As Colorado Legislature kicks off, here are bills we’re watching

repost from TU.org, by Kara Armano

Trout Unlimited is known for its rock-rolling work where we are often found wearing waders and making rivers and streams better for trout and salmon, and of course, anglers. But we also spend plenty of time in our finest attire in the halls of state and federal legislative buildings advocating for smart water policies, protecting public lands, and funding allocations to continue our on-the-ground efforts.  

With Colorado’s legislative session about to ramp up, here is a look at some of the bills we are watching in the Centennial State and how we’ll play both offense and defense to advance our goals of conserving, protecting, and restoring our coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.  

Extend Colorado’s Healthy Rivers Fund — This successful funding mechanism is set to expire, but we are looking to extend it for another 10 years. This is financed by the Colorado tax check-off program, which provides taxpayers the opportunity to contribute a portion of their tax refund or to make a donation on their state income tax return. These funds assist Colorado Trout Unlimited and other watershed-based groups in efforts to protect our land and water resources. It is administered through the Colorado Water Conservation Board in association with the Water Quality Control Division and the Colorado Watershed Assembly. Since 2003, this fund has raised over $1.1 million to fund more than 80 local watershed projects.  

The bill will be introduced by Sen. Cleave Simpson and Rep. Donald Valdez. Colorado Trout Unlimited does not want to see this fund expire, so we are asking that it be approved for 10 more years.  

State parks funding — Amidst the many restrictions over the past challenging year, we’ve seen more and more people turn to outdoor recreation as a safe outlet for enjoyment and to benefit their mental and physical health. While a growing appreciation for our outdoors means more allies in its defense, it also means growing pressure on public lands, including our state parks. To rise to that challenge, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is looking to expand its funding base to help support sustainable recreation management and development of new parks and opportunities to serve the growing demand. 

Drawing from an example already in place in Montana with a 75 percent participation rate, legislation will be introduced to fold an annual state parks pass into vehicle registrations in Colorado. Those who don’t want the pass can opt-out, while the proposed fee level will be significantly less than the current annual pass rates for those who do obtain the pass. Parks passes for out-of-state visitors or those who decide to purchase after registering their vehicle will still be available for the current standard fee. While the per-pass revenue will be less, CPW anticipates a significant revenue boost due to a much larger volume of pass sales facilitated by the convenience of having passes folded into annual vehicle registration. CPW’s priorities for the funding include maintenance and expansion of state parks, search and rescue/outdoor education programs, and wildlife management both within and outside of state parks, with an emphasis on non-game species. CTU is supporting this effort as the new dollars will help meet our state’s growing demand for hiking, camping, fishing, and other outdoor recreation at Colorado’s 42 (with more to come!) state parks. 

Recreational in-channel diversion — There will be a bill to streamline the RICD process to avoid the necessity of significant in-river construction for smaller projects and to broaden the definition of whom can apply for these diversions.  

We will be watching this bill and helping our partners determine the best language to ensure a positive outcome for our constituents.  

Budget defense — With the current pandemic, state budgets across the country have been pushed to the brink, and that is certainly no different in Colorado. While creative measures to find funds for imperative state needs must be pursued, CTU will defend against redirecting funds that are specifically dedicated to natural resources, such as those earned under Proposition DD from sports betting to help fund the Colorado Water Plan. Likewise, we will defend against budget cuts and furloughs at important state agencies like Colorado Parks and Wildlife that manage fish, wildlife, and habitat programs critical to our mission. 

Of course, we’ll keep you updated throughout the course of the Colorado’s legislative session. If any of these particular items need assistance in terms of advocacy efforts like calling, emailing or Tweeting your elected official, we’ll be in touch.  

Feds Put Brakes on Risky Tennessee Pass Railroad Proposal

Along the Arkansas River near Granite. Colorado. 1997. From Wikimedia Commons

The Federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) put a pause on the Midland and Pacific Railway Company’s effort to fast-track approval for leasing the Union Pacific Railroad line over Tennessee Pass through STB’s exemption process. The railroad had requested a streamlined “non-controversial” exemption that would move ahead its lease for the line. The STB rejected that request in order to allow time for a more robust review of the proposal. Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups, along with Chaffee County’s Board of County Commissioners and many local citizens, filed comments with the STB raising concerns and making it clear that the proposal certainly was not “non-controversial.”

The Tennessee Pass line has been dormant for 24 years. During its previous operations, it had a history of safety concerns including derailments. In a joint letter, Colorado TU and the Collegiate Peaks, Eagle Valley, and Southern Colorado Greenbacks chapters raised concern that the operations could put at risk fisheries in both the Eagle and Arkansas Rivers that have improved dramatically over those years – including more than 100 miles of Gold Medal water on the Arkansas. A derailment could release significant volumes of hazardous materials into the river, jeopardizing its high-quality fishery. Given the importance of river-based recreation to communities in both valleys, it could also jeopardize local economies as well.

