WATER IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE LIFE BLOOD OF THE PEOPLE AND ECONOMY OF THE WESTERN REGION OF THE US. THE WESTERN REGION DEFINED IN THIS PROPOSAL IS REPRESENTED BY 1862 LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITY COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE ACROSS 11 STATES IN THE CONTINENTAL US (ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, IDAHO, MONTANA, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, OREGON, UTAH, WASHINGTON AND WYOMING), ALASKA, HAWAII AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS AND TERRITORIES (AMERICAN SAMOA, GUAM, MICRONESIA AND THE NORTHERN MARIANAS). WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY FOR AGRICULTURAL, URBAN, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS ARE EXAMPLES OF ISSUES FACED ACROSS THE WESTERN REGION. DIRECTORS OF THE 1862 LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION SYSTEM (AES) AND COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE (CES) PROPOSE A MINI SUMMIT TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES OF WATER SECURITY IN THE WESTERN US. KEY LEADERS FROM THE 1994 LAND-GRANT TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBAL EXTENSION PROGRAM SPECIALISTS ALSO HAVE INVALUABLE EXPERIENCE WITH WATER ISSUES IN THE WESTERN US.