The Greenbacks New President

Heather holds a nice South Platte River rainbow.

Photo Courtesy of Brandon Miller

Colorado Trout Unlimited’s The Greenbacks have a new president. Founder of The Greenbacks Nick Hoover has recently handed the position of president off to Heather Sees. Heather is a dedicated fly fisher, employee, volunteer and steward of the land. Her passion for protecting and conserving wild, native spaces falls right in line with The Greenback’s original goals and has allowed her to make a few of her own. Her ability to articulate the needs of a community allow her to cast a wide net over a diverse group of peoples; this combined with her dedication to involving disenfranchised youth in the outdoors ensure The Greenbacks will not feel the growing pains that usually come with leadership change. Heather’s no bull all straight talk leadership style combined with her community based approach to relationships make her the perfect fit for the job.

Before Heather was president of The Greenbacks I knew her through time spent on the river. She is a fishing machine to say the least. We spent a day on the frying pan together fishing the toilet bowl and I remember her catching far more fish than me and loosing far less flies. Unlike most fisherman, she is humble, willing to hear all side of an issue and does not fall prey to fallacious arguments. To get to know Heather better as a professional and a leader I was able to ask her some questions about her new found responsibilities.

Why are native trout important to you?

“The Greenbacks are important to me because they represent one of the most diverse trout species in North America.  When it was determined that the “pure” strain of Greenbacks was on the verge of extinction I knew that I needed to get involved because I believe it’s important to protect a fish that plays an important role in Colorado’s ecosystem and natural heritage” Heather Sees, President of The Greenbacks.

Why did you take the job as president of The Greenbacks?

“I took this role because I looked at it as a great opportunity to challenge myself personally and challenge those folks who are involved with the Greenbacks.  This role also presents an opportunity to build on the strong foundation that we have and expand our role within the fly fishing community and CTU organization.”

What is the keystone character trait in a leader? How do you hope to exemplify that trait in your own leadership?

“For me a key trait is integrity/consistency along with being very self-aware.  I am a strong believer that a great leader must lead by example and is consistent in their actions.  I consider myself to be one of the most honest (almost to a fault) folks that you will meet.  I am also very self-aware – I am tuned into my own limitations and know where I thrive and where I have challenges.  Knowing this, I tap into the other Greenbacks members for support so that as a whole we are successful in our mission.”

What are your short term goals for The Greenbacks?

“As of right now the short term goals are to educate folks on the state of the native greenback here in Colorado, engage and recruit new volunteers/members along with partnering with the local Colorado Trout Unlimited chapters on their projects.”

What are your long term goals for The Greenbacks?

“Long term we have plans to champion a big greenbacks recovery project where we can plug in our strong volunteer base.  We will also continue to strengthen our youth education program by engaging the local college fly fishing clubs, high school clubs and youth organizations (i.e. BBBS, Girls, Inc, etc).”

Heather has a lot of work to do. Organizing a group of volunteers to complete what may seem like an unattainable goal, requires dedication and perseverance. Heather embodies both of these traits. These traits do not define her though. She fishes often in her free time and enjoys the social aspect of The Greenbacks. Her passion for the outdoors runs deep. She exudes stewardship and genuinely cares about the health of ecosystems. Thank you Heather for striving to make Colorado a more native place.

If you would like to get involved with The Greenbacks check out their website for awesome fly tying events, volunteer projects, and monthly meetings.

Wildfires and Wildlife habitat

By: Ameen Hosain In spite of recent events concerning numerous wildfires blazing in the forests of Colorado, it is important to address the effects that these wildfires can have on Trout and the environments they exist in.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, "The biggest negative impact in burn zones is to fish."  With wildfires comes an increased amount of sediment that runs through river systems.  This increased sediment can clog the gills of trout, as well as suffocate many of the organisms living on the bottom of a river, both of which can severely affect any wildlife populations that exist in an area.

Trout populations can be negatively affected by this excessive sediment, and it can take years for these populations to recover.  According to CPW, "The South Platte River in and downstream of the Hayman burn area has only recently begun to return to the quality fishery that it was prior to the fire."  The Hayman fire occurred in 2002.

