NRCS funding will deliver benefits for ranch and farm operations, fisheries

Trout Unlimited today praised USDA Secretary Vilsack’s announcement that the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has chosen its first batch of projects funded by the Farm Bill’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)—including one TU project in Colorado that improves farm and ranch operations while enhancing river and fisheries health in the lower Gunnison River basin. Over the past decade, aided by its grassroots local chapters and volunteer members, TU has worked with agricultural partners throughout the upper Colorado River Basin to develop projects that upgrade irrigation systems and restore important fish habitat. These pragmatic partnerships improve ranch and farm operations, restore watersheds and improve fishing and recreation opportunities.

“The ultimate objective is simple: provide win-win solutions that safeguard water resources for fish and irrigators,” said Cary Denison, Gunnison River Basin project coordinator for Trout Unlimited.

Drought conditions threaten many agricultural producers for whom water supplies are already under intense pressure. Aging irrigation infrastructure has reached epidemic levels throughout the West, and the cost of retrofitting this infrastructure often exceeds the capacity of individual operators or even organized irrigation districts.

The RCPP program offers an exciting new model to meet these challenges. Despite their many benefits, Farm Bill conservation projects have sometimes been too scattered and limited in scope to provide substantial long-term benefits on a larger watershed or basin scale. The RCPP program encourages a landscape-scale, collaborative approach, with local partners working together to coordinate funding, resources and expertise on priority projects that enhance important fish habitat.

“It helps put the larger pieces of the conservation puzzle together,” said Denison.

TU was delighted to have four of its projects in the West selected for RCPP funding, including the Lower Gunnison Project.

The LGP will address aging infrastructure, modernize irrigation systems, and address water quality concerns in four irrigation water districts located in Montrose and Delta including the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, North Fork Water Conservancy District, Bostwick Park Water Conservancy District and Crawford Water Conservancy District.

One of TU’s project partners, No Chico Brush, is a local collaborative ad-hoc farmer led group whose goal is to make the best use of water as possible for the benefit of all users. The group understands that improving delivery systems including water measurement and control and linking those improvements to on farm irrigation improvement including soil health initiatives can lead to water security for farmers, address down-river demands and local stream health issues.

The No Chico Brush group and its partners, including Colorado State University, are beginning its second year of on-farm water studies examining the benefits to both farm operations and fish and wildlife habitat related to modernized irrigation practices such as sprinkler, drip, and other technologies.

Trout Unlimited sees these improvements to irrigation control and measurement as a necessary first step in addressing water shortages for all users—and the upgrades can also improve fisheries health through the basin.

“TU salutes the agriculture and conservancy district leaders for their leadership and partnership in this RCPP funding process,” said Denison. “The No Chico Brush group in particular played an important role in providing the momentum for the funding being made available to the Colorado River Basin and having the ‘grand vision’ of connecting irrigation system and on-farm irrigation improvements to water supply needs and the health of our fisheries, rivers and streams. We’re eager to get to work on these projects, and thanks to the NRCS, we’re going to hit the ground running.”

---Cary Denison, Project Coordinator, Colorado Water Project, and Randy Scholfield, Communications Director, Southwest Region

Victory on Hermosa!

In late December,  a bill to permanently protect the Hermosa Creek watershed—a major Trout Unlimited focus area for conservation—received  final approval in the U.S. Senate and proceeded on to President Obama for his signature. It was a great day for our local Durango community, for Colorado and for America’s backcountry fanatics.

The Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act, along with a handful of other public land bills, was attached as riders to the National Defense Authorization Act – a “must pass” piece of legislation.  As a result, Congress finally got this important piece of legislation across the finish line.

Native cutthroat trout in southwest Colorado now have a protected home in America’s newest wilderness area!

We are grateful for Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Scott Tipton and staff, for helping bring the Durango community together and working hard to get this done.

