Healing Colorado’s Headwaters

Collaborative restoration in the Kawuneeche Valley is giving the Colorado River’s birthplace a chance to recover and thrive again

In July, we shared how Colorado Trout Unlimited is helping rivers recover from the devastating impacts of wildfire. Projects in the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome burn scars are rebuilding streambanks, planting native vegetation, and installing structures to slow water and trap sediment. These efforts are about more than repair. They are about making rivers resilient so that streams, and the fish that depend on them, can better withstand floods, wildfires, and the changes we know are ahead.

That same spirit of resilience is now shaping another effort, just inside the Grand Lake entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Kawuneeche Valley: Headwaters in Need

The Kawuneeche Valley, a sweeping meadow beneath Trail Ridge Road, is where the Colorado River begins its journey to Mexico. Once a lush wetland filled with tall willows, beaver ponds, and winding streams, the valley has lost much of its richness. Since 1999, willow acreage has dropped by more than 75 percent, and beaver ponds by more than 90 percent. Elk and moose browsing, invasive plants, altered hydrology, hotter temperatures, and the East Troublesome Fire have left the valley more like a grassland than a wetland.

The loss matters far beyond this valley. Wetlands store water, support wildlife, and keep rivers cooler for trout. Restoring them is vital to the health of the Colorado River itself.

A Collaborative Restoration Effort

To tackle this challenge, Northern Water, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, and The Nature Conservancy launched the Kawuneeche Valley Restoration Collaborative (KVRC) in 2020. The partnership has since grown to include Colorado Trout Unlimited, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Colorado River District, Grand County, and others. Colorado State University is providing assessments and research to guide the work.

At Beaver Creek, one of the first project sites, crews have already installed nearly 30 beaver dam analogs, fenced more than 30 acres of habitat, and begun planting native willows and shrubs. These low-tech, process-based approaches are designed to raise the water table, slow erosion, and set the stage for beavers to return on their own.

Colorado Trout Unlimited’s Role

Colorado Trout Unlimited has joined KVRC to provide resources, expertise, and the people power needed to make restoration possible. Just as with our post-fire recovery work, our mission is clear: protect and restore rivers so that trout, wildlife, and communities can thrive.

Our role in KVRC includes supporting field projects, mobilizing volunteers, and helping tell the story of restoration in action. By engaging anglers and conservation-minded Coloradans, TU brings a broader community into this effort to heal the headwaters of the Colorado River.

How You Can Help

KVRC and its partners are calling on volunteers to help plant and protect willows in the Kawuneeche Valley this fall. These events are a chance to get your hands dirty and be part of a historic restoration project:

• Willow Restoration Volunteer Day #1

• Willow Restoration Volunteer Day #2

Volunteers will help plant cuttings, tend shrubs, and maintain protective fencing that keeps elk and moose from undoing years of recovery. KVRC and Rocky Mountain Conservancy also host community field tours and learning days, so there are plenty of ways to get involved.

Looking Ahead

Just as we saw with fire recovery, restoring the Kawuneeche Valley will take time and patience. Willows may need decades to fully recover, and beaver will only return once habitat is ready. But with early signs of success already visible at Beaver Creek, the valley is on its way.

Colorado Trout Unlimited is proud to stand with KVRC and our partners in this effort. Together, we are restoring wetlands, strengthening the headwaters of the Colorado River, and proving once again that rivers cannot recover alone. They need champions, and that means all of us.

Protecting a Unique Lineage

A "green lineage" Colorado River cutthroat trout pictured in a net after it was rescued from Wildcat Creek during the Stoner Mesa Fire on Aug. 11, 2025. (CPW photos)

Protecting a Unique Lineage of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout

When the Stoner Mesa Fire grew near Rico this summer, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the San Juan National Forest moved quickly to protect a rare natural resource. Wildcat Creek, a small tributary of the Upper Dolores River, holds a lineage of Colorado River cutthroat trout with unique DNA not found elsewhere. With the fire threatening the watershed, biologists carried out an emergency rescue to prevent the loss of this population.