You can read a copy of TU’s joint comment letter here, and local news coverage on the proposal from the Colorado Sun and Ark Valley Voice.

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!

You've got backpacks, we've got Greenbacks

On July 28, 2020 over 700 native Greenback Cutthroats were released into the East Fork of Roaring Creek, representing the first population restored in Poudre Canyon tributary since the Greenback species was rediscovered in 2012.

The effort looked a little different this time around due to mandatory social distancing requirements. 43 volunteers and 15 agency staff (CPW & USFS) managed a series of staggered start times, social distancing, groups of less than 10 people each, and a much more strenuous trek to complete the 1st stocking of Greenbacks into new habitat on an important Poudre River tributary was a success. Thanks to all of the volunteers and agency partners, the effort was a huge success!

This project is adjacent to a much larger effort called the Poudre Headwaters Projects (PHP) that is planned to be the largest Greenback Cutthroat recovery project in the history of Colorado. The goal is to restore these native fish back into a part of their historic range on the upper Poudre - including 40 miles of small streams and Long Draw Reservoir. The PHP will create a “metapopulation” of Greenback Cutthroats that will be able to survive future impacts of climate change and catastrophic events.

A big thank you goes out to the volunteers who took time out of their week to help these fish return home!

To learn more about this effort, please check out the Poudre Headwaters Project page.

Videos from Volunteers

On July 28, 2020 Colorado Trout Unlimited organized 6 groups comprised of 8 volunteers and 2 team leaders to transport the Colorado state fish - The Greenbac...

Greenback Cutthroat Trout were stocked in the East Fork of Roaring Creek July 28, 2020. 43 volunteers, 15 agency staff (CPW) and over 700 Greenbacks helped o...

Video taken by volunteer, Bob Fielding. On July 28, 2020 over 700 native Greenback Cutthroats were released into the East Fork of Roaring Creek. The effort w...

A Landmark Win for our Great Outdoors

Today, the President signed into law the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which previously passed both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support. The most significant national conservation legislation passed in a generation, the GAOA permanently secures funding for public lands and outdoor recreation under the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) as well as providing much needed funding to address the maintenance backlog on our National Parks and other public lands.

For more than 50 years, LWCF has set aside and protected special places in Colorado and nationwide. With LWCF funds invested statewide, from iconic landscapes like the Great Sand Dunes, to boat launches on the Colorado River, to community parks and trails in our own backyards – there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed lands or facilities that LWCF helped provide.

LWCF doesn’t rely on your tax dollars, but rather is funded by an earmarked portion of royalties paid on offshore oil and gas development. Unfortunately, that dedicated stream of revenue has been regularly raided for other purposes in the annual politics of the appropriations process. More than $22 billion has been diverted from LWCF over its history – but it won’t happen again. With the GAOA now the law of the land, the funds committed to LWCF are permanently dedicated. And that is great news for our public lands and the multi-billion outdoor recreation economy they help sustain.

The other key portion of the GAOA originated as the Restore Our Parks Act and will provide $9.5 billion in dedicated funding toward our public lands deferred maintenance backlog. TU played a key role in ensuring that this maintenance funding included public lands beyond just the National Park facilities – funding partnership projects like replacing undersized culverts that are blocking trout and salmon migrations, and fixing roads that are bleeding sediment into streams.

Corinne Doctor, David Nickum, and Barb Sheedlo traveled last fall to Washington, DC to advocate for LWCF with our legislators.

Passage of the GAOA is a victory that has been many years in the making, the result of hard work from countless TUers and conservation allies. From volunteer advocates who reached out to their elected officials and wrote letters to their local papers – to staff and interns who helped us research LWCF projects in Colorado and prepare publications telling the program’s story – to grassroots leaders who flew in to Washington, DC to make the case for LWCF in person.

In Colorado, we’re blessed to have elected officials who have shown their deep commitment to our public lands as well. In particular we’d like to extend our gratitude to: Senator Gardner, lead Senate sponsor of GAOA whose tireless efforts were essential in creating the bipartisan support needed to move this legislation; Senator Bennet, a GAOA co-sponsor who has been among the strongest advocates for LWCF and public land conservation throughout his years in the Senate; and Representatives DeGette and Neguse, whose work on behalf of LWCF as Colorado’s members on the Natural Resources Committee helped secure the support needed for GAOA’s passage within the House of Representatives.

Today is a great day for all of us who value our public lands. In the midst of some very challenging times, it is especially rewarding to have something to celebrate – so please join us in toasting a great conservation victory and all of those who have made it possible!

Profiles in Conservation

Duranglers Flies and Supplies: Supporting Conservation and the Fly-fishing Community for 36+ years.

In February of 1984, the Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited, led by Neill Peterson, John Flick and David Wilson, was certified as Chapter number 451 of Trout Unlimited.  Among the founding members were Flick, Jim Herrig, Byron Hilliard and Tom Knopick.