For rivers effected by fires, things can be done to counter the negative effects on fish populations, and CPW has been doing these things for many years, working to ensure that burned environments recover as quickly as possible.  Monitoring fish populations, restoring stream banks and fish habitat, and restocking fish when necessary are only a few of the actions taken towards aiding the recovery of streams.

Another notable affect of wildfires is the increase in the amount of runoff water that reaches streams and lakes.  Fires can rid huge areas of the trees and plants that absorb much of the runoff from mountains, and thus largely increasing the probability of flooding.

Floods can be detrimental to fish populations and stream ecosystems, as they can be very powerful, with the ability to flush entire populations out of a stream and severely erode entire stream banks.

A well known example of this kind of occurrence is the flooding of fountain creek in Colorado Springs as a direct result of the Waldo Canyon fire.  This flood destroyed many roads and homes in the Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs area, as well as eliminated the population of wild brown trout that once existed in the creek.

Alongside the increased threat of flooding, wildfires are also able to severely reduce the biodiversity in the areas they burn.   Frequent fires can eradicate many native plant species, and encourage the growth of fire resistant plants, as well as encourage the growth of invasive plant species.

Often times these invasive species are much more flammable than the native species they replace, thus often creating a perpetual cycle where there is increased fire danger in areas where there have already been fires in the past.  The ash produced can also destroy available plant nutrients, greatly effecting what kinds of plants can grow in burn areas

It is important to realize that the long term effects of wildfires can be beneficial to environments, and most negatives are only present for relatively short amount of time. According to CPW, benefits of wildfire include "[the] burned trees [allowing] sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor, which allows the growth of ferns and grasses that wildlife species rely on for food," as well as the "young plants that appear after fire [being] nutritionally superior to older, decadent plants."

Wildfires can prove to have huge affects on the fragile environments that exist within Colorado, and it is important to realize the negative and positive effects that come with these occurrences. It is important for any person who uses wildlife areas to be mindful of fire regulations and dangers, in order to prevent the negative consequences that can spring from the burning of wildfires.

Denver Trout Unlimited's Carp Slam After Party!

Denver TroutUnlimited is hosting the Colorado Carp Slam after party on September  10th, following the Carp Slam fishing tournament!  Bring friends and join with Trout Unlimited for an evening of food, drinks, and music, all in the name of fly fishing!

Celebrate Colorado River Day!!

Each year on July 25, urban and rural groups, progressives and conservatives, and people near and far all come together to celebrate the Colorado River. As the hardest working river in the West, it's up to us to work together to protect the future of the water- and while the river has seen some hard times, the future is looking bright. On this day in 1921, Congress voted to change the name of the river from "Grand" to "Colorado." But while the name change doesn't necessarily affect the river, many other changes have. As the West had continued to expand, the river serves as an economic engine for the entire country. The river supports 16 million jobs, generates $1.4 trillion in economic benefits, and supplies drinking water for 38 million people across seven states and two countries.

Apart from the economic benefits, the river supports an abundance of recreational activities. The river is home to 30 native fish species, two-thirds of which are threatened or endangered, and over 350 bird species.

The mighty river also irrigates more than 1.8 million acres of land- producing about 15 percent of the nation’s crops and about 13 percent of livestock. These totals generate about $1.5 billion a year in agricultural benefits.

It's easy to see how the river may be overused and while it still faces serious hardships, some say the best days of the Colorado River are right now.

In the headwaters of the Colorado, a Learning by Doing initiative is underway to ensure that the health of the river and it's tributaries remain at the forefront even with additional diversion structures. Through Learning by Doing, the water is constantly monitored for temperature, riparian vegetation, and aquatic macro-invertebrates. If there is a problem detected, the appropriate measures will be implemented to make sure the water quality and trout habitat is preserved.

“The so-called “Learning by Doing” program sets up a collaborative process that requires water users to monitor the health of the river in coming years and adjust operations to address unforeseen challenges and opportunities," said David Nickum, Executive Director of Colorado Trout Unlimited.

