Colorado River District Celebrating Partnerships & Innovation

Ballot Measure 7A passed with bi-partisan support in November 2020, and the Community Funding Partnership began. It was great to see voters joining together to support our Western Slope waters and the River District’s vital role in sustaining them. And Trout Unlimited is proud to have been a part of those efforts in building common ground around healthy and productive rivers and watersheds across western Colorado.

Now with $4.2 million in grant money available for Western Slope water projects every year, the Colorado River District has worked hard to identify multi-benefit projects, streamline the application process, and get your tax dollars right back to work in the community. Over $3 million has already been awarded this year to 23 diverse projects! Learn more about the Community Funding Partnership and awarded projects here.

The video above previews a few of the outstanding projects which have been awarded grant funding through the Community Funding Partnership. Stay tuned for more videos in the year to come as the Community Funding Partnership shares project stories that showcase Colorado's beautiful West Slope.

October Currents: A voice for Colorado's rivers

This month’s Currents features stories such as:

• Rare cutthroat rescued from fire and now back home

• EPA announces reinstatement of Clean Water Act protections for Bristol Bay, Alaska watershed

• State of Colorado Trout Unlimited Livestream Event, October 6, 2021 at 7:00pm

• JOIN THE TEAM: We are hiring a Youth Education Coordinator!

• Trout Week Recap and Videos

• Five Flies for October - Fly Fishing the Colorado River

• Slideshow: An homage to fall

• *NEW* Fall 2021 High Country Angler and more!

Latino Conservation Week

July 17 kicked off #LatinoConservationWeek, a time where communities will be celebrating and rejoicing in the connections they have with this nation’s diverse landscapes. Organizations across the country will be amplifying and participating in some of the events taking place to support conservation efforts in Latinx communities. Please check them out here:

• Defenders of Wildlife

• HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors)

• Wilderness Workshop

• Defiende Nuestra Tierra

• NA Latino Outdoors

• Protégete

• The Wilderness Society

• GreenLatinos

• Hispanic Access Foundation

• Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra is an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF). Latino Conservation Week was created to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources. Read More

In-person and virtual events will take place from July 17 - 25, 2021. To find an event, go to LatinoConservationWeek.com

Calling all emerging Latina/o photographers! The second annual #LatinoConservationWeek Photo Contest begins on July 17 & ends on July 25! Find guidelines, important dates, & more at LatinoOutdoors.org/photo-contest  #LCW2021

Today is Colorado Gives Day - Support coldwater conservation!

Gives Day 2020 is here! Give to Colorado TU today and know your support for healthy watersheds and wild trout goes further. Every donation helps us to increase our portion of the Colorado Gives Day Incentive Fund. And every new or increased donation helps us to meet the Freestone Aquatics match. Today is a great day to support the rivers you love and the incredible fishing opportunities our beautiful state offers!

Your Gives Day donation to Colorado TU supports… 

STREAM Girls – a watershed education program that combines STEM-learning with fly fishing and outdoor education on a local watershed

Native trout restoration like the Sand Creek project in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Grassroots advocacy that gets results

Chapter projects that benefit watersheds and communities around the state

Give where you live and fish! Help us make 2021 a great year for healthy rivers and wild trout with your generous donation to Colorado TU TODAY!

Wishing you health and wellness!

--- the Colorado TU team

Profiles in Conservation

Duranglers Flies and Supplies: Supporting Conservation and the Fly-fishing Community for 36+ years.

In February of 1984, the Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited, led by Neill Peterson, John Flick and David Wilson, was certified as Chapter number 451 of Trout Unlimited.  Among the founding members were Flick, Jim Herrig, Byron Hilliard and Tom Knopick.

The chapter was established only a couple of months after the founding of Duranglers Flies and Supplies by Flick and Knopick.  John and Tom both recognized the intrinsic relationship between the business they planned to grow and the need for active conservation of the incredible cold-water fisheries to which they called home.