The passage of the bill represents eight years of work by TU staff from the Sportsmen’s Conservation Project and Colorado Water Project, and volunteers from the Five Rivers Chapter in Durango, CO.  The effort has truly been a “One TU” success.  But it was not just TU members who fought to protect the Hermosa Creek area for the next generation.  Anglers were joined by sportsmen from the region, and across the country, in a coalition aptly named “Sportsmen for Hermosa.”  From the local fly shops to rod manufacturers, from sportsmen’s conservation groups to outfitters, sportsmen stood up unified in support of permanent protections for Hermosa Creek.  And Congress heard our voices loud and clear!

The Hermosa Creek watershed, just north of Durango, contains Colorado’s largest, unprotected roadless area and is treasured by hunters and anglers for its opportunity and ease of access.  For fly fishermen and women, Hermosa Creek is the go-to location in southwest Colorado to cast summer dry flies to pure Colorado River cutthroat trout, brookies and rainbows.  For fall big game hunters, Hermosa’s elk beckon with bugles that raise the hair on your neck with excitement and anticipation.  Deer, turkey and grouse round out the quarry.  Sportsmen were joined in the effort to protect Hermosa Creek by mountain bikers, off-highway vehicle enthusiasts, hikers, backpackers, photographers, horsemen, water concerns, grazers, ranchers and citizens of the region.

It was a bumpy road along the way.  In September, the bill received a mark-up in the House of Representatives.  To the surprise of everyone back in Colorado, the bill was substantially amended by the House subcommittee.  Though it was watered-down and failed to provide the “teeth” of conservation we desired, it passed.  Whereas the bill once enjoyed complete and uncontested support, there now was significant opposition, including from TU and sportsmen.

Thankfully, the utter disappointment of the House mark-up and amendments brought about change.  Locals made it clear the bill was not OK and needed to return to the original version.  In mid-November a deal was struck between the Senate and House subcommittees.  The amended bill now was much, much closer to the original version and regained the support of locals back home.  In late November the bill received a full House vote (via the defense bill) and passed 300-119.

It’s notable, too, to mention four other TU-led initiatives passed alongside Hermosa and were signed into law.  They include the Columbine-Hondo wilderness in New Mexico and the Pine Forest Range in Nevada.  We share this victory with our brethren in nearby states.

With that, we raise our glasses in celebration.  To pass a public lands protection bill, with a wilderness component, is an astronomical feat in today’s tough and highly partisan political climate.  But sportsmen stood strong, made their voices heard, and were persistent and patient—and now 107,000 acres of public land perfectness will remain unspoiled and productive for the next generation of America’s sportsmen, women and children.

---Ty Churchwell, Backcountry Coordinator, Sportsmen's Conservation Project tchurchwell@tu.org

Clear Creek County Commissioner Speaks for Clean Water

Clear Creek County Commissioner Tim Mauck testified today before a joint hearing of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in support of a proposed federal rule that would restore protections to headwater streams under the Clean Water Act. The so-called Waters of the United States rule, put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, is in draft form, and has received support in the form of public comment from about 800,000 Americans. It was crafted in response to a pair of Supreme Court rulings in the early and mid-2000s that removed longstanding Clean Water Act protections from “intermittent and ephemeral” headwater streams unless they were shown to have a “significant nexus” with the larger rivers and streams into which they flow. The EPA and the Corps have since proven a scientific nexus between America’s great rivers and their headwater streams--hence the draft rule.

Despite the overwhelming public support for the rule, many in Congress see the rule as “overreach,” and efforts are afoot to derail the established rule-making process and prohibit the EPA from restoring protections to headwater streams under the Clean Water Act.

“As an elected county commissioner, I am testifying to convey how important clean water is for my community,” Mauck told the members of the committees today. “The proposed clean water rule will protect the headwaters, tributaries and wetlands that are essential for providing the high-quality water that supports the hunting, fishing, rafting and outdoor recreation that are an economic backbone for my community. Clean water from streams and wetlands also provide drinking water for thousands of our residents.”

Commissioner Mauck is also an avid sportsman and a member of Trout Unlimited.  Thank you, Commissioner, for speaking out in support of Colorado's headwater streams!

