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.

Browns Canyon Campaign in Full Pursuit

Colorado is home to some of the most natural and beautiful landscapes all across the country. It’s only right to want to keep the land protected. Right now protecting Browns Canyon is one of Colorado Trout Unlimited's highest priorities. With some help, Browns Canyon can become the next National Monument. Recently, former Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter wrote an opinion piece for the Denver Post pushing for Coloradans to make the area a National Monument right now.

The current bill was proposed by Sen. Mark Udall will help protect roughly 22,000 acres of Browns Canyon and the outlying land. In 2005, a similar effort was introduced by Congressman Joel Hefley and Sen. Wayne Allard. The first bill was derailed by special interest groups. However, it had over 100 businesses behind the bill including all of the Colorado Congressional Council.

As a National Monument, Browns Canyon will receive protection forever and provide a testament to the state’s rich and proud sporting tradition. The status will help protect the land from irresponsible development from mining companies and help keep the land healthy.

Along with protecting fish and game in the area, a National Monument status will improve the local economy. Colorado is a recreation enthusiast’s heaven and an estimated 200,000 tourists will visit the area this summer for recreational activities, including white water rafting and hiking. According to a Denver Post article, Browns Canyon will generate more than $55 million this summer.

A National Monument status will keep this area protected forever. The land is used by anglers, hunters and recreation fanatics alike and all of them want to see the land protected for future generations to enjoy just as they have done.

Recently, the Arkansas River had 100 miles of water designated as a Gold Medal fishery. Part of this section includes Browns Canyon. Anglers enjoy the great fishing opportunities while hunters enjoy the rugged landscape and the game the area is home to; including elk, bighorn sheep, deer and mountain lions.

For anglers and hunters, the plentiful opportunities will still be there and this will not reveal or affect any secret spots. With the status, Browns Canyon and the surrounding land will be protected from outside sources disrupting the site.

Currently, mining claims have been made in the canyon so it is very important to act now in making the land a National Monument. Mining could disrupt the natural landscape of the area and affect hunting and fishing opportunities.

Colorado Trout Unlimited has been pushing a new campaign called Sportsmen for Browns Canyon which is a coalition of sportsmen and women who want to see Browns Canyon be protected and conserved forever under the status of a National Monument.

For more information on the bill visit the Denver Post Article and please show support for the legislation by commenting on the article.Senator Udall needs to know that there are anglers, sportsmen, and conservationist behind him that support the National Monument designation.

For more information on the Sportsmen for Browns Canyon effort visit SportsmenForBrowns.com or email Kyle Perkins at kperkins@tu.org

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.

Help Defend Bristol Bay's Salmon!

Bristol Bay, Alaska is home to one of the last great salmon fisheries on the planet. The salmon, wildlife, people and fishing jobs of this beautiful and productive region are threatened by the proposed Pebble gold and copper mine. If built, Pebble could become the largest mine in North America, located atop drainages feeding right into Bristol Bay - and the mine operations and waste produced could jeopardize the future of the salmon. We have an unprecedented opportunity to stop this mine and protect Bristol Bay's fish and jobs through the Clean Water Act.  EPA is taking comments on the issue through September 19 - you can take action by clicking here.

Fish On with the Greenbacks and Big Brothers Big Sisters

What is better than hearing the excitement in a child’s voice when they have hooked into their very first fish or chased down a grasshopper and finally caught it? That excitement and enthusiasm was exactly what we experienced these past couple weekends in the annual Greenbacks and Big Brothers Big Sisters fishing and river exploration events. The event consisted of a two part session on consecutive Saturdays. The first session was held at Reynolds Landing in Littleton where the kids had the opportunity to learn about several different aspects of fishing, ecology, and entomology. We started off the day learning about the differences between spin fishing and flyfishing. After a quick lesson in the technique of fly-fishing the kids had the opportunity to practice their casting skills!  Once these skills were honed, we moved onto bugs! What kid doesn’t like bugs? The kids were given the opportunity to observe and identify the aquatic insects that live in the South Platte, conduct some experiments to understand the impacts of temperature and light, and then tie some flies that imitated the insects that they previously identified. The day ended with the kids chasing and catching grasshoppers, which were used in their bottle ecology experiments. The day was a huge  success, and all of the kids were anxious for the following weekend where they would be given the opportunity to apply everything they learned.

The second session of this event consisted of fishing.The weather was perfect on Saturday when approximately 15 matches arrived at Lake Lehow, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife area. The energy and excitement in the air was buzzing and everyone was anxious to get on the water. These kids, and their mentors, came out to build some new relationships, get a little dirty, and try their hand at catching some fish!  After a safety briefing and a discussion about the practice of catch and release we were off.  It wasn’t soon after that we had lines in the water that you heard squeals of excitement “FISH ON”!!!  Fishing that day was absolutely amazing. We’re pretty sure every kid caugh at least one or maybe five fish. With the help of CPW and The Greenbacks volunteers, we were able to share our love of the outdoors and fishing knowledge to the next generation of anglers!