Another project in place to keep the Colorado River healthy is the Windy Gap Bypass. Issues with the reservoir's placement have put a stretch of river between Granby and Kremmling is jeopardy. But steps are being taken to bring the river back to health. A plan to bypass the reservoir and reconnect the river's natural flow is underway. “We wouldn’t be at this point without the leadership of Grand County and their persistent efforts to improve the health of the Colorado River,” said Kirk Klancke, president of TU’s Colorado River Headwaters chapter. “And the Northern subdistrict also deserves credit for listening to our concerns and working with all stakeholders to find solutions.”

The river also saw a major victory when the Colorado Department of Public Health released a final 401 permit that affirms the health of the Colorado through the Windy Gap Firming Project. “This long-term monitoring and flexibility of response use is called ‘adaptive management’—and it’s a critical feature of the permit requirements,” said Mely Whiting, counsel for Trout Unlimited. “Adaptive management recognizes that stakeholders can’t foresee every problem, and it provides a process for ongoing monitoring and mitigation of river problems as they arise.”

While further on down from the headwaters, Trout Unlimited is teaming up with ranchers and cattlemen to use water more efficiently and responsibly. "Continued development of the reservoir storage system is necessary, too, but ranchers need to realize their role and the opportunities they have to manage their water in a way that protects agricultures’s viability," said T. Wright Dickinson, former president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association.

Down river, more awareness is being spread about safe water usage in dessert climates like Nevada and Arizona. And thanks to strong El Nino winter, a lot of California reservoirs were full this spring for the first time in years.

While the river provides life the west, the west is starting to supply like to the river. Through projects at the headwaters down to where the Colorado meets the Pacific, steps are being taken to ensure that the health of the river remains at the forefront for everybody who calls the west home.

Hayden Creek Greenback Rescue

Hayden Creek Rescue Volunteers

On July 20, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service volunteers went beyond the Hayden Pass Fire safe zone to rescue and transport the unique cutthroat trout from the lower prong of Hayden Creek.

The teams electroshocked the fish to rescue 194 fish from the lowest mile of a 3-mile stretch where the habitat had thrived. 2-Miles above the stretch was burned pretty bad, according to CPW.

When the Hayden Pass fire went through the area that contains these cutthroat trout populations, CPW aquatic biologists were worried ash and sediment from the aftermath of the fire would wash down into the stream, cutting off food supply and oxygen for the fish.

“We were able to take out as many as I hoped we would,” said Greg Policky, CPW aquatic biologist. “The worry was if we didn’t do anything, we’d lose this population and that’d be it. They’d be done.”

Of the 194,158 fish were placed in a tank that was driven to the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery in Almont, west of Buena Vista. The other 36 were placed in plastic bags and taken to a creek near Cañon City. The plan is to isolate the fish in the creek and preserve the species to keep them from extinction. CPW also clipped their adipose fins for the purpose of later identifying them among other cutthroats.

These fish share a unique genetic anomaly with a cutthroat trout found in the Smithsonian Museum said to have been taken from Twin Lakes near Leadville, in 1889. These greenbacks are not the same found in Bear Creek, but are likely related to one another.

Team Work Makes the Dream Work

Bear Creek is a feisty little stream. Angular gravel from Pikes Peak fills its bed, low flows during summer months degrade water quality, excessive erosion caused by runoff plagues the streams riparian habitat, and massive flooding events grind growing invertebrate life into an inedible smoothie. Protecting this stream seems like a daunting task but not to the Cheyenne Mountain Chapter of Colorado Trout Unlimited (CMCTU).

Since the discovery of an irregular looking fish 12 years ago the chapter has worked tirelessly with the Bear Creek Roundtable, a collection of invested parties made up of The National Forest Service (NFS), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), El Paso County Open Space, trail advocates, and others, to protect Bear Creek through public awareness campaigns, fundraising, and volunteerism. But, why? The answer to that is easy: greenback cutthroat trout.

CMCTU helped fund, through a $9,000 donation, the 2012 Metcalf study that solidified the fish in Bear Creek as the true greenbacks. This solidification of what was thought to be, propelled the small, troubled stream, filled with small starving trout, into the public eye.