The Rescue

A team of CPW biologists and wildlife managers, joined by Forest Service staff, collected the fish before the advancing fire or post-fire flooding could damage the stream. Using backpack electrofishing units, they temporarily stunned the trout so they could be netted and transferred to buckets. Buckets were carried down to the road and loaded into a hatchery truck.

CPW aquatic biologist Kade Jackson electrofishes while aquatic technician Kennedy Perry holds a net to collect fish. District Wildlife Manager Matt Sturdevant watches from the bank with another net. (CPW Photos)

By the end of the day, 266 trout had been collected and transported nearly 165 miles to the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery near Gunnison. The fish are now being held in isolation tanks, where they will be closely monitored until conditions are stable enough to return them to the wild.

Why Wildfire Threatens Trout

Wildfire impacts fish directly through heat and fire suppression efforts, but the larger danger often comes after the flames are out. Without vegetation to stabilize streambanks, rainfall can wash ash, mud, and sediment into creeks. Spawning gravel can be smothered, eggs lost, and water quality degraded to levels that fish cannot survive. For a small and genetically unique population like the one in Wildcat Creek, the risk of losing that lineage in a single flood is very real.

Building Resilience Before the Fire

Log pour-over structures from 2023 Dolores project

The emergency response was not the first effort to protect Wildcat Creek. In 2023, Dolores River Anglers TU, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the San Juan National Forest, and the Upper Dolores Stream Protection Working Group collaborated on a project to strengthen the creek and create better fish habitat.

They installed log pour-over structures at four sites along the stream. These structures mimic what happens naturally when a tree falls into a creek. They create deeper pools and pockets of refuge where fish can survive during periods of low water.

The project required seven days of hands-on work, with help from volunteers, Forest Service staff, and the Southwest Conservation Corps. The goal was straightforward: give this unique lineage of cutthroat trout more places to thrive. Those improvements proved valuable when fire threatened the watershed a year later.

Conservation in Context

Colorado’s native cutthroat trout face many pressures. Habitat loss, competition with non-native trout, hybridization that dilutes their DNA, and wildfire can all put small populations at risk. Emergency rescues during fire are sometimes the last line of defense. In 2018, CPW rescued the last known San Juan cutthroat trout from the 416 Fire. Hatchery propagation has since restored that lineage and created new wild populations.

The Wildcat Creek rescue follows the same principle: act quickly, protect the genetics, and create options for the future.

Next Steps

The Wildcat Creek cutthroat will remain at Roaring Judy Hatchery until the fire threat has passed and water quality in the creek can support their return. Some may be reintroduced to Wildcat Creek, while others could be used to establish populations in nearby streams where non-native trout have been removed.

Why This Matters

Every lineage of native cutthroat trout tells a part of Colorado’s ecological story. The Wildcat Creek fish represent unique DNA that connects the past to the present. Safeguarding them ensures that future generations can continue to experience wild trout that are truly native to this place.

Protecting these fish is not about a single rescue. It is about building healthy streams, responding when emergencies strike, and working together across agencies and communities to preserve Colorado’s natural heritage.

Reeling in the Future

Reeling in the Future: The High School Fly Fishing Tournament Story

By Jonathan Haas, Southern Colorado Greenback Chapter

The Southern Colorado Greenback Chapter of Trout Unlimited is preparing to host the inaugural High School Fly Fishing Tournament on October 11, 2025, in Cañon City, Colorado. Designed to inspire the next generation of anglers and conservationists, the event will pair skill-building with river stewardship on one of the state’s most iconic trout streams, the Arkansas River. Details and registration are available at fishcanoncity.com.

A Vision Born on the Riverbank

The idea for the tournament took shape earlier this year along the Arkansas River. Despite the river’s popularity with anglers, there was a noticeable absence of young people casting a line. Recognizing the importance of engaging youth in both the sport and conservation, the chapter set out to create an event that would bring high school students to the water to learn the art of fly fishing and the value of protecting natural resources.

