In September 2021, Matt Ely became the Director of the USGS Colorado Water Science Center. He leads a diverse team of 120 scientists and administrative and IT professionals. Prior to joining the Colorado WSC, Matt served as the Deputy Director and Associate Director of Hydrologic Interpretive Programs with the New England Water Science Center, Geohydrology Studies Supervisor with the USGS New Mexico Water Science Center, and as a project hydrologist with the USGS Washington Water Science Center. He developed numerous groundwater-flow and watershed models and served as project manager on regional water resource assessments. Matt began his career with the USGS in 1995.

Fountain Creek: Streamflow, Water Quality, Sediment, Geomorphology, Biology, and Precipitation: The U.S. Geological Survey Colorado Water Science Center will present an overview of its comprehensive monitoring network in the Fountain Creek Watershed, developed with support from numerous partners in the basin. The session will begin with a presentation highlighting key components of the USGS network, including streamflow and precipitation monitoring, water quality and sediment sampling, biological and ecological assessments, and geomorphic change mapping, along with insights into the stories these data reveal. Following the presentation, a panel discussion will explore current challenges and the real-world applicability of USGS science and data.