CMCTU and members of the Bear Creek Roundtable moved quickly to protect the greenbacks and their water shed. Through their collaborative effort they were able to secure grant money, public support and request under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), an assessment be done on the health of the Bear Creek ecosystem. As most thing go with the federal government the NEPA process was long and hard fought. But, instead of twiddling their thumbs the partners worked to secure grant money so restoration, protection, and preservation could begin immediately.

CMCTU secured a grant awarded by The Western Native Trout Initative, to repair and restore sections of trail along Bear Creek that contributed to increased sediment flow. Money in hand CMCTU hired The Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) to contract with Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) for the decommissioning of delinquent trails. Along with trail crews, CMCTU also coordinated volunteer days to include the public in what was to be one of the most anticipated local restoration projects of the year.

Trail crews were hired, Volunteers were assembled and CMCTU primed their cameras for show time.  The project did not disappoint. Over a two week time period youthful spirits worked to repair riparian habitat destroyed by unauthorized trails. The crew and volunteers reseeded damaged areas, laid deadfall over the rouge trail, and replanted many local, native plants for future erosion mitigation. CMCTU will continue to work with RMFI, MHYC, and volunteers from across the state in their efforts to secure the well being of greenback cutthroat trout in the Bear Creek ecosystem.

Work that is being done and has been done at Bear Creek is a lynch pin in the story of the greenbacks. Without the Bear Creek fish we may have never known a true greenback. The gene pool of these fish must be preserved and deepened. To do this the original gene pool at Bear Creek must be protected and populations of naturally reproducing fish must be established throughout the South Platte watershed. This is no easy task.

The vetting process a stream goes through to make the cut for greenback reintroduction is arduous to say the least. The stream must first and foremost be in the South Platte drainage. Then the stream must have adequate water quality, be free of whirling disease and be located in a relatively remote location. Once these criteria have been met a barrier must be constructed to prevent the spread of invasive trout species back up the stream. Barriers are not free, neither is the scouting necessary for finding a stream of such quality.

This, again, is where CMCTU and partners come in. CMCTU, CPW, FWS and Colorado Trout Unlimited chapters across the state have taken on the challenge of finding new streams to be filled with greenbacks. Their goal is to raise $15,000 that will be matched by the NFS for a total of $30,000. These funds will be used to hire a water consulting firm responsible for finding streams adequate for greenbacks. CMCTU has put forth $5,000 towards the fundraising efforts and is currently working with involved parties to raise more funds.

That is the future, and it looks bright. Let’s look to the recent past for a success story that solidifies the efforts of all. Through CMCTU, CTU, CPW, NFS, and a whole lot more greenback reintroduction, into a stream, has been realized for the first time.

Rock Creek is a small tributary of Tarryall Creek (a tributary of the South Platte) located in the Lost Creek Wilderness Area. Access the stream requires backpacks, hiking boots, and strong legs.  A team made up of members from CPW, CMCTU, Cutthroat Chapter of Trout Unlimited and NFS, was assembled to hike packs filled with greenbacks into the small creek the week of July 11. Their efforts helped move the greenbacks and all parties with a vested interest in seeing these fish return home, one step closer to a goal of 20 self-sustaining populations across the South Platte Drainage.

There are many milestones to come for greenback cutthroat trout. Among them are creating meta-populations in headwater ecosystems, improving genetic fitness, state wide fame, and improved watershed health the state over. These all snowball towards the magic 20. 20 self-sustaining populations of greenbacks will ensure that our state fish will be here to stay. 20 can be realized. We can look to the teamwork, commitment, and passion of CMCTU and their partners as a status quo model for greenback restoration. Through a collective effort like this greenback sustainability moves out from under the shadow of uncertainty to the speckled sunlight of high mountain streams across the South Platte Drainage.

Colton Gully is a paid intern at Colorado Trout Unlimited. He is working to create weekly content that will connect the fragmented puzzle pieces of greenback restoration efforts into a coherent story. This article is based off of an interview done with CMCTU member Don Logelin on Monday July 18, 2016.

Gross Reservoir Expansion

Typically when reservoirs are being expanded, it isn't as complicated as expanding Gross Reservoir. The Boulder County body of water may seem like any other reservoir but the idea of adding more water to it needs to take into account an issue happening over 15 miles away- and over the Continental Divide. Gross Reservoir was completed in 1954 as part of a series of intermountain diversions built to store water after it travels from the western slope of the Continental Divide to the eastern slope.