Former Congressman Hefley calls for Browns Canyon protection

Former US Congressman Joel Hefley (R-Colorado Springs) added his voice to those of sportsmen, local governments, business owners, Governor Hickenlooper and Senator Bennet, and Chaffee County citizens in supporting protection for Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River.  He authored an op-ed piece in the Denver Post that calls on the President and the Colorado Congressional delegation to move forward with protection for Browns. Browns Canyon is one of Colorado's natural treasures, with a Gold Medal reach of the Arkansas River as its centerpiece, outstanding big game habitat in the uplands, and world-class rafting opportunities that have made it one of America's most popular whitewater destinations.

In 2006, Congressman Hefley led a bipartisan effort to secure protections for the Browns Canyon area.  In 2013-14, Senator Mark Udall sponsored legislation for Browns that would both establish a National Monument and designated some additional wilderness.  Unfortunately, both efforts were caught up in Congressional gridlock and fell short.

As part of Sportsmen for Browns Canyon, TU has been working steadily to support National Monument protection for Browns; you can help by lending your voice through our action alert here - asking the President to give Browns the National Monument Protection it so richly deserves.

Tell the Governor: Healthy Rivers Matter!

On  December 10, a draft of Colorado's Water Plan was formally presented to Governor Hickenlooper - and will no undergo a renewed round of public input and revision with plans to finalize it by late 2015.  The Plan talks about the strategies Colorado should use to meet its future water demands for cities, industry, agriculture, recreation and the environment.  It will set the tone for how Colorado addresses its water challenges - whether there is an emphasis on sustainability, aggressive water conservation, and healthy rivers and landscapes - or emphasis on more dry-up of Colorado's rivers and its irrigated farmlands.  Colorado's sportsmen want to see our values reflected in the Plan. Governor Hickenlooper has said that every conversation about water should start with conservation. Tell him yourself why conserving the health of rivers is important to you! Click here now to weigh in now on the vision for Colorado's water future that you want to support!

This is just the first draft of the first Colorado Water Plan. We have one year to try to secure a healthy future for our rivers for fish, and for people.

You can learn more and read the draft Colorado  Water Plan online by clicking here and by visiting Colorado's Water Plan website.

Small town turns out big for Browns Canyon

Public meeting in Salida with federal officials turns out hundreds in support of Browns Canyon National Monument By Kyle Perkins from www.sportsmenforbrowns.com

Hundreds of people turned out Saturday in Salida, Colorado, to show support for a Browns Canyon National Monument. The droves of green “I support a Browns Canyon National Monument” stickers were visible evidence of the overwhelming support, along with speaker after speaker urging administration officials to designate the canyon now.

Don’t let anyone tell you this is a top-down executive overreach. Local residents and stakeholders, frustrated by years of congressional fiddling, made it clear that this is a grassroots effort and that they want to get this special place protected.

The stretch of the Arkansas River that veers from the highway south of Buena Vista and rushes through a steep canyon full of Gold Medal Water fishing, amazing white water rafting, and a pristine backcountry habitat is truly a unique place. Floating and finding pocket water within the canyon can produce over 20” trout, and the population of elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lion and black bear create a healthy habitat for hunting and wildlife in general. This 22,000-acre rugged canyon is a truly wild place that I have visited more times than I can remember.

For over 20 years, legislative efforts to protect this canyon have had local and state support, yet Congress has failed to act. From bills sponsored by former Colorado Senator Wayne Allard in 2006, and by current Senator Mark Udall in December of 2013, momentum has built—only to be thwarted by congressional inaction and gridlock. However, on November 25, an official letter from Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet requesting President Obama to declare Browns a national monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906 became headline news in the state. Local and state word spread fast with articles from all major state newspapers.

Rep. Doug Lamborn, one of the few opponents of the measure, claimed in a recent piece that there were many local opponents of the Browns designation. If that’s true, they failed to show up Saturday– supporters vastly outnumbered the handful of nay-sayers in the crowd.

In addition to the Colorado Senators, the public meeting was attended by administration officials and included Deputy Director of BLM Steve Ellis and U.S. Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell.

What I saw were individuals and groups from across the valley and state come together to protect a place they love and to support our valued public lands, fish and wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities. Indeed, local stakeholders in the Arkansas Valley reminded the Colorado delegation that this is a local effort, with bipartisan support from local elected officials and overwhelming support from the local business community.