Pictured: Tom Knopick

This commitment by John and Tom and Duranglers has been carried forward, often with fierce dedication, to our present time and will carry on for the future.  But, let’s go back and remember some of the past conservation efforts that Duranglers has helped advance.

Hermosa Creek, which is currently undergoing reintroduction of native Cutthroat to 23+ miles of East Fork and Mainstem, was an early focus of habitat improvement by Five Rivers TU and John, Tom and Jim Herrig.  Most of this work was done on the reach above Hotel Draw.  In addition, log structures were introduced on the East Fork for habitat development in the area of Hermosa Park.

The headwaters of the East Fork of Lime Creek also benefitted from habitat improvement undertaken by the Chapter.

Pictured: John Flick

One of the Rivers precious to John and Tom is the Dolores River below McPhee Reservoir, locally known as the “Lower D”.  This tail water was created in 1984 when the Dam was completed.  The result was a fabulous cold-water fishery that was stocked with Snake River Cutthroat Trout as well as rainbows and browns.  The combination of (formerly) abundant cold water and great water quality allowed the bug life and fish to thrive.  It was not uncommon to catch trout upward of 20” and 4 – 5 lbs.  Needless to say this was the subject of many guided trips by Duranglers, video programs such as the Fishing The West TV show with Larry Shoenborn Guided by Tom Knopick and relentless attention to the conservation of the resource by the crew at Duranglers.

Then in 1990 the area began to endure a series of drier years.  When McPhee was created an Environmental Assessment was undertaken, one of the first such assessments in the West.  While the EAS called for releases of 70, 58 or 20 cfs, depending on the reservoir level to maintain the quality of the coldwater fishery, the fishing community felt these flows to be inadequate.  This became abundantly clear when in just a few short years of 20 cfs releases most of the fish, particularly the healthy adults, died due to low water and heat stress.  The golden age of the “Lower D” came to an end.

But not without Tom and John, personally leading the push for more water for the fishery.  In subsequent years, they have been at the forefront of efforts to find water for the fishery and have been partners with Colorado Parks and Wildlife in helping to establish greater release of water for the fishery.

In the early 1990’s, Chapter leadership was taken over by Jay Engel and others.  Jay had been a leader in the fly fishing community for years on the West Coast and was a tireless advocate for cold-water conservation, eventually being recognized with the Silver Trout Award.  In the middle 90’s Jay passed away unexpectedly and was soon followed by the Chapter’s Treasurer.  This left the Chapter leaderless and it went dormant for a couple of years.

In Spring 1999 a group from Duranglers led by John, Tom and Nate Bronson gathered a group together in the upstairs of Gazpachos, a local New Mexican restaurant, with the intent of reviving the Five Rivers Chapter.  And, resurrect it they did, with John and Tom helping behind the scenes with fund raising and tolerating the occasional minor disruption from one of their part time employees, who had assumed the reins of the Chapter.

To this day in 2020, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to John and Tom for their support and dedication to conservation of our cold-water fisheries, particularly in southwest Colorado.  This was evident in 2018 when CTU recognized Duranglers Flies and Supplies as Outfitter of the Year at its Rendezvous in Glenwood Springs, just one year after recognizing the Five Rivers Chapter they helped establish and revive as Exemplary Chapter in 2017.

So let us raise a glass of whatever beverage is preferred and toast Duranglers and John and Tom for their past and future support of all of TU’s conservation efforts.  To check in on what is happening fishing wise in Southwest Colorado or to just say hi you can reach them and Duranglers Flies and Supplies at 970-385-4081 or www.duranglers.com.

Tight Lines,

Buck Skillen, Past President, Five Rivers Chapter TU

---

Profiles in Conservation is a new blog series sharing the stories of important long-term leaders in Colorado’s fly fishing and conservation community.  If you would like to share a story or nominate a flyfishing leader for this series, please contact us at info@coloradotu.org. 