As the Denver Metro area continues to grow, the water needs rise with it and the unreliable flows from the South Platte River aren't enough to supply roughly 80% of the state's population with water throughout the year. Which is why water from the Upper Colorado River headwaters- in this case the Fraser River- are diverted for Front Range usage.

According to Denver Water, the reservoir expansion also takes on the a water shortage vulnerability. "We need to balance our north and south supply systems. Customers receive 80 percent of their water from the south end of our system. The other 20 percent comes from the north side, through the Moffat Collection System. This imbalance makes the system vulnerable to catastrophic events, such as the Buffalo Creek and Hayman fires, which caused massive sediment runoff into reservoirs on the south side of our system. That runoff forced us to rely heavily on a water-short north system for a period of time. Expanding Gross Reservoir on the north will help balance that inequity."

Gross reservoir holds water originally flowing in the Fraser River that is then pumped into the South Boulder Creek via the 13 mile long Moffat Tunnel at the base of Winter Park Ski Resort. Currently %60 of the native flows are diverted and the reservoir expansion could take up to %20 more.

The Fraser River's health has been in decline and with more water being taken out, the health of the river was in jeopardy. As the flows decrease, the sediment buildup and temperature increases- leaving trout and insect life to diminish.

But thanks to collaboration work between Trout Unlimited and Denver Water, a Learning by Doing initiative was started. Learning by Doing allows Denver Water to remove flows all while keeping the health of the river at the forefront of the issue.

Learning by Doing requires regular monitoring of stream temperature, riparian vegetation, and aquatic macro-invertebrates. If an environmental problem is detected, Denver Water will provide some financial support and additional flows to help solve the issue. This includes providing the flushing flows the river needs in the spring to clean sediment build up.

“The fact is, the Fraser and Colorado River have been in decline for many years, and Learning by Doing is giving us a chance to change that trajectory by engaging the key stakeholders on how to work together to best manage the river," said Mely Whiting, TU Counsel. "While more water will be drawn from the river in wetter years and seasons, greater cooperation in managing water – including provisions that provide extra water during low flow periods, and investment of funds in restoration activities – means that we can put the Fraser and the Colorado on a pathway toward better river health."

On June 30, Governor John Hickenlooper officially endorsed the Gross Reservoir Expansion (also known as the Moffat Collection System Project). "This key infrastructure project will serve over 25% of the state's population, add reliability to our public water supply, and provide environmental benefits to both the East and West Slopes of Colorado," said Gov. Hickenlooper. "Denver Water has worked closely with stakeholders in an inclusive public process to develop a balanced and pragmatic approach to environmental protection and water supply development." "This project strikes a necessary balance between the water needs of Front Range municipalities and the need to protect healthy flows and fish and wildlife habitat in the Fraser River," said David Nickum, Executive Director of Colorado TU. "The so-called “Learning by Doing” program in the proposal sets up a collaborative process that requires water users to monitor the health of the river in coming years and adjust operations to address unforeseen challenges and opportunities. Moreover, Denver Water has entered into partnerships on the Front Range to ensure that the project alleviates chronic low-flow problems in South Boulder Creek. Both sides of the Divide benefit.”

Getting Dirty for Trout

If you have been wanting to volunteer with us, then here is your chance!! Below are some of the Volunteer Opportunities that we have coming up. If you are interested in any of these projects then please email Stephanie Scott directly at sscott@tu.org to sign up for one of the opportunities.  

