Now that Colorado Springs Utilities has essentially gotten the “green light” for their proposed Southern Delivery System the utility has started mapping out their customer base.
Front Range water diverters offer to help West Slope
Sky Hi Daily News - Grand County by Tonya Bina
A goody basket of river “mitigation and enhancements” has been offered to West Slope water proponents in an unprecedented gesture from Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Denver Water. Read More
Rapp named Trout Unlimited’s conservationist of the year
Clear Creek Courant Since the discovery of gold in 1859 in Clear Creek County and neighboring Gilpin County, it is doubtful that any Colorado body of water has been under more influence from historic mining activity than Clear Creek.
During the Gold Rush era, an estimated 1,600 or more active mines were developed, with nearly all of those since abandoned.
Over the years, these orphan mines and related mine waste residuals have had negative impacts on the local fishery. Clear Creek’s revival began in the late 1980s, about the time that Ed Rapp arrived on the scene.
Rapp is being honored as Colorado Trout Unlimited’s conservationist of the year.
http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?040+article+News+20090428174748040900
Thanks to Coyote Gulch for the link.
Animas River Makeover
Durango Herald Outdoors Editor
A prime stretch of the Animas River in downtown Durango will get a new identity this summer.
The Animas River itself will get a bit of a new look, starting in mid-August.
The west-side riverbank will get a full-scale makeover - a retro renovation - between Ninth Street and the Highway 160 bridge.
The river and west-bank renovation project was announced recently when Durango received an $86,000 grant from the Colorado Division of Wildlife for bank stabilization and habitat improvement on that stretch of the Animas River.
The DOW grant was one of the final pieces of a 3½-year jigsaw puzzle, put together through the nonprofit efforts of Trout Unlimited and the Animas Riverkeepers.
Ty Churchwell, then the president of the Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited, sat as a member of the Animas River Task Force. With other Trout Unlimited local board members and board members from Animas Riverkeepers, the task force was asked to review an Animas River corridor assessment.
http://durangoherald.com/sections/Features/Outdoors/2009/05/01/Animas_River_Makeover/
Colorado water war ends in deal
Boulder Creek gets massive makeover for fish habitat
Boulder Daily Camera By Laura Snider (Contact) Tuesday, April 28, 2009
BOULDER, Colo. — As David Blauch stepped closer to the creek, he saw a couple of shadows dart under the eave of a big rock.
"That's exactly what you want," he said, pointing to the trout he'd just frightened into the shadows.
The massive rock now sitting in Boulder Creek, parting the frigid waters and creating an eddy of still water where a trout can hide, is new to the stream. Just a week ago, this section of the creek near the top of Boulder Canyon ran wide and shallow, with uniform ripples stretching for a half mile with barely a boulder in sight.
"All the larger rocks are placed to increase habitat," said Blauch, vice president and senior ecologist for Ecological Resource Consultants in Boulder.
The $234,000 restoration project is the result of three years of hard work by Boulder Flycasters, the local chapter of Trout Unlimited, to create a fish-friendly section of stream with stable banks, better recreational access and environmental education opportunities.
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/apr/28/restoration-project-rogers-park-boulder-creek-fish/
Salazar Seeks to Vacate Bush-Era Mining Rule
By Juliet Eilperin Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar instructed the Justice Department yesterday to seek a court order to overturn a Bush administration regulation allowing mining companies to dump their waste near rivers and streams, calling the regulation "legally defective." Read More
Surge of water projects show little coordination
Some plans overlap rivers as federal officials worry about the potential impacts.
A volunteer group for every animal
Grand Junction Sentinel
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Of the many conservation groups I’ve been associated with or written about in my 25-plus years of covering outdoor causes and issues, none stand out as much as Trout Unlimited.
Sportsmen Urge USDA Intervention in Colorado Roadless Plan
From Fly Rod & Reel Online:
“To favorably resolve the Colorado rule, its problems must be addressed so that roadless area characteristics are conserved at a level comparable to the national roadless rule,” said David Nickum, executive director of Colorado TU. “Our groups want to conserve roadless values in the places where Americans hunt and fish – and ensure that our backcountry traditions are upheld for future generations to experience and enjoy.”
