Support the Hunt & Fish License Plate

We're still working toward a Protect Our Rivers license plate to raise money for river and habitat protection, but in the meantime you can support efforts to create a plate for hungers and anglers.

HB 1275 in the Colorado House of Representatives would establish a specialty license plate program for Colorado’s hunters and anglers. Revenue would support youth hunting and fishing programs within the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Recently the bill passed the House Finance Committee, but to make this license plate a reality 3,000 Coloradans have to sign a petition indicating their support.

Click this link to sign the petition right now. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/support-the-colorado-wildlife-sporting-license/

Farmers, Conservationists Partner Along the Colorado

"Now, as Colorado River Basin stakeholders contemplate possible solutions to long-term shortfalls in the balance between water supply and demand, a group of agricultural and conservation organizations have joined efforts in a ground-breaking new coalition."

As you'd imagine, Trout Unlimited is part of this coalition featured in a piece on Natonal Geographic online by Jennifer Pitt. Read the article at nationalgeographic.com

Win a Gunnison Gorge Float Trip

The Colorado TU raffle could put you in cold water. And you'll never forget it!

The Trip of a Lifetime

When you buy tickets for Colorado TU's statewide raffle, you'll help us fight to keep water in streams, support on-the-ground habitat projects, and help young people develop an appreciation for the aquatic life.

But hey, what's in it for you? How about a three-day float trip through the spectacular Gunnison Gorge? If you're the winner, you'll enjoy three days and two nights along the river as part of a Dvorak Expeditions pack-in trip.

All meals are provided and your camping gear will be packed in (you'll need to hike in about a mile with your personal gear). And experienced guides will row you through one of Colorado's true natural wonders where you'll enjoy world-class fishing on a Gold Medal river.

The trip can be used in the 2012 or 2013 seasons, subject to availability. Retail value is $1,425.

Raffle tickets are $10 each, or $25 for three. The drawing will take place at 7 pm at Colorado TU's Spring Rendezvous on April 21, 2012 at Redstone, Colorado. You need not be present to win.

Click here to purchase single tickets @ $10 each.

Click here to purchase groups of 3 tickets @ 25.

Thanks to Dvorak Expeditions for their generous support of Colorado Trout Unlimited. To learn more about their fishing and rafting trips on the Gunnison, Arkansas, and other great rivers visit www.dvorakexpeditions.com

This raffle is conducted under Colorado Raffle License No 2012-05008, and is open only to residents of Colorado.

Purgatoire River Anglers Celebrate

Purgatoire River Anglers is inviting the community and fans of the Purgatoire to help kickoff the first stage of the Purgatoire River Demonstration Project this Tuesday (March 6) afternoon in Trinidad.

The initial stage includes the stretch of river from in front of Safeway to the Commercial Street bridge. The river will be stocked with trout in the spring and summer months allowing for fishing in the heart of Trinidad. Project partners include the City of Trinidad, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District, Pioneer Natural Resources, Colorado Trout Unlimited, San Isabel Electric Association, Trinidad Community Foundation, COMCAST CARES DAY and the Trinidad & Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce.

“Coming this May folks will be able to fish for trout on the Purgatoire and see a professional baseball game in Trinidad all in one day,” says Howard Lackey, Purgatoire River Anglers (PRA) Past President, while current president Jim Muzzulin adds, “This project is important for tourism and the economy of Trinidad, and couldn’t have happened without the support of our members and the community as a whole.”

Event Time:    12:15pm Location:     The riverbank in front of Safeway and next to the Steam Train. Date:        Tuesday, March 6

Contact: Kim Schultz Kimschultz1@comcast.net

About the Purgatoire River Chapter:

The PRA Chapter 100 was started in September of 2009, and since its inception has worked to enhance and return the Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake Dam to a healthy aquatic habitat.

Kirk Deeter to Edit Trout Magazine

Trout Unlimited has chosen author, angling guide and local boy Kirk Deeter as the new editor of Trout Magazine, which reaches 140,000 TU members nationwide.

"TROUT is the Gold Standard in this industry," Deeter said, "and I take my new responsibilities very seriously. I've been a Trout Unlimited member for years, and I've long admired TU and the work it does on behalf of fish and fishing all over the country. Serving its members through the pages of TROUT, and helping them channel their passion for fishing into helping TU accomplish its goals is something I'm very excited to take on."

Read National Trout Unlimited's press announcement

Oil & Gas Ad Doesn't Add Up

A controversial radio "Public Service Announcement" produced by the Colorado Oil and Gas Association includes a sound bite by Governor Hickenlooper to the effect that there hasn't been any groundwater contamination associated with drilling or fracking in Colorado since 2008.

There are those who differ:

“There are spills on a weekly basis that affect groundwater,” said Earthjustice attorney Mike Freeman, adding that state records show there were 58 spills from oil and gas operations in 2011."