July Opportunities:

• July 16th - Josephine Falls Trail Decommission (partner with Cheyenne Mountain Chapter TU) - These work days will be from about 8:30-3:00.  We will be working alongside of the Youth Core and other groups.  We will meet in Colorado Springs and do a short car pool to the work area. From there we will hike in less than a mile to the work site.  We will be using hand tools to loosen soil and remove evidence of the trail.  We will also be moving brush and may do some plantings to cover the trail.  These work days will be directed by the Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI).
• July 18th-19th - Thunder/Box Lakes Gill Net Surveying (partner with Chris Kennedy in Rocky Mountain National Park) - Chris needs 2-3 people to help conduct gill net surveys on both of these lakes. Right now this is a full backpack trip and we will be camping at Thunder Lake (6.8 miles, 200 feet), but there is a cabin up there which Chris will try to get the use of.  Chris has requested the use of the Thunder Lake cabin .
• July 22nd/July 23rd - Fence Repair (partner with Cheyenne Mountain Chapter TU)- Fence repair along the South Platte river in the South Park area (Hartsel).  These work days will be from about 9:00 to 3:00.  We will be working with CPW and other TU chapters.  There are several State Wildlife Areas that are leased from private land owners.  These land owners tend to graze cattle on their land.  As part of the lease agreement CPW has constructed fences to keep livestock out of the riparian areas.  CPW is charged with maintenance of these fences but does not have the manpower/budget to keep up with the work.
• July 23rd - S. Platte Musk Thistle Remediation (partner with Cutthorat Chapter TU) - Work days will be from 9:30 to 3:00, and meeting at 9AM near Deckers.  This project is located right along the road and includes clipping and bagging musk thistle and severing its base at ground level. This will include no more than a half-mile hike at a your own pace, or you can travel by car. CUSP crew will remove the bagged thistle. Musk thistle is a noxious weed that outcompetes native plant species, becoming a monoculture when left untreated. This population is currently a threat to aquatic habitat, riparian grasses and insect populations.  Musk thistle is a spikey plant so bring your favorite leather gloves, long sleeved shirts, and long pants. Deckers.

August Opportunities:

• August 13th - Colorado Trout Unlimited Outdoor Mentors Program - Chase Moore needs 1-2 volunteers to help with the CTU station.  They will be teaching fly casting, tying and fish art.  The event is from 9:00-2:00 at Barr Lake.
• August 20th - Horse Creek (partner with Cheyenne Mountain Chapter TU) - Work days will be from 9:30-3:00 and meeting at 9AM near Deckers.  This work will include harvesting and transplanting willows, installing jute matting, raking and seeding native vegetation or planting trees along a two-mile stretch of Horse Creek, above it’s confluence with the South Platte. In-stream restoration work will occur at this location over the next two years to reduce sediment, replace damaged culverts and install bridges. The work will improve fish passage and habitat, as well as the safety of residents and visitors. This area of the Hayman burn scar continues to produce an excess of 65 tons of sediment annually into the South Platte River and continues to flood Highway 67. It is anticipated that this restoration will remove 50 to 55 tons annually, and is modeled after similar work – much of which included CCTU volunteers – that has successfully occurred in the higher Trail Creek drainage. As work progresses and the weather cools, project details will change, for example: willows can be transplanted at warmer temperatures than pine trees.

• August 30th-September 2^nd - We will be in need of volunteers to help us fin clip rainbow X cutthroat hybrid trout at Mount Shavano Hatchery for our ongoing study comparing diploid versus triploid trout at Elevenmile Reservoir.  This year we will be clipping fish August 30th – September 2nd and could use your help.  Last year we clipped 68,000 fish in three days with the help of 70 people over the three day period. All of the work will take place outside at the Mount Shavano Hatchery in Salida.  Parking will be available at the visitor parking area on the hill before you enter into the hatchery.  We will plan on starting each day at 8 A.M. and should finish around 4:30 P.M.  Volunteers should bring the following: Lunch, Water, Sunscreen, Chairs, Sunshades if available

September Opportunities:

• September 10th - CarpSlam - Denver TU is looking for volunteers to help with Pro/Am Carp Slam X on Sept 10,2016.  The fishing venue will be 15 beats on the Denver South Platte River from Oxford downstream to 120th Ave.  We are seeking people to work as Controllers and Rovers for the teams on the river. This is an opportunity to learn about fly fishing for carp and other species on the Platte for the smartest, slickest, smoothest anglers in the world.  You should be in good physical condition and willing to work the full day from 7 AM to 5 PM.  Lunch will be provided at Fuel Café.  To volunteer please contact Mike Hobbs – CarpSlam Ops Manager – email: mhobbsco@gmail.com  Volunteers will also receive swag and a ticket to the after party on the 14th floor of DaVita with one of the most spectacular views  in Denver.  Food, beer and wine will be served. Music provided by MTHDS.  Tickets for the event are $35 presale and $45 at the door. For more info visit www.carpslam.org
• September 16th-18th - Girls Inc Fly Fishing Camp - This is a weekend commitment - still working on the details of the event and will post those once they are available.
• September 24th - This is the S. Platte River clean up - also still working on the details and will post once available.