Support that Made It Possible

A Colorado Trout Unlimited Leo Gomolchak (Gomo) Grant provided the momentum to make the vision a reality. The tournament is open to students ages 14 to 18 and combines competitive fishing with conservation education, offering a hands-on approach to building a lifelong connection to coldwater habitats.

What to Expect on Tournament Day

Set against the backdrop of Cañon City’s fall scenery, the tournament will begin with check-in at 7:15 a.m. Fishing will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. along designated beats on public stretches of the Arkansas River. High school teams, each paired with an adult mentor such as a parent, guardian, or coach, will compete for awards recognizing the largest brown and rainbow trout, caught and released in a conservation-minded manner.

The day will also feature stream cleanups and educational sessions focused on the river’s ecosystem, giving participants the opportunity to deepen their skills while learning how to protect the waters they fish.

Why Youth Are at the Center

The tournament focuses on high school students because this age group is ready to master casting techniques, explore river ecosystems, and participate in hands-on conservation. By involving young anglers in projects such as cleanups and habitat awareness, the event seeks to cultivate future stewards of Colorado’s rivers.

Expanding the Invitation

While based in Cañon City, the tournament welcomes teams from across the West. Trout Unlimited chapters and youth clubs are encouraged to recruit students and mentors from their communities. The format is designed to be inclusive and supportive, with opportunities for newcomers to learn alongside experienced anglers.

Looking Ahead

Planning for the tournament has involved careful coordination of logistics, beats, and mentorship opportunities. As October approaches, organizers are focused on creating an event that celebrates the Arkansas River, its trout fishery, and the young anglers who will carry its protection forward.

Join the Experience

TU members, families, and river advocates are invited to be part of the tournament on October 11. Visit fishcanoncity.com for registration information, rules, and updates. This event is about more than catching fish. It is about sparking a lifelong passion for fly fishing and building a commitment to protecting our rivers for generations to come.

Bringing Native Trout Back to the Clear Fork

In the high country above Paonia, Colorado’s native trout are returning home. Over the next several years, more than 13 miles of habitat in the Clear Fork of Muddy Creek will be restored for green lineage Colorado River cutthroat trout.

This long-term project has unfolded in two phases. In the first, a concrete fish barrier was constructed to prevent non-native trout from moving upstream. That work was completed in 2023 and created a secure zone for native fish in the upper watershed.

Phase two is now underway. This August, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will carry out a targeted removal of non-native brook trout from the watershed above the new barrier. Using a combination of organic piscicide and mechanical techniques, the agency will clear the stream to prepare for reintroduction of native fish. Monitoring will continue in the seasons ahead to evaluate barrier success and track the progress of native trout repopulation.

The goal is not just to bring native fish back to Clear Fork, but to reconnect and strengthen nearby tributaries, allowing native trout to expand into adjacent watersheds. Cutthroat from isolated headwater creeks in the drainage will provide the foundation for this effort. These fish carry a rare and important genetic lineage that still persists in the landscape.

In addition to native trout, the project will also restore other native aquatic species, including mottled sculpin. Looking ahead, restoration of native bluehead and flannelmouth suckers may also be possible.

This effort would not be possible without a broad coalition of partners who contributed funding, expertise, and on-the-ground support. Colorado Trout Unlimited is proud to stand alongside Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Western Native Trout Initiative, Colorado River District, Running Rivers, Fresh Water Life, Grand Valley Anglers, Gunnison Gorge Anglers, Trout and Salmon Foundation, and Ross Reels.

Ross Reels contributed to the project through its Native Series campaign, which includes the limited release of the Colorado Cutthroat Reel. A portion of each sale supports the Clear Fork restoration and other native trout conservation efforts in the region.

Together, we are helping bring native trout back to places where they belong. With healthy habitat, strong partnerships, and science-driven restoration, the Clear Fork of Muddy Creek is on track to become a vital stronghold for Colorado River cutthroat trout.

