FRIENDS OF THE DILLON RANGER DISTRICT WATERSHED RESTORATION DAY

Volunteers are needed to help rehabilitate the watershed with natural vegetation. Projects will include burying logs for erosion control, collecting and planting willow shoots, transplanting native trees and grasses, as well as some spreading of native seed and hay to encourage regrowth. Please register online at FDRD.org

*This project is a partnership with the Blue River Watershed Group, Trout Unlimited, Summit County Open Space and Trails, and the USDA Forest Service.

SCHEDULE: September 13, 2014 9am: Meet in parking lot - Introduction and overview of the day

12pm: Lunch

1pm: Arrive back at trailhead - wrap up discussion.

ITEMS TO BRING OR WEAR: Our summer mountain weather can range from sunny and warm to cold and wet. Be prepared.

• Work or hiking boots--no sandals or minimalist shoes
• Long pants, long sleeved shirt, other layers
• Rain gear, hat, sunglasses
• Sunscreen, insect repellant, allergy medications
• Day pack Lunch Snacks for munching on the trail Drinking water (AT LEAST 2 liters per person per day)
• Leather or heavy-duty work gloves (optional)

AGE REQUIREMENTS:

• Ages 6-15 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Ages 16-18 must have parental consent via FDRD waiver to attend.

REMINDERS

• Pets are not permitted
• Drink plenty of fluids before and during the project
• Smoking on the project site is not permitted
• Carpooling is highly encouraged

Boulder Fly Casters Work to Restore Boulder Creek

Trout Unlimited chapters throughout Colorado are dedicated to working on the conservation of habitat in their area. Boulder Fly Casters has been working tirelessly with several conservation projects, including one to restore the Upper South Boulder Creek. At two areas, Boulder Fly Casters are helping restore the creek at two separate areas: the Moffat Tunnel and the Jumbo Mountain Picnic Area. At both of these areas, at times of low flow, <10 CFS to >1000 CFS (Cubic Feet per Second), fish passages were blocked and the river offered very few holding areas.

According to Tim D’Avis, project supervisor and Boulder Fly Casters Board of Directors member, “The original stream wandered through the valley in the Moffat Tunnel area.  With the advent of the water tunnel and railroad tunnel, the stream channel was routed next to the mountains on the south side of the valley.  In the Jumbo Mountain area, the stream was pinched between the road and the railroad.”

In the spring of 2013, the restoration projects began. Efforts were soon made to build more bends in the stream to allow for more water flow. Along with more added structure, these bends will, according to D’Avis, address “the need to get water efficiently to Gross Reservoir.” The images below show the restoration sites and what is being done at each of those sites.

 

The Fishing is Fun Grant for $80,000 along with the Denver Water Board providing $124,900 made the restoration efforts possible. The United States Forest Service also donated roughly $10,000 worth of seeds which were scattered along the river banks. Along with the seeds planted, 700 willows were staked as well.

As of July 2014, restoration is about 95% complete according to the Boulder Fly Casting website.

Boulder Fly Casters is also working on several other projects including flood restoration , restoring Middle Boulder Creek at Rogers Park, and restoring part of Jenny Creek.

For more information, on the Boulder Creek project or any other projects Boulder Fly Casters is currently involved in, click on the links above, or check out their website at BoulderFlyCasters.org and click under the “Conservation” tab.

Glenwood Springs River Commission River Cleanup

The Glenwood Springs River Commission's River Cleanup and Community Barbecue! Volunteers are needed to pick up trash along the Roaring Fork and Colorado Rivers in Glenwood Springs and Glenwood Canyon. Volunteers will work from shore and from boats. Boaters are urged to participate. After the cleanup, volunteers will be treated to a barbecue and picnic with food donated by local restaurants. 9am - 2pm Directions: Two Rivers Park is the location for volunteers to check in and receive assignments.  The midday barbecue for volunteers will also be at Two Rivers Park. Walk or ride your bike. Parking is limited.    - Across from Centennial Drive  on Devereux Road  Glenwood Springs, CO  81601

