Executive Director, Mark E. LaRowe. Mark E. LaRowe has taken on the role of Executive Director of the Montana Water Resources Association. His appointment comes in the wake of the retirement of the association's former long-time Executive Director, Mike Murphy. A native of a central Wisconsin dairy farming community, Mark is a 1991 graduate from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Landscape Architecture - Natural Resource Management. He spent 25 years in the Environmental Remediation and Construction industry serving in several roles ranging from Project Scientist, Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, to General Manager and Senior Client Services Manager. Mark has extensive experience in project estimation, project implementation, budget and schedule management, client relations and business development. In 2016, Mark left the environmental industry to pursue a passion for photography and now runs an established and successful photography business. Mark resides in the Helena, MT area where he maintains a photo art gallery and studio. A lover of western lifestyle Mark photographs ranch life, rodeo, skijoring, western landscapes, portraits and weddings.
Connecting in Klamath
NWRA EVP Greg Morrison with Oregon Water Resources Congress Executive Director April Snell. NWRA Executive Vice President, Greg Morrison, recently had the privilege of joining water leaders from Oregon, Idaho, and Washington for their Tri-State meeting—an excellent venue to engage with NWRA members, listen to regional priorities, and strengthen NWRA’s relationships in the Pacific Northwest. The group toured the historic Klamath Project, which straddles the California-Oregon border in Klamath County, several Klamath Drainage District facilities, the Link River Dam which is a vital piece of infrastructure in the Bureau of Reclamation’s portfolio, and the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge, which annually hosts the largest concentration of migratory waterfowl in North America.
Remembering James Salopek
Former long-time Elephant Butte Irrigation District board member James Salopek The NWRA community mourns the passing of Anthony James Salopek, a long-time member of the National Water Resources Association in his capacity as President of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District for more than 15 years. He was a dedicated voice for agriculture and water users across the Southwest, and his thoughtful leadership left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege to work with him. James’s contributions to NWRA and the broader water community were significant, and his legacy will endure through the people and institutions he helped shape.
NWRA Holds Annual Policy Conference
NWRA EVP Greg Morrison addressing the group. (See complete event album here.) The National Water Resources Association’s 2025 Federal Water Policy Conference concluded last week in Washington, D.C., bringing together water leaders from across the West for three impactful days of advocacy, dialogue, and strategic engagement. This year’s conference underscored NWRA’s core mission—ensuring the voice of the West is heard loud and clear in the nation’s capital. From meetings with Congressional leaders to dynamic speakers from key federal agencies the event created space for our members to highlight the real-world implications of federal decisions on water infrastructure, hydropower, environmental policy, and the future of our communities.
NWRA Leaders Canvas Capitol Hill NWRA Federal Affairs Committee Vice Chair Paul Arrington, NWRA EVP Greg Morrison, Senator Mike Crapo, (R-ID), NWRA Federal Affairs Committee Chair Christine Arbogast, NWRA President Craig Simpson Earlier this spring, representatives of NWRA's leadership team traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with federal policymakers to discuss the Western water community's policy priorities for the 119th Congress.
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