Colorado TU Supports the Great American Outdoors Act

Anglers thank Senators Gardner, Bennet for investing in public lands

Denver, Colo – Colorado Trout Unlimited strongly endorses the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), which is expected to be voted on by the U.S. Senate next week. The bill, introduced by Senator Cory Gardner and cosponsored by Senator Michael Bennet, would for the first time guarantee full, dedicated funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), one of America’s most successful conservation programs, as well as commit $9.5 billion toward public lands maintenance needs. The legislation has broad, bipartisan support with 58 cosponsors and President Trump has signaled his support.

“Colorado is fortunate to have bipartisan leadership from our Senators in securing funds for LWCF and maintenance on our public lands,” said Colorado TU Executive Director David Nickum. “We greatly appreciate the efforts of Senators Gardner and Bennet in sponsoring the Great American Outdoors Act and their hard work in moving it toward Senate passage.”

For more than half a century, LWCF has used a portion of federal offshore energy revenues — at no cost to taxpayers — to conserve our public lands, water, and open spaces and protect the outdoor recreation opportunities they offer. LWCF has invested over $268 million in Colorado, helping to secure access and conserve special places across the state, including the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and boat launches on the Colorado River. 

Unfortunately, while $900 million is generated by energy royalties for the program each year, in its more than 50-year history the LWCF has only been fully funded once – with funds instead being diverted by Congress toward other unspecified purposes. The Great American Outdoors Act would solve this problem by permanently dedicating those annual revenues to LWCF.

"Public lands are an icon of democracy,” said Colorado TU President Matt Moskal. “They are places to celebrate our rich natural history and they provide all Americans with the freedom to recreate in our most cherished places. By fulling funding the LWCF and providing critical support for the stewardship of our public lands, the Great American Outdoors Act will maintain this legacy. Colorado Trout Unlimited, on behalf of its 12,000 members state-wide, strongly supports this legislation."

The legislation also includes $9.5 billion in funding over five years to tackle deferred maintenance on public lands. The legislative proposal originally included deferred maintenance funding only for the Park Service, but hunters and anglers championed a change to provide funding for all public land management agencies. The public lands maintenance backlog has been mounting for decades and is now estimated at $20 billion, with the Park Service share alone nearly $12 billion. 

Region 2 of the Forest Service, which includes Colorado, has a deferred maintenance backlog of $477 million, and the road maintenance backlog on the Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre National Forest alone is $49 million. This problem does more than create challenges accessing our public lands; poorly maintained roads degrade trout streams through increased erosion that bleeds sediment into rivers and streams. Oftentimes these roads also have undersized culverts that block trout migrations. TU partners with both the Department of the Interior and Forest Service on collaborative restoration projects and has leveraged nearly $43 million in funding to complete restoration projects on Forest Service lands.

“Fixing roads that are bleeding sediment and removing migration barriers for trout at road crossings are just two examples of how this bill and TU’s partnership with federal agencies benefit anglers and public lands users,” noted Moskal. “We hope to see this bill’s passage into law this summer so dedicated funding is guaranteed to continue our work to make fishing better.”

About Colorado Trout Unlimited:

Colorado Trout Unlimited is dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring Colorado’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. With a grassroots base comprised of nearly 12,000 members in 24 local chapters across the state, Colorado TU works both locally and statewide through advocacy, education, and on-the-ground restoration projects. For more information visit www.coloradotu.org.

Consider a gift that gives back

Rep Your Water Hats & Sun Hoodies

Show your support for our state’s beautiful rivers and fish by sporting the Colorado TU Rep Your Water trucker hat the next time you’re out for a day on the water! Or with your generous support, the lightweight cutthroat Rep Your Water Aqua Sun Hoodie ($68.95 value) can be yours. We offer sizes S-XXL so there is something for everyone!