Rivers Can't Recover Alone: The Urgent Work of Post-Fire Restoration in Colorado

When a fire tears through a forest, the destruction is easy to see. What often goes unnoticed is the quiet damage that unfolds after the flames. Rivers choke with sediment. Hillsides collapse during heavy rains. Fish disappear from streams. Roads wash out. Drinking water supplies grow more fragile.

In northern Colorado, we have seen this firsthand. The Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires in 2020 burned more than 400,000 acres combined. Years later, the land is still suffering.

This is not just about burned trees. It is about the health of our rivers, our communities, and the fish and wildlife that depend on them.

A Partnership to Rebuild What Fire Took

In response, the U.S. Forest Service and Trout Unlimited launched a long-term partnership to restore these fire-affected landscapes. This $10 million, eight-year effort focuses on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, where the Camerron, Troublesome and Williams Fork fires created an urgent need.

The goal is twofold. Half of the funding supports stream and habitat restoration to stabilize degraded ecosystems. The other half funds critical infrastructure improvements, including culverts, stream crossings, and road repairs.

This work is about more than replacing what was lost. It is about preparing these watersheds to withstand the next big storm or fire. It is about making rivers more resilient.

Working with Nature to Restore Balance

Trout Unlimited brings a science-based approach to recovery. Instead of engineering rivers into rigid forms, we work with the landscape. Native willows are planted to hold soil in place. Streambanks are rebuilt with natural materials. Structures are installed to slow water and trap sediment. These techniques also create cool, shaded habitat that trout need to survive.

This approach reduces the risk of downstream flooding and keeps drinking water cleaner for the people who rely on it. It helps fish, wildlife, and communities.

Restoration is already underway. This is not a one-time fix. It is a sustained effort built on monitoring, fieldwork, and collaboration.

Why This Work Matters Now

Recent fires, including the South Rim Fire in Black Canyon of the Gunnison, are a clear reminder that the risk of fire is growing. But what happens after the burn is just as important.

If we do nothing, the damage will compound. Sediment will continue to flow into rivers. Trout populations will shrink. Roads and water systems will fail again. These problems do not fix themselves.

But we do not have to stand by. We can take action. We can invest in recovery that makes rivers stronger. We can restore habitat, protect clean water, and help wild and native trout come back.

The Path Forward

Within the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, the Forest Service and Trout Unlimited are prioritizing the places with the most urgent needs. Restoration work will continue across northern Colorado. At Colorado Trout Unlimited, we are proud to support this partnership. We are advocating for continued recovery funding, working with local leaders, and helping volunteers and chapters stay engaged.

Rivers cannot recover alone. But with the right people, resources, and commitment, recovery is possible. And it is already happening.

Keep The Colorado River Flowing

Ask the CWCB to Keep the Colorado River flowing and accept the Shoshone Water Rights

Photo courtesy of Colorado River District

For more than 100 years, the Shoshone Hydropower Plant in Glenwood Canyon and its non-consumptive water rights have played a critical role in sustaining the Colorado River.  With two senior water rights (1902 and 1929), the Shoshone plant has ensured year-round flows through the Colorado River both upstream and downstream - calling water past upstream trans-basin diversions that could otherwise deplete the upper Colorado River even more heavily, and delivering flows that also maintain the Colorado River below the Shoshone outflow, in and below Glenwood Springs. Unfortunately, the power plant's infrastructure has been aging leading to periodic outages and highlighting the need for a more permanent solution for preserving the water rights whose operation has sustained the Colorado River, its gold medal fishery, endangered fish habitat, and communities and working lands that rely on the river. Shoshone is especially essential for keeping the Colorado River flowing in the winter non-growing season, when other senior irrigation water rights in the Grand Valley are not drawing water down the river. Shoshone is the essential senior right that keeps the Colorado flowing 12 months of the year.

