Learning By Doing Project Updates

Update comes from https://www.grandcountylearningbydoing.org/ ‘s newsletter:

Learning By Doing is a collaborative effort dedicated to maintaining and, where possible, improving the aquatic environment in Grand County.

2020 Water Operations

The Williams Fork fire as seen from Granby.

This year marked the sixth consecutive year of weekly water operations calls from May through September with Learning By Doing partners representing 12 different agencies and organizations. The group makes recommendations on reservoir and water diversion system operation in response to low flows and/or high stream temperatures, or to ensure streams within Grand County receive sufficient “flushing flows.” Flushing flows are needed to move sediment and clean fish spawning beds so as to preserve good aquatic habitat.

The 2020 water season started with above-average snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin, which allowed reservoirs that rely on water from the basin to fill or nearly fill. However, long periods of below average precipitation, coupled with above average air temperatures extending through the month of August, along with water diversions, reduced streamflow levels during the summer.

During spring runoff, Learning By Doing asked Denver Water to operate its water system so as to direct flushing flows to the mainstem of the Fraser River. Flushing flows on all Fraser River tributaries have been met in recent years and the Fraser River mainstem experiences impacts from increased development, diversions, and other stressors.

Throughout the hot, dry period in August, good water management along with cool nighttime temperatures helped keep Grand County stream temperatures from exceeding either the chronic (weekly maximum) or acute (daily maximum) state standards for aquatic life, with one exception: an acute stream temperature exceedance in St. Louis Creek on July 21.

Other beneficial operational adjustments in 2020 included:

• Denver Water bypassed diversions at Ranch Creek that kept water temperatures within acceptable limits

• Environmental water released from Granby Reservoir helped water temperatures downstream of Windy Gap Reservoir

 A large, human-caused wildfire broke out in the Williams Fork River Basin above Williams Fork Reservoir in mid-August and burned approximately 19 square miles on U.S. Forest Service land into September. The basin is part of Denver Water’s catchment area. While the fire didn’t impact water operations, future issues with sediment buildup may become a factor.

Aquatic Habitat Monitoring: Spotlight on Stream Temperatures

Three temperature sites in the Colorado River that Learning By Doing reviews weekly.

Learning By Doing partners carry out an extensive annual monitoring program to evaluate the aquatic environment in Grand County. Monitoring includes stream temperature monitoring, evaluation of sediment transport and accumulation in fish spawning beds, macroinvertebrate (i.e., bug) monitoring, and fish surveys. This issue of the Learning By Doing eNews spotlights our ongoing stream temperature monitoring program.

In 2020, Learning By Doing and partners once again committed significant time and resources to gather stream temperature data at over 60 sites throughout Grand County. Temperature data are recorded in 15-minute intervals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These data are used to assess compliance with Colorado’s stream temperature standards. Data from key locations are reviewed weekly throughout the summer months to support timely and informed decisions about where to request releases of environmental water. Learning By Doing reviews and reports on results for over 60 stream temperature sites in Grand County annually.

This year, Learning By Doing added two new monitoring sites on Ranch Creek to assess the results of willow planting efforts undertaken in 2018 and 2019 by Learning By Doing and Trout Unlimited’s Colorado River Headwaters Chapter. Plantings of more than 3,000 willow stakes are expected to help shade Ranch Creek through an open, flat meadow section with no vegetation along its banks. Ranch Creek is prone to elevated temperatures that are unhealthy for fish.

Teams of volunteers planted willow stakes along a 1-mile stretch of Ranch Creek to provide a shaded canopy.

Project on Cabin Creek Delayed Because of COVID

Learning By Doing will replace the old culvert on Cabin Creek with an aquatic organism passage (AOP) culvert in 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic postponed Learning By Doing’s plans to install an aquatic organism passage (AOP) where Cabin Creek crosses under Forest Road 128 northeast of the Town of Fraser. The existing culvert is a barrier to fish migration. This project, in the works since 2018, will provide an additional 3.6 miles of passage for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout. Learning By Doing now plans to carry out construction during low flows in the fall of 2021.

Learning By Doing Partner Profile

Colorado Parks & Wildlife Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert

When it comes to understanding fisheries, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert is the expert Learning By Doing partners turn to again and again. Based out of Hot Sulphur Springs and serving Grand and Summit counties, Jon knows every river, lake and reservoir in the region as he keeps watch over fish and their habitat.

Jon is instrumental in helping Learning By Doing determine where river and habitat restoration efforts are most needed. He performs onsite studies that measure aquatic health and works with contractors to ensure projects go according to plan.

