TroutFest - July 18 at Coors Field

CTU will be holding its inaugural TroutFest at Coors Field on the evening of July 18th from 5-9 pm! Tickets start at $25 ($10 for youth 5-12, 4 and under free) and include ballpark-style food, and the chance to take part in a range of great activities including:

• A casting area with coaching offered from certified casting instructors

• Fly-tying demonstrations with several top regional tyers

• Exhibitor areas with local vendors, fishing and conservation partners

• Family activities including beginner fly tying and a “build a bug” craft for the younger set, a “lawntrout” game featuring stuffed fish and velcro flies, and an appearance by Fraser the trout mascot

• Tours of Coors Field including the dugout and more

• Silent auction and raffle opportunities

• Free Parking in the Coors Field lots

Come out to the ballpark and enjoy an evening with CTU celebrating trout and conservation!

New Water Quality Protection Secured for 25 Southwest Colorado Streams

On June 14, 2022 the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission designated 520 miles of 25 streams in southwestern Colorado as Outstanding Waters, adopting the largest community proposal for Outstanding Waters in history. Outstanding Waters (OW) is a designation under the Federal Clean Water Act (administered by the State of Colorado) that precludes any permitted activities on or about those waters that degrade the designated stream reach below the very high quality of the reach at the time of designation. It is a substantial tool in the stream protection tool bag, protecting the high water quality of these valuable waterways from degradation for future generations.

Eight of those 25 streams lie in the Upper Dolores watershed, the home waters of the Dolores River Anglers (DRA) chapter. Two other streams of special note for trout anglers, Fall Creek and Wolf Creek, support habitat for the rare San Juan lineage Colorado River cutthroat trout. The designations were the culmination of a three-year rulemaking hearing process that included three public, quasi-judicial hearings for scoping, issues identification, and final rulemaking.

Designation is a rigorous resource- and time-consuming process. For the Dolores River Anglers and the 8 streams they helped shepherd to OW protection, the journey began in 2013 with the chapter recognizing the need for a science-driven look at their home waters. The upper Dolores watershed is located where high desert of the Colorado Plateau meets the cool mountains of the Southern Rockies, making the upper Dolores is a proverbial canary-in-the-mine for a changing climate. DRA’s board agreed that they needed to understand how our trout environment was changing and what it was likely to become. Only then could the chapter effectively participate in and assist with the management of local trout resources.

By 2016 the chapter identified 42 perennial streams, comprising 295 miles, with viable trout populations. 24 of those streams harbor native cutthroat. In 2017, a three-year collaborative study was published that assessed the likely impact of climate change on the upper Dolores through the end of the century.  Working from the study findings, the chapter in 2018 began an in-depth collaboration with local watershed water managers from the San Juan National Forest, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Dolores Water Conservancy District. This Upper Dolores Stream Protection Working Group (Working Group) has met, and continues to meet, to build a long-term, overarching framework to coordinate both limited resources and work efforts with respect to an increasingly changing environment.

Key to this effort is a list of stream protection tools that can be used. As a Working Group, DRA’s target is to match the right tool to each stream, based on that stream’s emerging challenges. OW designation is a significant player in the tool kit. Based on a careful review of the study findings, associated field data, and extensive discussion among the Working Group, nine streams were proposed by DRA for OW designation that comprised the best projection of future stronghold streams for native cutthroat populations in the Upper Dolores.

In the spring of 2019 Dolores River Anglers began to partner with a coalition of organizations that was pursuing OW designation for a number of additional streams in the San Juan, Gunnison, San Miguel, and Animas River basins. The coalition was made up of senior/executive staff from American Rivers, American Whitewater, Conservation Colorado, High Country Conservation Advocates, Mountain Studies Institute, San Juan Citizens Alliance, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Trout Unlimited/Colorado Trout Unlimited, and Western Resource Advocates.

DRA volunteer Raymond Rose collecting a water quality sample.

As noted, an OW designation in Colorado takes place through a three-year process. By the end of that period, each of three tests much be shown to be met by any stream reach for it to be designated as an Outstanding Water:

• The existing quality for each of twelve key water quality parameters must be equal to or better than applicable standards. Sampling should be reflective of conditions across all seasons and preferably over multiple years.