The Colorado River District has entered into a $99 million purchase and sale agreement to acquire the water rights from Xcel Energy, and is working to establish instream flows in Glenwood Canyon as an additional use of those water rights - so that regardless of when and how the power plant can continue to operate, the Colorado River will continue to have water delivered as it has been for more than 100 years. By preserving that status quo on a permanent basis, the River District's proposal will benefit fish and other aquatic life, Colorado's outdoor recreation economy, and the communities that rely on continued historic flows along the Colorado River.  The only difference is that when the rights are exercised for instream flow, water will flow in the river channel in Glenwood Canyon from the existing Shoshone diversion to the powerplant outlet, rather than through the pipelines that would otherwise use the water for hydroelectricity generation through that reach.

The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) is the entity under state law that can hold water rights for instream flow purposes, including through acquisitions/donations/leases of senior water rights as would be the case with the Shoshone water rights. The CWCB is currently taking public comment through September 18 on whether it should accept donation of these water rights into the state Instream Flow Program. 

Please ask the CWCB to accept the donation of Shoshone flows in the State's Instream Flow Program and keep the Colorado River flowing year round. You can use the template comments provided here, but your comments will be most effective if you also add personal details about why the Colorado River and its health are important to you.

Building Community Through Conservation: A Chaffee County Project Tour

On the weekend of July 12, Colorado Trout Unlimited welcomed a group of supporters to Chaffee County for a tour highlighting recent and ongoing conservation projects in the South Arkansas River watershed. The weekend included visits to project sites, time on the Arkansas River, and meals with TU staff, volunteers, and partners. 

These tours are an opportunity to bring people together around shared conservation values. They allow River Stewardship Council members and other supporters to see their impact on the ground, connect with one another, and learn more about TU’s approach to protecting and restoring Colorado’s rivers and wetlands. 

The projects visited during the tour reflect strong collaboration between Trout Unlimited, the U.S. Forest Service, state agencies, private partners, and the local Collegiate Peaks Chapter. Together, these efforts are improving stream health, reducing erosion, restoring fish habitat, and expanding public access. 

Here is a summary of the projects featured during the tour: 

Monarch Head-cut Stabilization 
Near the top of Monarch Pass, the South Arkansas River begins at a steep head-cut that had been eroding rapidly toward Highway 50. In 2023, TU and the U.S. Forest Service worked with a local contractor to stabilize the site and prevent further damage to the stream channel. Project cost: $15,000. 

Monarch Gravel Mine Reclamation 
In 2019, TU’s Abandoned Mine Lands program partnered with Frontier Environmental to reclaim 2 acres of a former gravel mine that was sending sediment into the river. Funding came from a CWCB grant, the NFF Ski Conservation Fund, and private donations. The success of this work led Monarch Ski Area to adopt similar erosion control techniques on its own property. Project cost: $81,000. 

Monarch Park Ponds Habitat and Access Improvements 
This partnership project involves TU, the Collegiate Peaks Chapter, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, CDOT, the U.S. Forest Service, US Lime and Minerals, and private landowners. The goal is to improve fishing access and habitat in a high-use area, especially for anglers with limited mobility. In 2023, 1,500 cubic yards of sediment were dredged from Ponds 4 and 5 and repurposed at the Madonna Mine reclamation site downstream. Additional dredging and 450 feet of stream habitat restoration are planned. The total project cost remains under $100,000 due to in-kind support and matching funds. 

South Arkansas River Restoration in Salida 
This project will restore 1.2 miles of the South Arkansas River between its confluence and County Road 107. The reach spans nine landowners, including the City of Salida. Planned improvements include better fish habitat, sustainable public access, an educational trail, improved fish passage, and increased flood and wildfire resilience. A CTU Colorado Rivers grant was used as match funding to secure a CWCB grant for engineering design. The 60 percent design milestone was reached in mid-July. 

Conservation tours like this one are not just about seeing projects. They are about strengthening the network of people who care about Colorado’s rivers and building a sense of shared commitment to their future. 

With an annual gift of $1,000 or more, you can become a member of Colorado TU’s River Stewardship Council. Your support helps us protect native trout, engage future conservation leaders, improve habitat, and advocate for smart, fish-friendly management of our public waters. RSC members receive invitations to exclusive donor trips and our annual donor dinner. 