Each year, Jon leads teams of volunteers in “electrofishing surveys,” in which fish are temporarily stunned by an electric current, captured, counted and released in several sections of the Fraser and Colorado Rivers to provide a snapshot of the fish populations. This year, Jon had to turn away volunteers wanting to take part in the project, as word has spread to anglers and river lovers alike about the appeal of spending a day on one of Jon’s teams.

This year, his electrofishing activities on the Colorado River will include an additional component — tagging fish to monitor their movement via solar-powered antenna. This is part of a CPW research study to determine fish passage in the soon-to-be-constructed connectivity channel, reconnecting the Colorado River around Windy Gap Reservoir.
 

September Currents

This month’s newsletter features these stories:

• Public Lands Month and activities to do

• STREAM Girls goes virtual

• TU in Colorado’s FY20 year in Review Report

• Digital Rendezvous Sign up

• Fishing Your Home Waters with John Davenport, from Denver Trout Unlimited

• Former opponents now partners working to restore the upper Colorado River

• Ken's Crazy Ant

• Take Action: Ensure Responsible Energy Development with safeguards for wildlife, fish and their habitat

and more!

June Currents

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote next week on the Great American Outdoors Act, providing full dedicated funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund and providing $9.5 billion over five years to help address deferred maintenance needs on public lands. CTU thanks Senators Bennet and Gardner for their support of this important legislation. We also thank our many members who have reached out to their elected officials in support of public lands; your voices have helped build the political momentum that is propelling this legislation.  If you haven’t yet done so, consider taking a moment to thank our Senators for their efforts on this bill by clicking here. 

Additional stories include:

• CTU Introduces Virtual Happy Hours

• Now Hiring: CTU Youth Coordinator Full-Time

• Keeping it Close to Home: Pike, Bass and Panfish on the fly

• Colorado Water Plan Listening Sessions

• Featured Fly: Matt Callies’ Hare’s Ear Nymph

• Spring 2020 High Country Angler

• Featured Business Partner: Anglers All and more!

May Currents: Public Lands Photo Contest & TU Teens Live

Celebrate Locally

Public Lands Day May 16, 2020

As Coloradans we are blessed with a tremendous wealth of Public Lands – more than 23 million acres worth, or more than the entirety of 13 other U.S. States.  From State and National Parks to BLM lands, wildlife refuges to National Forests, our public lands provide a place for us to recreate, a driver for local economies around the state, and a means for Coloradans to connect with nature and recharge our minds, bodies, and spirits. In these challenging times, the importance of these treasured lands is as apparent as ever as thousands of us flock to our public lands to enjoy Colorado’s great outdoors in beautiful settings where we can maintain safe social distancing.

To highlight the importance of our public lands, Colorado celebrates Public Lands Day each year on the 3rd Saturday of May. With Public Lands Day 2020 just around the corner, here are a few ways you can celebrate:

• Opt outside and visit public lands near your community. Under Colorado’s safer-at-home guidelines, outdoor recreation like fishing and hiking on public lands close to your community offers a great way to celebrate. Don’t forget to share your photos on social media! #COPublicLandsDay

• Ask Congress to support our Public Lands.  Senators Bennet and Gardner both are sponsoring the Great American Outdoors Act, which would permanently fund the highly successful Land and Water Conservation Fund to invest in outdoor recreation and public lands as well as providing funds to address much-needed maintenance projects for public land facilities. Click here to ask your legislator to support the Great American Outdoors Act!

• Take part in online seminars and sessions celebrating public lands this week.  From a panel on the history of public lands (tonight) to a workshop on how to participate in volunteer monitoring of recreation impacts on public lands, there are a variety of virtual events in which you can participate.  Check out the calendar.

• Add something on public lands into your streaming.  For example, Amazon Prime currently offers Ken Burns’ outstanding documentary series The National Parks – America’s Best Idea. For kids K-12 a beautifully illustrated book, National Parks of the USA, by Kate Siber, can be found here.

• Share your favorite fishing or outdoor photo taken on Colorado's public lands and tag us, @colorado_trout_unlimited and use #COPublicLandsDay on Instagram for a chance to win a 4 piece Hardy fly rod by May 26, 2020. See details below.

However you may celebrate, all of us at Colorado TU wish you and yours a safe and enjoyable Colorado Public Lands Day!

The CURRENT Podcast | Episode 5 featuring CTU's Trout in the Classroom

The CURRENT is a low-key, light-hearted fly fishing podcast hosted by Will Rice. With some recently found free time, Will will be thumbing through his Rolodex of accomplished anglers and friends in the fly fishing industry to talk about what's going on in their neck of the woods.