See more at: http://web.glenwoodchamber.com/events/eventdetail.aspx?EventID=5083#sthash.ODjpvwt9.dpuf

Help needed at Big Thompson Wildlife Area

Big Thompson Wildlife Area - Lend A Hand DayWhen: Saturday, July 19th Volunteer Project Time: 7:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. with lunch provided at noon Number of Volunteers Expected: 100

Project Description: Big Thompson, fondly know as Big T has been significantly damaged from the flood in the fall of 2013. Volunteers will help remove fence, clean up a lot of debris, and help to scatter seed and plant willows to help restore some of the damage. Volunteers will be encouraged to car pool as parking is limited. Amenities will be primitive. Check out this link for more information on Big Thompson: http://cpw.state.co.us/swa/Big%20Thompson%20Ponds%20SWA

Ways to get involved: • Volunteer with the project or serve as a group lead • Help with volunteer registration or lunch set up and clean up • Donate money, tools, expertise or resources towards project

*Will give some career type demonstrations or talks geared towards younger volunteers over lunch and via group leads. SIGN UP: If you are interested in getting involved or volunteering for either of these projects please contact Vicki Leigh at vicki.leigh@state.co.us or at 303-291-7299.

Trout Unlimited Rolls Out TroutBlitz

As part of Trout Unlimited’s mission to conserve, protect and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds, Trout Unlimited is now featuring TroutBlitz. TroutBlitz is a program that allows anglers all over, both members and non-TU members, to contribute to the protection and conservation of trout and their habitats. TroutBlitz is an online program that allows anglers to picture and document the fish they caught to help TU scientists understand the populations of trout and the quality of the watersheds across North America. By using a simple TroutBlitz website interface, all anglers, not just Trout Unlimited members can upload pictures of their fish and document the location where they caught it.

The program was initiated to help organize a catalog and map healthy populations of wild and native trout. By sharing their information, “anglers can help us identify healthy populations of native trout and help us understand where non-native trout have been introduced over the years,” said TU senior scientist, Jack Williams in a Trout Unlimited press release.

Documenting the fish an angler catches, not only helps the TU scientists understand the populations of trout, it gives a better understanding of the watersheds and habitats across North America. According to the TU press release, “they [anglers] can help the organization [Trout Unlimited] identify intact watersheds, important tracts of intact habitat and waters that could benefit from restoration work, reconnection efforts or even native fish reintroduction efforts.”

Along with native and non-native trout, the feature will also help anglers and TU know where there are pockets of rare native fish, including bull trout and grayling.

To get involved, all you need to do is go fishing. Take your camera (or smart phone) with you to document your catch, along with a GPS device or map that will help determine where the catch was made, (some cameras or smart phones can track the GPS for you). After that, all you need to do is catch a fish then upload it to the TroutBlitz interface by clicking “add observations” on the TroutBlitz website.

TroutBlitz is offered through iNaturalist.org so to begin uploading catches you must sign up for an iNaturalist account for free. From there you can help TU and other scientists understand more about native and non-native trout all across North America. For more information on how to upload your photos and document your fish, visit Trout Unlimited’s TroutBlitz webpage.

As an incentive for anglers to share their catch, TU is offering prizes for the top posters. Prizes include some TU merchandise and apparel, a free TU membership, and chances to win prizes provided by sponsors.

For more information on the program, check out the Trout Unlimited press release regarding TroutBlitz.

2012 Gala Committee Member

Committee members are led by the Gala Chairperson and assigned specific areas of responsibility. Some of the areas include catering, silent auction, live auction, guest speakers and entertainment

2012 Gala Chairperson

Our Annual Gala & Auction is the premier fundraising event of the year. It starts with the selection of the Gala Chairperson, who then assists in the formation of the Gala Committee. Committee members are volunteers assigned to specific areas of responsibility such as catering, silent auction, live auction, guest speakers and entertainment. This event was very successful in 2010 and 2011, so the Gala Chairperson will be working from a proven template.