Shop local with gift cards to your fly shop

Support conservation and buy local this holiday giving season! Gift cards are available to the following CTU Business Partners: Alpine Angling (Carbondale), Anglers All (Littleton), Angler’s Covey (Colorado Springs), ArkAnglers (Salida/Buena Vista), Cutthroat Anglers (Silverthorne), Duranglers (Durango), Front Range Anglers (Boulder), Roaring Fork Anglers (Glenwood Springs), Steamboat FlyFisher (Steamboat Springs), St. Peter’s Fly Shop (Ft. Collins), Trouts Fly Fishing (Denver and Frisco), Western Anglers (Grand Junction).

Hit the slopes for native trout

We've teamed up with one of our favorite grassroots conservation organizations, Colorado Trout Unlimited, and one of the most talented outdoor artists in the world, Nick Laferriere to bring this Special Edition Snowboard and Skis to you! For every board or pair of skis built, Gilson Snow will donate $75 to CTU to be used in their conservation efforts to protect and expand populations of native trout in the state of Colorado.

Using Gilson's most versatile All-Mountain models, Nick has designed artwork that embodies our passions of getting on the mountain and getting into the river. Whether exploring the backcountry or cruising a groomer, the Fly By is well equipped to handle a multitude of terrain and condition combinations. If matching the hatch and finding powder stashes are both up your alley, the Fly By is the board or skis you need in your quiver.

Native Trout Dog Collars by Dublin Dog Co.

Dublin Dog has generated a limited-edition cutthroat trout collar to support awareness of, and raise funds for, native trout recovery in Colorado. Proceeds from this collar benefit Colorado Trout Unlimited and their efforts to protect, conserve, and restore Colorado’s native cutthroat trout.

Also available at select locations:

• The Next Eddy Salida, CO

• Yampa Valley Fly Fishers Steamboat Springs, CO

• Basin+Bend Evergreen, CO

• West Denver Trout Unlimited Chapter

• Five Rivers Trout Unlimited Chapter

• Grand Valley Anglers Trout Unlimited Chapter

Protect Our Rivers License Plate

Show your support for Colorado’s rivers by displaying this ultra-cool license plate on your vehicle! 100% of the money raised goes toward the conservation, protection, and restoration of rivers and streams in Colorado. So whether you’re a farmer, kayaker, hunter, rafter, or angler – or just someone who appreciates the natural beauty that rivers bring to our landscape – the Protect Our Rivers license plate shows that you’re willing to put your money where your interest lies!

Give the Gift of a TU Membership

Need a gift idea for that special person in your life? Consider the gift of a Trout Unlimited membership. Memberships include some awesome benefits, such as a subscription to the TROUT magazine, but best of all, your membership helps protect cold, clean fishable waters for generations to come. 

Thank you for another great year and happy holidays!

Winter High Country Angler - is available!

December Newsletter: Currents

It has been a memorable year - thank you! 

This year, we celebrated 50 years of Colorado Trout Unlimited. That exciting milestone has made this year a memorable one, but now we are looking ahead to the next 50 years and can't wait to bring you all along. What can we look forward to this upcoming 2020? Well, first we will be kicking off the new year at the Fly Fishing Show in Denver - the largest gathering of fly fishing companies, organizations, and more! We hope to see you there, and be sure to stop by the Colorado TU booth!

We are also partnering with the 2020 Fly Fishing Film Tour which will have multiple showings

across the state starting in February. Speaking of films, have you seen ours? You can watch the full CTU film, DECADES: 50 years of Colorado Trout Unlimited for free online here. 

Youth programming has grown over 2019 with the help of a great Headwaters Committee and our Americorps VISTA Bianca, who have already been planning new STREAM Girls events for Spring 2020. CTU is getting more youth on the water who are learning about our watersheds. 

Volunteers really made 2019 special. With native greenback stockings, river cleanups, youth outreach, events, and advocacy - people like you have helped us make a positive impact on the future of our rivers and coldwater fisheries. For all you have done, we want to say thank you.