That quote is one of several in a piece written by Bob Berwyn for the Summit County Citizen's Voice.

Read Bob Berwyn's article

Black Canyon Fishing Show Saturday

It won't cost you a dime to drop in at the Black Canyon Fly Fishing show this Saturday, March 3 at the Montrose County Fairgrounds.

The Black Canyon Fly Fishing Show is sponsored by Gunnison Gorge Anglers and features:

• 40+ Fly tiers
• Youth events including fly tying, casting and contests
• Hourly fishing programs
• Local fly shops and vendors
• A fantastic raffle package & door prize of an HDTV
• Evening banquet and auction - $25

Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm - show is one-day only, March 3

Location: Friendship Hall at Montrose County Fairgrounds.

Visit the Gunnison Gorge Anglers website

Bass Pro Shops Fishing Classic

This mega event takes place over 3 successive weekends - February 24 through March 11

There's a ton of stuff going on over the next few weekends, including fishing seminars, rod trade-ins, daily specials and fly tying exhibitions by renowned local anglers. Be sure to stop by the Cherry Creek Anglers and West Denver TU tables and say hello.

Here's a link to their website, where you can find all the scheduled events.

Here's a link to a flyer listing all the participating tyers.

River Rally II Rocks Capitol

Hear Case Philip sing "Don't Suck the Uppper Colorado Dry" on YouTube.

A group of more than 70 boisterous Defend the Colorado advocates gathered at the state capitol to hand-deliver a giant post card to governor Hickenlooper's office. Why a giant post card? Because it had to have enough room for the 2,000 people who wanted to sign it and comment. Their message?  'Don't Suck the Upper Colorado River Dry.'

"Can you hear us now?"

Since the rally happened right outside his office window, the governor - or at least his staff - probably heard it loud and clear. A group of about 70 river advocates turned out to hear several speakers, including Drew Peternell, director of TU's Colorado Water Project, who told the crowd that the recreation opportunities many Coloradans take for granted "will no longer exist" on the Upper Colorado if the river is not protected.

Fraser Valley TU Headwaters chapter president Kirk Klancke emotionally recounted how his children had worried about the health of the Upper Colorado and wondered if it would be there for them.

And Field and Stream columnist Kirk Deeter offered an analogy to plans to take two-thirds of the Upper Colorado flows -- would it be acceptable, he asked, if the state decided to take two-thirds of Pikes Peak, another Colorado icon?

Read Deeter's terrific blog post on that theme here.

The governor certainly won't be "the decider" when it comes to water projects on the upper Colorado River, but we believe he should weigh-in and try to influence the final decision. Here's what we think water-project developers need to do:

• Manage the water supply to keep the rivers cool, clear and healthy.
• Ensure healthy flushing flows to prevent river habitat from filling in with silt.
• Monitor the rivers’ health and a commitment to take action if needed to protect them.
• Bypass the Windy Gap dam to reconnect Colorado River and restore river quality.

The Defend the Colorado coalition includes Colorado Trout Unlimited and a range of stakeholders, including conservation and wildlife groups, landowners, and outdoor recreationists. More than 400 western slope businesses have signed a petition asking state leaders to protect the Upper Colorado.

The event received some good media coverage, including a report on Colorado Public Radio and a great column in the Denver Post by outdoor writer Scott Willoughby. http://www.denverpost.com/willoughby/ci_20014054

For more information, go to www.DefendTheColorado.org.

FERC Rejects Million Permit

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has dismissed a hydropower permit application for a proposed 500-mile water pipeline from the Green River to Colorado’s Front Range.

Developer Aaron Million’s idea was to use the water flowing downhill from the top of the Continental Divide to generate power to - at least partially - offset the enormous cost of pumping it up there in the first place. But FERC may have viewed the application by Wyco Power and Water as an attempt to short cut the federal review process for the entire pipeline project. It’s clear that this is a massive water supply project and that hydropower would have played a small part. “We are pleased that the FERC recognized that Aaron’s proposal is premature,” says Drew Peternell, Director of TU’s Colorado Water Project. “In our view, the time will never come when this project is deserving of a permit.” While this doesn’t kill Million’s dream, it highlights how much work is yet to be done, least of which is to determine the pipeline’s precise route. FERC emphasizes that uncertainty in its Order of Dismissal:

Until some certainty regarding the authorization of the pipeline is presented, Wyco will not be able to gather and obtain the information required to prepare a license application for a proposed hydropower project.  Therefore, there is no purpose under the FPA for issuing a permit to Wyco for its proposed hydropower project at this time.  For this reason, Wyco’s preliminary permit application is dismissed as premature.

Read the full Order of Dismissal: http://elibrary.FERC.gov/idmw/file_list.asp?accession_num=20120223-30

Read the Denver Post article by Bruce Finley.