Be sure to visit our website for more information and sign up for our newsletter. http://thegreenbacks.org

New Push for Browns Canyon - Join Us!

While most sportsmen and women in Colorado have fished, hunted, hiked, or floated in and around Browns Canyon along the Arkansas River, few know that federal legislation to protect it has been in process for over 20 years. Recently, Trout Unlimited launched a new push to protect this beautiful, habitat-rich canyon, and rally sportsmen and women to designate Browns, once and for all, a National Monument. Why a monument? Being designated a monument would protect—for all time—the 22,000-acre backcountry area with its current mixed uses for all sportsmen and women. Browns Canyon would remain just as wild and pristine as it is today, so that future generations of anglers and hunters can enjoy this magnificent “last best place.”

Besides preserving vital fish and wildlife habitat, the monument designation would also be an economic boon for the Arkansas River valley and the state, which depend on tourism and recreation dollars.

Browns Canyon, located between Buena Vista and Salida, has for generations been one of the most floated rivers in the state. . Add a recently designated gold medal fishery and exceptional backcountry hunting grounds, and you can see why Coloradans want to protect it forever. Recent and future mining and other development interests in the area could change all of that if we don’t protect it now.

The immediate need is for sportsmen and women to speak up and tell our leaders that Browns Canyon is a special place—and let’s keep it the way it is.

For more information, and to sign up to join the coalition, please visit http://www.sportsmenforbrowns.com or contact Kyle Perkins at kperkins@tu.org.

9th Annual Youth Camp a huge success!

The 9th Annual Colorado Trout Unlimited Youth Fly Fishing and River Conservation camp was held near Stonewall, Colorado the week of June 9th. During the duration teenagers age 14 through 17 participated in activities and talks on conservation topics such as water quality, entomology, fish pathology, water law, and riparian restoration. Between learning about the work TU does, the students were instructed on casting, proper fish handling, and fly tying. Trips to local waterways happened at least once a day, and in their free time students were able to fish near camp. 2014 was the first year holding the camp in the southern part of the state. The Purgatoire River Anglers Chapter was a great help in organizing accommodations and suggesting fishing trips. A day was spent touring the recent restoration project on the Purgatoire River the chapter has been so involved in over the past few years. Students were even able to take part in the restoration by helping to seed in some of the floodplain disturbed during construction.

Kids came from far and wide to attend camp this year, from as far away as Steamboat Springs and New Mexico, and some from down the road in Trinidad. The camp’s ongoing success was apparent in the recruitment of this year’s class, and the participation of the five alumni counselors.

Phil Long Toyota of Trinidad provided financial support for the 2014 camp. With their generous contribution the campers were all able to attend on scholarships. It also afforded the opportunity for the students to document their experience with the use of video equipment. The shots from the week are to be edited and produced into a highlight reel for campers to remember their trip, and for recruiting next year’s class of attendees.

Of course none of this would be possible without volunteer support. Camp director Mike Nicholson has been with the youth camp almost as long as Larry Quilling and Sharon Lance who founded the project nine years ago. In that time the camp has grown its reputation as well as a contingent of passionate alumni. This year five camp alumni volunteered their time to return as youth counselors. With the additional help of returning and first time adult counselors, the campers had plenty of one on one attention and guidance throughout the week.

The best part of camp is seeing the students’ progress over the course of the camp, and being witness to their hard work paying off. We can all share in the enthusiasm of a kid catching their first fish on a fly rod, or in fooling a fish on a fly they tied. But even better than that is hearing how passionate they are about clean water, and rivers, and healthy wild fish. Knowing that they will be the ones to take the reins in the stewardship of these resources in the not too distant future, that is the reason why all the hard work we do today is worth it.

Evergreen Trout Unlimited is Helping Sponsor Outdoors Day

Evergreen Trout Unlimited is taking a year off of their Annual Fourth of July event and in return they are partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the Evergreen Outdoor Skills Day on Sunday, June 29. The event will take place at Evergreen Lake Park from 9am to 2pm. Kids of all ages and skill levels can partake in fly and spin cast fishing, guided nature walks and with help from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, kids can learn more about hunters safety.

A free lunch and other great prizes will be awarded throughout the day.

In a press release provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Joe Nicholson, wildlife officer for the Evergreen area said, "We'd like to see every family have the opportunity to experience some of the wildlife-related recreation that goes on in Colorado to maintain our populations and the health of our wildlife. Learning about the wildlife nearby and understanding our heritage is critical to the future of this precious natural resource."

Evergreen Trout Unlimited is providing volunteers to help with the fly tying activities, help kids practice both their fly and spin casting technique, how to properly catch and handle a fish, and how to bait the hooks.

If you are interested in volunteering with Evergreen Trout Unlimited for the event, contact John Ellis at jellis@enbColorado.com. For more information regarding attending the event, please RSVP at http://www.register-ed.com/programs/colorado/118-colorado-outreach.