We look forward to all the amazing work we can do together in 2020 and beyond! See you all next year :)

Have a safe and happy holiday, 

the Colorado TU Team - Annie, Bianca, Dan, David, Jen, and Shannon

CTU 50th Anniversary Film headed to Zimmerman Lake this summer (Behind the Scenes)

On July 2, 2019 passionate TU volunteer and native trout angler, John Trammell headed up with CTU and Josh Duplechian of Trout Unlimited to participate in filming for CTU’s 50th Anniversary Film featuring the native trout work on Zimmerman Lake. Below is his personal account of the day. Enjoy!

John and his daughter Melissa.

MY LIFE AS A FLY FISHERMAN PART 21: Greenbacks and Zimmerman Lake

by John Trammell

Up front I’ll confess that not much of Part 21 is about fishing, but about what I observed at Zimmerman Lake on July 2 this year. What I saw was a team of government agencies and Trout Unlimited volunteers working scientifically and physically to preserve and propagate our state fish - the greenback cutthroat trout. I could not have been more impressed by the skills and hard work I saw. Really amazing.

Zimmerman lake is 40 miles east of Walden, near the continental divide, at 10,000+ feet elevation. It has a population of a few hundred greenbacks, placed there to become the source of eggs for the purpose of increasing the numbers of our state fish. On the day my daughter Melissa and I were there, the steep trail up to the lake was both rough and muddy, with numerous snowdrifts. (The day before, the workers had shoveled away drifts that were impassable to ATVs.)

The ancestors of the greenbacks in Zimmerman Lake were a small number of fish rescued from their only remaining natural habitat, Bear Creek near Colorado Springs, when the habitat was threatened by a wildfire. Being so few, when they’re artificially spawned it is important to preserve genetic diversity. Observing how that is done was fascinating - not only because of what was done, but how it was done under difficult field conditions.

When we arrived at the work site the fish were already being held in floating mesh pens. Wader-clad workers separated them into categories to be processed on a long table set up amid mud, snow and trippy exposed tree roots. They were given an anesthetic bath to make them more docile and to reduce shock while they were being processed.

CPW’s project leader Kevin Rogers told me that his agency knows each greenback in the lake individually. Each has a little VIE tag behind its eye that he identifies to a person who then uses a hand-held electronic device to read an internal pittag. Each fish is described verbally (e.g, “ripe female, good condition; immature male”), its pittag recorded, measured, weighed, and photographed beside its PIT number. Then the fish is put into a five-gallon bucket of water, to recover from the anesthetic. This all occurs rapidly as the trout are passed down the table. This information is used to select males and females to have their eggs and milt combined. Records of the combinations are kept with the intent to achieve maximum genetic diversity.

After the anesthetic has worn off and the greenbacks are trying to swim out of the buckets, they are returned to the lake. Forest Ranger Chris Carrell hustled those 40-pound buckets down to the lake all afternoon, quickly returning the empties back to the table for more greenbacks. After a while, realizing the physical toll it was taking on him, Melissa helped. Although she wasn’t there as a representative of her agency, the National Park Service, she also helped with the work at the table. Being somewhat enfeebled by the trip up to the lake, I just sat, and observed.

Fertilized eggs are treated with an iodine solution, and taken to CPW’s Mt. Shavano hatchery to be hatched and reared for stocking into suitable waters. In addition to the objective of saving them from extinction, the aim is to have a sustainable population of greenbacks for Coloradoans to enjoy.

I’ve long been a fan of native cutthroat trout, so I’m grateful to the State of Colorado for going to the expense and trouble to save the greenbacks. And I’m grateful to the agency people and TU volunteers who do the work.

““I know I volunteer because I love trout, trout habitat, and trout fishing. Of those three, I think it’s the habitat I love best, and not just because without it we can’t have the other two. It’s because I just love it, everything about it. I get a thrill every time I approach a trout stream.””

— John Trammell