“I take tourists and residents whitewater rafting and fishing through Browns Canyon, exposing them to the natural beauty that is at the heart of Colorado’s outdoor heritage,” said Joe Greiner, owner of Wilderness Aware Rafting in Buena Vista. “A lot of people put national monuments on their bucket list. A national monument designation will put Browns Canyon on the map and have an even bigger impact on our local economy.”

“Americans love our public lands and the rich outdoor experiences they provide,” said Jim Impara, vice president of the Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited. “We also understand that there are highly valued, iconic wild places that are not yet protected. Browns Canyon is one of those special places. Let’s keep it the way it is.”

“It was a true showing of the local community and the support we have to protect Browns,” said local resident Susan Mayfield. “It was a large theater of about 400, and an overfill room of many more in support of finally and permanently protecting one of our local pride and joys. The people in Chaffee County have spoken. It’s time.”

The public meeting sent a strong, unequivocal message to the White House: Coloradans want to protect Browns Canyon—and it’s time to get this done. This is our best chance to do that in a generation.

River Explorers continue their journey

Colorado Trout Unlimited is happy to say that the River Explorers program at the Mapleton School District in Thornton will be continuing into its second school year. This will be the beginning of the program’s vertical alignment in which students have different experiences in sequential years centered around healthy watersheds, in this case the South Platte, and fishing. We will also be bringing the program to the Adams-12 district for its first year in that district. As the years go by, we hope that this approach will be an ongoing success showing the value of consistent and stepwise programming to outdoor education. Students who are “River Explorers” will see four years of new activities. One step on the path is Trout in the Classroom. State-wide this year, Colorado Trout Unlimited and its chapters are sponsoring eleven tanks in which students raise trout from eggs to be released into the wild when they grow large enough in the spring. All classrooms have now received their eggs, and many have actively swimming and feeding fry.

River Watch is another piece of the River Explorers curriculum. As its own nonprofit, River Watch utilizes citizen science through school groups and volunteer organizations to collect and formulate water quality data from across the state. Colorado Trout Unlimited works with River Watch to host a few sites through partnering schools and local chapters. As a part of the River Explorers, students will become intimately familiar with the local water quality on the South Platte, and through River Watch provide that data to the public for anyone to use. This real world applicability is something CTU is proud to bring to the South Platte River Explorers, and we think the addition of two new monitoring sites is an exciting undertaking.

Rounding out the River Explorers experience are two more years of programming:  Stream Explorers, the introductory portion hosted at the middle school level, in which students learn the basics of a watershed, stream ecology, and fishing; and National Fishing in Schools Program where they hone their fly fishing skills. Connecting all of these pieces together we hope will foster students’ love of the outdoors, of fishing, and ultimately the desire to protect the places and resources they connect with. With generous support from local sponsors, Colorado Trout Unlimited is thrilled to be educating the next generation of river stewards through the continuation of River Explorers in the Mapleton School District, and the expansion to Adams-12 district.

South Arkansas River Restoration Project

The South Arkansas River Restoration Project (SARRP) is located on an 1,100 foot section of the South Arkansas River downstream of the Hwy 285 Bridge in Poncha Springs, Colorado.  The project site is 100% on private land divided between two landowners.  The main focal point of the project was on a long outside bend that was being “stabilized” by Detroit riprap (Old car bodies and other debris).  These features were installed in the 1960’sand 70’s to protect the bank from eroding.  Along with being an eye-sore, the riprap was accelerating flows along the bank, which was lacking in fish habitat.  The lack of fish habitat is synonymous with most of this river due to historic flood protection measures and channelization.  The goal of the project was to remove the car bodies and debris, improve bank stabilization, create habitat, and connect to a previously restored adjacent downstream section. Over the past year to year and a half, TU worked with another local non-profit, Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas (LTUA), to seek out and write grants for the project work.  Successful grant funds were secured from the Trout and Salmon Foundation (T&SF) and the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s (CWCB) Healthy Rivers Fund (HRF), making this project a reality.  The local Collegiate Peaks Anglers Chapter of TU contributed a cash match contribution, as well as several volunteer hours.  In addition to the grant funds, 142 tons of rock for in-stream structures were donated from Butala Sand and Gravel.  Kaess Contracting, Inc. also contributed some in-kind for their machine time and hauling of the rock.  Countless hours were donated by one of the landowners who assisted in completion of the Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit, final design, and construction oversight.  This project was a great example of wide-ranging community involvement and support.  From grant writing to donations, and construction to volunteer work, various community organizations were involved when it counted.