After visiting with friends from a variety of fisheries across the US, host Will Rice welcomes Bianca McGrath-Martinez from CTU, Bill Gilmore and Guy Grace from Littleton Public Schools to talk about the Trout in the Classroom program.

This environmental education program allows for elementary, middle, and high school students to raise rainbow trout eggs to fry as a vehicle to understand ecosystems. At the end of the program, the students typically release the fry into a local fishery with help from CPW. Will explores the fate of these trout with the recent shutdown of schools.

For more on the CTU Trout In The Classroom Program: CLICK HERE

You can find the podcast on Apple Music, Spotify & Stitcher. If you enjoy what Will is putting together with The CURRENT podcast, we ask that you please rate it and leave it a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify! Thanks for listening!

New, Colorado Water Plan Interactive Map

The water Coloradans use to drink, irrigate crops, recreate, and sustain our communities is water that we share with our rivers, streams, and lakes. But climate change and population growth are straining water supplies across our state. Colorado’s Water Plan provides a blueprint to ensure we can meet future demands while also keeping our rivers healthy and flowing. The Plan includes local projects that can help make our communities more sustainable, ensure safe drinking water for all Coloradans, help our economy thrive, and protect water resources and wild ecosystems for future generations. 

In addition to the map, check out these short videos talking about the various water projects happening around the state and how the Colorado Water Plan made that possible.

Winter High Country Angler - is available!

CTU 50th Anniversary Film headed to Zimmerman Lake this summer (Behind the Scenes)

On July 2, 2019 passionate TU volunteer and native trout angler, John Trammell headed up with CTU and Josh Duplechian of Trout Unlimited to participate in filming for CTU’s 50th Anniversary Film featuring the native trout work on Zimmerman Lake. Below is his personal account of the day. Enjoy!

John and his daughter Melissa.

MY LIFE AS A FLY FISHERMAN PART 21: Greenbacks and Zimmerman Lake

by John Trammell

Up front I’ll confess that not much of Part 21 is about fishing, but about what I observed at Zimmerman Lake on July 2 this year. What I saw was a team of government agencies and Trout Unlimited volunteers working scientifically and physically to preserve and propagate our state fish - the greenback cutthroat trout. I could not have been more impressed by the skills and hard work I saw. Really amazing.

Zimmerman lake is 40 miles east of Walden, near the continental divide, at 10,000+ feet elevation. It has a population of a few hundred greenbacks, placed there to become the source of eggs for the purpose of increasing the numbers of our state fish. On the day my daughter Melissa and I were there, the steep trail up to the lake was both rough and muddy, with numerous snowdrifts. (The day before, the workers had shoveled away drifts that were impassable to ATVs.)

The ancestors of the greenbacks in Zimmerman Lake were a small number of fish rescued from their only remaining natural habitat, Bear Creek near Colorado Springs, when the habitat was threatened by a wildfire. Being so few, when they’re artificially spawned it is important to preserve genetic diversity. Observing how that is done was fascinating - not only because of what was done, but how it was done under difficult field conditions.

When we arrived at the work site the fish were already being held in floating mesh pens. Wader-clad workers separated them into categories to be processed on a long table set up amid mud, snow and trippy exposed tree roots. They were given an anesthetic bath to make them more docile and to reduce shock while they were being processed.

CPW’s project leader Kevin Rogers told me that his agency knows each greenback in the lake individually. Each has a little VIE tag behind its eye that he identifies to a person who then uses a hand-held electronic device to read an internal pittag. Each fish is described verbally (e.g, “ripe female, good condition; immature male”), its pittag recorded, measured, weighed, and photographed beside its PIT number. Then the fish is put into a five-gallon bucket of water, to recover from the anesthetic. This all occurs rapidly as the trout are passed down the table. This information is used to select males and females to have their eggs and milt combined. Records of the combinations are kept with the intent to achieve maximum genetic diversity.

After the anesthetic has worn off and the greenbacks are trying to swim out of the buckets, they are returned to the lake. Forest Ranger Chris Carrell hustled those 40-pound buckets down to the lake all afternoon, quickly returning the empties back to the table for more greenbacks. After a while, realizing the physical toll it was taking on him, Melissa helped. Although she wasn’t there as a representative of her agency, the National Park Service, she also helped with the work at the table. Being somewhat enfeebled by the trip up to the lake, I just sat, and observed.

Fertilized eggs are treated with an iodine solution, and taken to CPW’s Mt. Shavano hatchery to be hatched and reared for stocking into suitable waters. In addition to the objective of saving them from extinction, the aim is to have a sustainable population of greenbacks for Coloradoans to enjoy.