Learn more at https://coloradotu.org/donate 

CTU STREAM Keepers Partners with Adams County 4-H and CSU Extension

Colorado Trout Unlimited’s STREAM Keepers program partnered with Adams County 4-H and Colorado State University Extension to lead a two-day youth camp focused on river science and watershed education.

As part of their summer programming, seven to eight middle school-aged participants from Adams County 4-H explored two locations along the South Platte River. On July 8, they traveled to Waterton Canyon near Littleton. On July 10, they visited Riverdale Regional Park in Brighton. At each site, the group studied aquatic insects and measured water quality to assess the health of the river.

Using seine and dip nets, the students collected macroinvertebrates and observed which species were present at each site. From the samples, they learned how certain bugs can help tell the story of a river’s health.

In the cooler waters of Waterton Canyon, the students found a greater variety of coldwater species, including stoneflies, caddisflies, midges, crayfish, and flatworms. At the Brighton location, the group found a different mix, including small mayflies, scuds, crane flies, leeches, flatworms, and bloodworms. Many of these are more tolerant of warmer water and higher nutrient levels. Everyone was surprised to discover just how diverse a warmwater ecosystem can be.

At both sites, the students also measured temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and pH using water quality kits. They took turns leading the tests and explaining the results. Waterton Canyon recorded a water temperature of 62 degrees, while Brighton came in at 72 degrees. The other measurements also pointed to healthier water quality in the Waterton Canyon site, which flows directly from the mountains and Strontia Springs Dam. In contrast, the river at Brighton flows through Denver and other urban areas before reaching the park.

Both days brought the heat of summer in full force. The students cooled off by playing in the river and explored nearby habitat, spotting toads and lizards as they went. After lunch on the second day in Brighton, they began learning how to cast a fly rod. Unfortunately, a storm rolled in with thunderstorm warnings, and the fly-casting activity had to be cut short for safety.

CTU’s Youth Headwaters Program was proud to lead this experience and connect with the Adams County 4-H youth and staff. The camp was a powerful reminder that different ecosystems can reflect a range of conditions and still support healthy aquatic life. It was a fun, educational experience, and everyone walked away with new knowledge and a deeper connection to their home waters.

Follow Along: See What Clean Water Looks Like in Action

At Colorado Trout Unlimited, our mission is rooted in rivers and in the people who care about them. Whether it’s restoring native trout habitat, helping students understand where their water comes from, or working with partners to protect the streams that sustain us all, we are part of a growing community of Coloradans committed to conservation.

These stories don’t just live in the field. They come to life through the voices, photos, and videos we share online.

If you care about rivers, wild trout, or the future of clean water in Colorado, we invite you to follow along:

• Facebook: Colorado Trout Unlimited

• Instagram: @colorado_trout_unlimited

• LinkedIn: Colorado Trout Unlimited

• YouTube: Colorado Trout Unlimited

• Threads: @colorado_trout_unlimited

You’ll see the places we work, the partners who make progress possible, and the real outcomes of community-powered conservation. From field projects to classroom programs, each post tells a part of the story of how rivers connect us.

Our social media isn’t just a feed of updates. It’s a place where you can see conservation in motion. It’s a way to learn about the challenges facing our waters and the solutions that give us hope. And it’s one more way to be part of the movement to protect Colorado’s waters for generations to come.

Follow along and help share the story of clean water, healthy rivers, and the people who make a difference.

The New Summer 2025 Issue of High Country Angler is Live!

Your new Summer 2025 issue of

High Country Angler is here!

Check out the Summer 2025 issue of High Country Angler e-zine, including these stories:

· Landon Mayer with Breaking the Surface;

· Brian LaRue with Beaver Creek;

· Colorado TU Staff with Inside Colorado Trout Unlimited's New Look;

· Other columns by Barbara Luneau, Joel Evans, and CTU Staff, Haden Mellsop, Peter Stitcher, and Joel Evans.