Figure 2: Post-construction photo of same bank in Figure 1 without debris.  A cross-vane structure is in the foreground creating habitat, while reducing shear stress against the bank. Bank slopes were graded to a gradual slope and re-vegetated with native plants and seed.

Construction work was completed in late November with the installation of several rock structures, log features, and bank stabilization work (Figure 2).   A previously featureless river now contains quite a few pool-riffle-run-pool sequences commonly associated with healthy rivers.  The icing on the cake was a volunteer planting work day along the newly restored bank and four steep bank slopes (Figure 3).  A local Rotary Grant funded a majority of the planting materials, food, and materials on a day in which eight local middle and elementary students learned how to plant riparian and upland vegetation.  An additional 15-20 mentors and volunteers were present from LTUA, TU, TU Chapter, and the Rotary Club to assist in installing over 200 plants.  A variety of upland and riparian species were planted, which included dogwood, willow, juniper, pinyon, chokecherry, rabbit brush, and a native seed mix.

Figure 3: South Arkansas River Restoration Project volunteer workday

The goal of this project was to increase community awareness and develop a template for river restoration in the South Arkansas River Watershed.  With the help of the South Arkansas Watershed Coalition (SWAC), TU plans to engage adjacent landowners about the benefits of restoring habitat along the South Arkansas.  Through this effort, TU hopes to generate landowner support, and continue this type of project for years to come throughout the watershed.

Ask President Obama and Secretary Jewell to Make Browns Canyon a National Monument

Browns Canyon, located along the upper Arkansas River in Colorado, is known for premier trout fishing, outstanding big game habitat, world-famous whitewater, rugged and remote wildlands, and a proud cattle ranching tradition. This diversity supports thousands of jobs, from river outfitters and guides to ranchers in the nearby communities of Salida and Buena Vista. Protecting this 22,000 acre gem along the Arkansas River as a National Monument is a community-driven effort to preserve this unique natural and economic resource for generations to come. You can help!  Click here to send a message to President Obama and Interior Secretary Jewell asking them to designate Browns Canyon as a National Monument, ensuring that its diverse values are maintained for the public for generations to come!

The Story Behind The Story

The Yampa Valley Fly Fishers Chapter of TU (YVFF) provided hundreds of volunteer hours to bring a portion of the tailwater renovation project to a close for the Winter of 2014/2015. Completing riparian/floodplain revegetation efforts required some real foresight and effort, long before it was time to actually do plantings.  Anglers are all familiar with the idea of raising and stocking fish – but what about raising and stocking riparian plants? YVFF worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and their contributors to construct a nursery at the edge of the Yampa River, on State property just outside of Steamboat Springs.  Its purpose is to allow the growth of selected plants in a protected and controlled environment, with the goal to have mature vegetation ready for specific projects in and around the Yampa Valley.

The 1000 square foot nursery was designed, funded and constructed by a joint collaboration between CPW and YVFF.  Construction began in the Summer of 2013.  The ground was prepared for proper drainage by the use and placement of special fabrics and a specific size and depth bed of crushed rock.  A vinyl coated chain link fence was erected to protect the plants and trees from hungry beavers, deer, etc.  Construction was completed in the Spring of 2014 with the addition of a sunscreen and manual irrigation system.

The first seedlings were delivered shortly thereafter and potted by a large volunteer group.  In October, those now mature potted plants were ready for transplanting and were moved to the tailwater project.  With a couple truckloads of soil amendments, digging tools, food, and beverage, more than 30 volunteers spent the weekend placing nearly 1000 new willow and alder trees along this newly renovated stretch of the Yampa River.

YVFF anticipates repeating these potting and transplanting endeavors for many years to come.