I’ve long been a fan of native cutthroat trout, so I’m grateful to the State of Colorado for going to the expense and trouble to save the greenbacks. And I’m grateful to the agency people and TU volunteers who do the work.

““I know I volunteer because I love trout, trout habitat, and trout fishing. Of those three, I think it’s the habitat I love best, and not just because without it we can’t have the other two. It’s because I just love it, everything about it. I get a thrill every time I approach a trout stream.””

— John Trammell

Rare cutthroat trout in Abrams Creek will see improved stream habitat

Trout Unlimited, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Buckhorn Valley Metropolitan District No. 1 (District) completed their ambitious restoration project on Abrams Creek to preserve a rare population of cutthroat trout threatened in part by reduced flows during irrigation season.

Among other benefits, increased flows are expected to:

• Increase physical/wetted habitat and riparian cover along approximately 3.5 miles of stream.

• Improve in-stream habitat connectivity and quality, allowing trout to more easily move to the best habitat and holding areas.

• Enhance sediment transport, which helps keep river cobble and spawning habitat clean and healthy.

• Increase aquatic insect productivity, improving cutthroat food resources.

• Create deeper pools for trout refuge.

• Maintain cooler water temperatures in lower Abrams.

Moreover, a permanent fish screen will be installed at the point of diversion on Abrams Creek that will help protect the trout population by reducing losses due to entrainment in the ditch.

For more than a century, however, Abrams Creek has been dewatered by irrigation diversions that drastically reduce its flows in late summer and fall. The trout have been hanging on, but they’re seriously pressured. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has called this population the “highest priority” for cutthroat conservation efforts in Western Colorado. In 2016, Trout Unlimited’s Mely Whiting helped negotiate a deal with the local irrigation company, Buckhorn Valley Metro District, which agreed to pipe their irrigation ditch and thereby reduce leakage by 40 percent, with the water savings going back into the creek to keep the fish healthy.

Rare Hayden Cutthroats have a new home!

Editor’s Note:

Rick Helmick, Director on the Collegiate Peaks TU Chapter Board, brings us a story about 4,500 rare Cutthroat offspring being released into their new home, Cottonwood Creek, after their original home was destroyed by the Hayden Pass wildfire, which burned more than 16,000 acres in the Sangre de Cristo Range three summers ago.  July 1, 2019 the offspring were released into the wild by officials of Colorado Parks and Wildlife accompanied by 40 staff and volunteers from the U.S. Forest Service and Trout Unlimited.

Rare Hayden Cutthroats have a new home!

by Rick Helmick, Director on the Collegiate Peaks TU Chapter Board

It was a dark, ominous, and rainy day ahead of the forty of us, and two mules, as we gathered at the base of the Sangre de Cristo’s, west of Westcliffe, at the Venable Trailhead. All we had to do was carry the offspring of the 158 rare Cutthroats, saved out of Hayden Creek, right in the middle of that 2016 Wildfire that eventually burned 17,000 acres, and destroyed the Cutts that lived there.

When USFS Fisheries Biologist Janelle Valladares called for CPC-TU’s help, we put out the word and had incredible response from volunteers - even as far away as Missouri, and a member from the Southern Colorado Greenbacks Chapter in Pueblo, CO.

“What an incredible experience. We are forever grateful for having this experience, Thank you!”

— Amber, Volunteer from Missouri

It was a hard and long trip up this mountain, which did everything but snow on us July 1st (although it did sleet), as the volunteers carried 20 pound bags of 70-80 fingerlings each, and the heavy lifting done by mules carrying panniers all the way to the top. 4,500 of these rare Cutthroats only found in Hayden Creek, now have a new home in Cottonwood Creek!

It was a huge, and combined effort, of CPW, USFS, TU, Trails for All, and some great public volunteers! CPW plans on several more stockings of additional Hayden Creek Cutthroats, in various other high mountain streams. Thanks to the Collegiate Peaks Chapter for responding to CPW’s call for assistance! We all sincerely hope for the survival of these genetically rare Cutthroat, in their new home.

In the News

https://theknow.denverpost.com/2019/07/08/cutthroat-fingerlings-hayden-pass-wildfire-cottonwood-creek/218721/

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/four-legged-workers-help-colorado-parks-and-wildlife-restore-rare-trout-to-hayden-creek

https://gazette.com/news/rare-indigenous-trout-species-reintroduced-to-colorado/article_84bb75fc-a1c5-11e9-96fc-ab1a52c749a0.html

http://www.cpr.org/2017/07/20/spared-the-wrath-of-wildfire-colorados-hayden-creek-trout-are-on-the-comeback/

From CTU: Thank you Rick for the great recap of the day - what an amazing project!