VALLEY — Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed Heather Dutton of Del Norte to the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) aids in the protection and development of the waters of the state. The board is responsible for water project planning and finance, stream and lake protection, flood hazard identification and mitigation, weather modification, river restoration, water conservation and drought planning, water information and water supply protection.

Appointed as a representative from the Rio Grande drainage basin and as a Republican, Dutton will serve a term expiring Feb. 12, 2020.

Travis Smith formerly served as the basin’s representative on the state board.

Dutton, 31, is the district manager of the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District and formerly directed the Rio Grande Restoration Project with which she is still involved. She is also active on the Rio Grande Roundtable board and was heavily involved in developing the basin’s portion of the Colorado Water Plan.

About a year ago she was honored with the 2016 Emerging Leader Award from the Colorado Foundation for Water Education.

Dutton earned a master’s of science in agriculture in 2010 from Colorado State University-Fort Collins where she graduated from the natural resources management program with a concentration in restoration ecology.

A San Luis Valley native, Dutton is the daughter of Doug and Julie Messick and is married to Tanner Dutton who is a range management specialist for the U.S. Forest Service’s sheep and cattle grazing program.

Caption: Heather Dutton is shown with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper at the 2016 awards ceremony during which she received the 2016 Emerging Leader Award. On Friday the governor appointed Dutton to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Courtesy photo