Welcome New Board Member - Israel Ortega-Ramos

​Israel Ortega-Ramos is the Water Resource Specialist for the City of Aurora at the Arkansas Valley Range Project Office in Rocky Ford, Colorado.  He has served in this position for the past 3 years.  Israel is responsible for the administration and water accounting for the City’s water rights in the Colorado and Arkansas River Basins.  He is originally from Mexico but, grew up in the small town of Rocky Ford.  He attended Otero Junior College in La Junta and completed his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering at Colorado State University - Pueblo.    
 
At an early age, Israel was fascinated by the ditches, canals, and other water transportation infrastructure that were constructed in the late 1800’s.  As a young child, he remembers watching his mother irrigate fields of alfalfa before the sunrise.  She taught him the value of water and the concept of “use it or lose it”.  As a person who grew up in the west, he believes it is essential to be completely knowledgeable in all aspects of water.  Israel genuinely appreciates the opportunity to be part of the ARBWF Board and for the ability to collaborate with other professionals from all levels of the water spectrum.  Israel wants to bring new innovative ideas to the planning table and intends to support the board in any way needed.