Hermosa 416 Fire Update: Spreading into Native Colorado River Cutthroat Trout habitat

High Quality map available for download here.

Update from National TU Staffer, Ty Churchwell, San Juan Mountains Coordinator & Sportsmen’s Conservation Project:

The 416 fire that started June 1, 2018 located 13 miles north of Durango, CO is currently over 35,000 acres large and is at 36% contained as of June 27, 2018 (seen in red outline & fill). Currently, the fire has encroached upon a large section of an isolated native cutthroat population along Clear Creek (traced with blue in the bottom left corner). You can see that most of that drainage has been hit. Clear Creek has been hit hard and currently burning more.

The middle-left creek, Big Bend, also highlighted in blue is currently an isolated population of native cutthroats that are held safe from invasives by a natural waterfall. The other blue lines at the top of the map indicated where the reintroduction program waters are. The basin continues north along with the reintroduction program, but the map cuts off about 1/4 of that. The reintroduction program and Big Bend are clear of fire right now. 

It’s mostly burning back on itself with about 100 acres of additional acreage in recent days.  There are two hot spots:  1) very near/at Clear Creek’s top end.  2)  in the interior of Hermosa burning NW towards Big Bend.  

Currently, updates are being posted on the 416 Facebook page here.

Volunteers make way for Greenback trout recovery efforts along Rock Creek

Volunteers working to dislodge a disruptive beaver dam along Rock Creek drainage in Colorado. Image courtesy of: Basin+Bend. 

On June 21, 2018, volunteers and Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff met between Fairplay and Grant, CO to work on helping take down beaver dams along the Rock Creek drainage. The Rock Creek drainage is a critical piece of the Greenback recovery puzzle and will provide nearly eight miles of connected stream habitat once the project is completed.  With the help of Trout Unlimited volunteers and chapters, agency partners, and private landowners, there are 4.5 miles of stream that are currently being prepared for greenback reintroduction in the next 2-3 years.  The project below will help make progress on the remaining 3.4 miles of critical habitat.

Last Thursday, volunteers focused on removing beaver dams from sections of the Rock Creek drainage in order to help CPW treat the area for Whirling Disease and non-native brook trout. Volunteers hiked up about a mile and used various tools to help dislodge the dams that were blocking creek flows. A huge thank you to all the volunteers for all their hard work, which resulted in the second scheduled day of work not being needed! Nice job, everyone! If you are interested in future projects, we have upcoming ones listed here. 

To learn more about Native trout and restoration projects across Colorado check out our page here. Check out the great pictures taken by Erik Myhre of Basin+Bend in Evergreen, CO. 

Pictures courtesy of Basin+Bend. 

Joel Evans, CTU Board Member, featured in news report about saving the rainbow trout in Colorado

REPOST FROM KRTV.COM: 

Joel Evans has been fishing the same stretch of the Gunnison River in western Colorado for more than 40 years. Like most anglers in those parts, for him, one species of fish is king: the rainbow trout. 

Colorado wildlife officials working to save fish

But in the 1990s, that fight between fish and fisherman shifted to one between rainbow trout and a parasite that invaded Colorado rivers. It causes whirling disease, an aquatic plague where young fish are deformed, swim in circles and die of starvation. 
 
What does he like about them most? "There's a bit of fight involved," he said. since, Renzo DelPiccolo of Colorado Parks and Wildlife has been working to keep the rainbow trout alive through various breeding programs, but at great cost and with only limited success. He's seen a tenfold decrease in the fish's population. Ever

VIDEO: Reintroduction of Native Greenback Trout in Estes Park, CO

Join Alpine Anglers Trout Unlimited Chapter as they head out to the Big Thompson for a day of fishing. Learn about the important work going on in the area in regards to habitat restoration to help with the reintroduction of native Greenback Cutthroat Trout. Check out the great video below and learn more about what the chapter is doing here.

Learn about fishing the Big Thompson and other waters surrounding Estes Park, Colorado, along with the reintroduction of the Greenback Cutthroat Trout.

Summer issue of High Country Issue is out!

June 2018 Currents: Warmer weather means outdoor projects

A new issue of Currents is out. If you are subscribed to our emails, then check your inbox. If not, that's alright because we post it online as well (see link below)! 

Stories and topics in this issue:

Fraser Flats Section Now Open for Fishing: Learning by Doing

Greenback Recovery Projects Announced for 2018

ANGLERS ALL & BELOW THE CANOPY PRESENT: TRUCHON

Behind the Fin with John Aaron

BRISTOL BAY PUBLIC COMMENT

"HOOKED" a film about youth in Bristol Bay

Stream Monitoring: What's New?

A note from National TU Staffer, Kurt Fesenmyer: 

"One great way to take the pulse of your local river is by monitoring stream temperatures. Inexpensive data loggers offer the opportunity to record water temperatures every hour for several years, providing easy access to important information on seasonal patterns, short-term trends, and the impacts of restoration projects or other activities in a watershed.