The chapter was established only a couple of months after the founding of Duranglers Flies and Supplies by Flick and Knopick.  John and Tom both recognized the intrinsic relationship between the business they planned to grow and the need for active conservation of the incredible cold-water fisheries to which they called home.

Pictured: Tom Knopick

This commitment by John and Tom and Duranglers has been carried forward, often with fierce dedication, to our present time and will carry on for the future.  But, let’s go back and remember some of the past conservation efforts that Duranglers has helped advance.

Hermosa Creek, which is currently undergoing reintroduction of native Cutthroat to 23+ miles of East Fork and Mainstem, was an early focus of habitat improvement by Five Rivers TU and John, Tom and Jim Herrig.  Most of this work was done on the reach above Hotel Draw.  In addition, log structures were introduced on the East Fork for habitat development in the area of Hermosa Park.

The headwaters of the East Fork of Lime Creek also benefitted from habitat improvement undertaken by the Chapter.

Pictured: John Flick

One of the Rivers precious to John and Tom is the Dolores River below McPhee Reservoir, locally known as the “Lower D”.  This tail water was created in 1984 when the Dam was completed.  The result was a fabulous cold-water fishery that was stocked with Snake River Cutthroat Trout as well as rainbows and browns.  The combination of (formerly) abundant cold water and great water quality allowed the bug life and fish to thrive.  It was not uncommon to catch trout upward of 20” and 4 – 5 lbs.  Needless to say this was the subject of many guided trips by Duranglers, video programs such as the Fishing The West TV show with Larry Shoenborn Guided by Tom Knopick and relentless attention to the conservation of the resource by the crew at Duranglers.

Then in 1990 the area began to endure a series of drier years.  When McPhee was created an Environmental Assessment was undertaken, one of the first such assessments in the West.  While the EAS called for releases of 70, 58 or 20 cfs, depending on the reservoir level to maintain the quality of the coldwater fishery, the fishing community felt these flows to be inadequate.  This became abundantly clear when in just a few short years of 20 cfs releases most of the fish, particularly the healthy adults, died due to low water and heat stress.  The golden age of the “Lower D” came to an end.

But not without Tom and John, personally leading the push for more water for the fishery.  In subsequent years, they have been at the forefront of efforts to find water for the fishery and have been partners with Colorado Parks and Wildlife in helping to establish greater release of water for the fishery.

In the early 1990’s, Chapter leadership was taken over by Jay Engel and others.  Jay had been a leader in the fly fishing community for years on the West Coast and was a tireless advocate for cold-water conservation, eventually being recognized with the Silver Trout Award.  In the middle 90’s Jay passed away unexpectedly and was soon followed by the Chapter’s Treasurer.  This left the Chapter leaderless and it went dormant for a couple of years.

In Spring 1999 a group from Duranglers led by John, Tom and Nate Bronson gathered a group together in the upstairs of Gazpachos, a local New Mexican restaurant, with the intent of reviving the Five Rivers Chapter.  And, resurrect it they did, with John and Tom helping behind the scenes with fund raising and tolerating the occasional minor disruption from one of their part time employees, who had assumed the reins of the Chapter.

To this day in 2020, we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to John and Tom for their support and dedication to conservation of our cold-water fisheries, particularly in southwest Colorado.  This was evident in 2018 when CTU recognized Duranglers Flies and Supplies as Outfitter of the Year at its Rendezvous in Glenwood Springs, just one year after recognizing the Five Rivers Chapter they helped establish and revive as Exemplary Chapter in 2017.

So let us raise a glass of whatever beverage is preferred and toast Duranglers and John and Tom for their past and future support of all of TU’s conservation efforts.  To check in on what is happening fishing wise in Southwest Colorado or to just say hi you can reach them and Duranglers Flies and Supplies at 970-385-4081 or www.duranglers.com.

Tight Lines,

Buck Skillen, Past President, Five Rivers Chapter TU

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Profiles in Conservation is a new blog series sharing the stories of important long-term leaders in Colorado’s fly fishing and conservation community.  If you would like to share a story or nominate a flyfishing leader for this series, please contact us at info@coloradotu.org. 

The Two Forks Legacy: Video

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Environmental Policy Act, and to provide a historical lens on several high-profile water projects currently underway, Water Education Colorado together with Colorado Trout Unlimited and the One World One Water Center of MSU Denver came together last year for a half-day educational event. The event told the story of the EPA’s 1990 veto of one of the largest water projects in Colorado history, and how the Denver metro area has moved forward in the aftermath of the project’s demise. You can watch the entire event below.

Recently, Connecting the Drops produced in partnership between Water Education Colorado and Rocky Mountain Community Radio stations put out a recap of that story on their page which you can listen to and read more about here.

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!

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.