Please RSVP for these events to Stephanie Scott sscott@tu.org

TU and Newmont Mining partner on mine cleanups

By Elizabeth Russell Trout Unlimited is excited to announce Newmont Mining Corporation as a new and vital supporter of our Colorado Abandoned Mine Restoration Program. These historic mines and their legacy of toxic sediments and draining tunnels pose one of the most widespread—yet least addressed—threats to Western rivers and watersheds. By most estimates, more than 500,000 abandoned mines pollute 40 percent of headwater streams in the Western United States, and degrade over 14,000 miles of trout and salmon habitat.

The estimated costs to clean up these sites range from $32-72 billion. Trout Unlimited initiated our Western Abandoned Hard Rock Mine Restoration Program in 2004 to both clean up problem mine sites that impact streams and fisheries, and to draw attention to the challenges associated with these efforts.  From our innovative mine tailings revegetation projects addressing toxic mine tailings in Colorado to our successful floodplain restoration projects in Montana, Trout Unlimited has earned national recognition as the leading practitioner of Good Samaritan abandoned mine restoration in the country.

In Colorado, the problem of leaching mines is particularly prevalent and threatens the state’s most iconic rivers. The issue of water pollution stemming from abandoned mines burst into public consciousness when 3 million gallons of polluted heavy metal-laden water spilled into the Animas River from the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, in 2015. Although this spill was large-scale and devastating, thousands of similar mines leak that same orange polluted water in smaller amounts every minute of every day.  Without cleanup action at each site, this will continue forever.

That’s where Trout Unlimited comes in.  Our Colorado Abandoned Mine Restoration Program tackles cleanups by removing polluted waste and tailings from riparian areas, revegetating and stabilizing streambanks and natural stream channels, creating fish habitat, and improving water quality.

We are stopping the toxic legacy one watershed or river at a time.

It’s encouraging that some mining companies are stepping up to help address this problem. Newmont Mining Corporation is one of the largest mining companies in the world and owns the Cripple Creek and Victor Mine in Colorado.

Newmont has worked previously with Trout Unlimited and state and federal agencies to improve habitat for Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (LCT) in Nevada’s Maggie Creek basin. Changes in livestock grazing practices and other improvements in the Maggie Creek watershed have dramatically boosted stream and riparian habitat health throughout the basin, benefiting LCT populations.

“Newmont has recently expanded our North American operations into Colorado with the acquisition of the Cripple Creek and Victor mine,” said Newmont executive Steve Skidmore. “We look forward to our continued habitat restoration efforts in cooperation with Trout Unlimited in Colorado watersheds.”

Newmont Mining Corporation joins Freeport-McMoRan Inc., which owns the Henderson and Climax mines in the state, in supporting our program to improve water quality and fisheries in mining-impacted watersheds in Colorado. Giving back to the communities in which these companies operate is an important part of their commitment to the environment.

For TU, their support provides the critical funding needed to support our staff and project work.  We look forward to showcasing our excellent cleanup projects in the near future.

Elizabeth Russell is manager of TU’s Colorado Abandoned Mine Restoration Program. 

Greenbacks Spawning at Zimmerman Lake

by Colton Gully

As the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) black, Dodge Ram and green F-150 pulled up to our campsite early in the morning on Wednesday July 6, 2016, the damp cold of early morning began to fade. Volunteers from the Denver area- Darian and Jack, CPW Biologists and their seasonal techs, along with staff from CTU stepped out of the trucks to be greeted by members of the Cheyenne Mountain Chapter of Colorado Trout Unlimited Bob, Rick and I. Boyd Wright, leading biologist on the team, greeted us kindly as he put on his waders, his colleagues did the same. As we made our way down to the lake we talked niceties but once we reached a gray tarp marked “CPW” the business began.