TU’s Science Team has spent the past few months test driving a new data logger for monitoring stream temperatures. We’re happy to report that the new loggers work very well and should make monitoring your local stream even easier. The new loggers — the Onset TidbiT MX series — are the latest iteration of the reliable Tidbit product line. We are recommending the Tidbit MX2203, which cost just over $100 each.

The new model includes several features that will prove very useful for long-term stream temperature monitoring—they have a four-year battery life under normal conditions and a replaceable battery; they can be launched and their data downloaded using a Bluetooth connection and the free Onset HOBOmobile app; and they have a ‘water detect’ feature that can be used for monitoring stream drying and patterns of intermittency. For more information about the loggers, including basic instructions on calibrating, setting up, and launching loggers, as well as details on how to receive a discount Onset is kindly offering TU volunteers, check out the newly updated Version 3 of TU’s Stream Temperature Monitoring handbook.

The handbook contains some basic guidance on "Why," "Where," and "When" to monitor and is a great starting place for chapters thinking about stream temperature monitoring. Additional resources are available on TU’s stream temperature monitoring resources webpage."

If you are interesting in citizen science opportunities in Colorado. Contact Grassroots Coordinator Dan Omasta, DOmasta@tu.org 

Restoration challenge at 12,000 feet

Project site during construction from upper adit levels on McClellan Mountain. (Photos: Jason Willis)

By Jason Willis

Abandoned mines pose a serious threat to headwater streams in the West, because they seep toxic heavy metals such as zinc, lead and copper into streams and watersheds, undermining water quality and poisoning aquatic life. Trout Unlimited's Abandoned Mine Land program works across the West on projects to clean up abandoned mine sites and restore watershed health.

Difficult, remote, unpredictable, jarring—four adjectives that come to mind when I think about the Santiago Mine and Mill, perched at roughly 12,110 feet near Argentine Pass and the Continental Divide. The abandoned mine site sits in the headwaters of Leavenworth Creek, which ultimately flows into South Clear Creek, a drinking water source for the town of Georgetown. Trout Unlimited and USFS had been working together in the watershed since 2014 on various abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation projects when the idea for cleanup at the Santiago was conceptualized. With the site being listed on the state’s historical register, and eligible for the national register, proposed cleanup posed a unique challenge: How to mitigate high levels of lead, arsenic, and iron while simultaneously preserving the buildings as important relics of Colorado’s mining history?

Anglers All and Below the Canopy Present: Truchón

NEW fly fishing film! Presented by Anglers All and Below the Canopy Media, this destination angling film is set in Chilean Patagonia. The Greenbacks of Colorado Trout Unlimited screened the film at their Field Season Kickoff party back on May 31. Don't worry if you missed it, because you can watch the full feature below.  

Presenting “Truchón!" This destination angling film set in Chilean Patagonia is all about saving up, stepping out of the regular routine and immersing yourself in the capable hands of Cinco Ríos Lodge! Filmed in the Spring of 2017, “Truchón” is a short glimpse into the vast angling opportunities for Trout & Salmon that exist in an area with more terrain variety then just about anywhere on the planet. During the on-location production for Anglers All Travel & Cinco Rios Lodge, angler/filmmakers Doug Garvey & Davis James experienced a full solar eclipse, low flying Andean Condors & open pit cooking amongst their filming and fishing schedule! In case your wondering, “Truchón” translates into English as “Big ole Brown Trout!” Filmed and Edited by Davis James Additional Filming by Doug Garvey Anglers: Doug Garvey & Davis James Guiding by Cinco Rios Lodge Produced by Chris Keely & Davis James Audio Mix & Design by Daryl Eakins

Anglers All Blog announcing the film. 

Greenbacks - CTU

Behind the Fin with John Aaron

Picture taken January 2017.

Join us "behind the fin" with John Aaron. John has been a local chapter president, Vice President of CCTU, Board member of two chapters, and a fund raiser for both local chapters and the State council as well as a behind the scenes advocate for trout and clean water for years.

How long have you been a TU member?

Since 1979.

What chapter are you involved with?

Originally, with Wild Trout chapter which became the Denver chapter, then with Cutthroat Chapter.

What made you want to be involved with TU?

Was looking for a group that was flyfishing oriented and might know where to catch them.

What is your favorite activity or project you have done with TU?

Too many to account for, but a couple that stand out, fighting the building of the proposed Two Folks dam, and the establishment of the South Platte restoration program with Todd Fehr, resulting in the restoration of miles in in town fisheries.

I know you won’t tell me your favorite spot, but what is your second favorite place to fish or favorite fishing story?   

Wind River in Wyoming and the Conejos River in Colorado. Did I mention Belize?

What does being a part of TU mean to you?

Enhancing the living places of fishes no matter the species.

What else do you do in your spare time or work?

Working on additional restoration efforts through non-TU projects, teaching new comers, Fly tying and attempting to raise the awareness of politicians to environmental concerns.