Boyd took time to brief the group on the objectives of the day. The main goal was to extract as many eggs as possible from the trapped greenbacks and fertilize them with milt so they could be taken to the Mt. Shavano Hatchery to be reared. In the process we would take samples of ovarian fluids, a pinkish soup that discharges with the eggs, to test for a virus dubbed VHS.

We broke from the brief. Seasonal techs ran to fill five gallon buckets of cold, clean water to be used for temporary holding of fish, volunteers Darian and Jack hopped in a boat with head of Native Aquatics at CPW Harry Crockett to retrieve traps filled with greenbacks.

The trap consists of a curtain like net suspended vertically in the water column by buoys. The curtain reaches out from the bank to the center of the lake perpendicular to the shore. Cruising greenbacks, on their way to spawn, stumble upon the curtain, follow it towards the center of the lake, and enter a series of diminishing cylindrical mesh barrels that when entered fully do not allow the fish to swim out. The night before CPW techs set up two nets on opposite sides of the lake.

Both traps were filled with greenbacks. Because this was a spawning day, not just a catch and count day, the greenbacks were sorted by sex, year class and cross types. Fish put into Zimmerman in 2014 were born in a hatchery in 2013, as follows fish stocked in 2015 were born in 2014. All greenbacks, before they are stocked have a PIT tag inserted into their gut and a VI tag attached behind their gill plate almost like an earring. The VI chip indicates the age of the trout and its cross type. Different colors correspond to one of three cross types, WildXWild, HatcheryXWild, HatcherXHatchery. These crosses, along with data gathered from testing ovarian fluid, factor into research being done to quantify the fitness of greenback cutthroat trout by CPW Biologist Kevin Rodgers. Once quantified the data will be used, among other things, to bring about increased genetic diversity through improved spawning methods.

The commotion that came with sorting fish was scientific to say the least. Boyd and his fellow biologists stood waist deep in the lake around a submerged contraption built out of rebar and mesh laundry baskets. Each basket was marked as male or female, year class, and assigned one of the three cross types. As they sorted fish into the appropriate laundry basket they called out the color of the VI tag, year of birth, and weather the fish was ripe, ready to spawn, or not. The rapidity of the shouting was mind numbing. I thought “who could possibly be taking all of that down so fast?” Nobody but seasonal tech Ace Riverman. He recorded accurately and precisely all fish captured. Later Boyd would joke “Always good to have an Ace in the hole”.

Once all trout were recorded it was time to spawn them out. Greenbacks were methodically removed from the laundry baskets, males by cross type, females at random, and placed in the five gallon holding buckets mentioned earlier.

Love filled the air as eggs started spilling out of ripe females. The tiny, salmon colored orbs came out the consistency of tapioca. Once the ovarian fluid was drained off of the eggs and captured, milt was squeezed onto the eggs out of two different males and the bowls were handed from fish handler to decontaminators. Once the eggs were clean they were transferred to coolers filled with a dilute iodine solution that kills bacteria and viruses but does not affect the health of the eggs. After 30 minutes the iodine solution was decanted and replaced with cold clean water. The egg coolers were then individually labeled and transferred to a larger cooler destined for Mt. Shavano Fish Hatchery.

Spawning all of the fish, from capture to cooler, took about 3 hours. Clean up followed the science and time to talk followed cleanup. The team of CPW biologists lead by Boyd Wright are a riot. Boyd’s smile is charged with youth and he radiates the excitement of a young father. The atmosphere he and his team create is infectious. They invite intrigue, sponsor team work and they laugh a lot. Their excitement stems from a genuine passion for the species that make our state unique; their hospitality can only come from a deep connection to the people strive to keep it that way.

Throughout the day we volunteers were included in key aspects of the event. From brining in traps to decanting eggs, the willingness of CPW to include volunteers in their work made us feel needed and appreciated. Not only did we feel good, our help was visibly quantifiable. Without us the spawning may have taken 3/4’s of the day instead of a couple of hours. This including the fruits of our labor, over 15,000 fertilized eggs, made the early morning commute worth every hour of missed sleep.