• The waters must constitute an outstanding natural resource, such as being a significant attribute of a Gold Medal fishery or a designated wilderness, or have other exceptional recreational or ecological significance and not been modified by human activities in a manner that substantially detracts from their value.

• The water must require protection in addition to that provided by existing water quality classifications and standards.

In-depth technical support was critical to the success of the effort. From water quality sampling to macroinvertebrate assessment to public communication expertise, the coalition provided it all; indeed, it is unlikely that DRA’s piece of the project would have been successful without the remarkable support of the coalition members. Likewise, the full and enthusiastic support DRA received from Colorado Trout Unlimited and National Trout Unlimited was critical to success. And it certainly helps to have a chapter member with a PhD in water chemistry to lead the sampling effort!

Of the nine streams proposed by DRA for OW designation, eight were approved by the Commission in June as part of the total 25 streams added as new OWs. These eight streams join three other OW streams already in place in the upper Dolores; those designations were coordinated by DRA/CTU/TU in 2012. Five other streams in the Lizard Head Wilderness Area also known to have cutthroat trout populations have OW designations for those portions within the wilderness area.

The bottom line is very reassuring: after three years of extensive field effort and considerable financial investment on the part of the Coalition, the water quality in 25 pristine mountain streams, including eight key cutthroat habitats in the Upper Dolores, are now protected from human-induced degradation. These designations serve as a needed flag for all future water managers that management decisions about these waters must very carefully consider the maintenance of their very high water quality for future generations.

June 2022 Currents

Check out the June edition of CTU Currents newsletter, including information about the TroutFest event taking place at Coors Field in July, summer volunteer opportunities, good news for water in the San Luis Valley, and more! You can read the June issue by clicking here.

Douglas County denies funding for San Luis Valley water raid

The San Luis Valley is facing major water challenges, with demands for water outstripping the area’s limited ground and surface water supplies. With irrigators having to reduce their use of water to bring things back into balance, Valley residents have been collaborating - including through water sharing partnerships facilitated by Trout Unlimited - on projects that reduce water consumption and at the same time can benefit flows in local rivers like the Conejos and Rio Grande.

Those collaborations faced a new - but also old - challenge from the misleadingly named “Renewable Water Resources” (RWR), a company backed by Denver developers and former Colorado Governor Bill Owens. RWR’s proposal seeks to pump groundwater out of the San Luis Valley and export it to Colorado’s Front Range, putting at risk the Valley’s unique environment and agriculture economy. The project is the successor to previously failed efforts to raid Valley water by American Water Development, Inc. and later again by Stockman’s Water. Reviving the twice-defeated proposal, RWR sponsors asked Douglas County to provide millions of dollars in Covid relief funds to promote their project. Valley residents, TU, and other conservation allies joined in asking the Douglas County Commission to reject the proposal

Last week, Douglas County’s Commission voted (2-1) to reject the RWR request for relief funds. Commissioners Abe Laydon and Lora Thomas voted to oppose the request. The decision is a welcome reprieve for residents and the environment in the San Luis Valley. The battle is not yet over, however - RWR will continue to seek customers willing to finance the project. Commissioner Laydon left the door open for potential future support from Douglas County, indicating a willingness to continue working with RWR but noting that they would need to “do significant additional homework” to address concerns about the proposal.

TU stands with the San Luis Valley in opposing RWR and will remain vigilant as its proponents look for their next target for underwriting their ill-advised proposal.

Colorado Sun - Trout in the Classroom Article

Check out this great Trout in the Classroom article from the Colorado Sun!

https://coloradosun.com/2022/05/15/trout-unlimited-colorado-school-children/

May 2022 Currents

Featuring updates on reconnecting the Colorado River at Windy Gap, Trout in the Classroom fish release days, final chances to see the Fly Fishing Film Tour on screen in Colorado, and more - click here to check out the May issue of Currents newsletter!

Help Stop Water Raid on the San Luis Valley!

Water is Colorado’s lifeblood, and that is certainly the case for the San Luis Valley. From the region’s vibrant agricultural community to its natural and recreational treasures like the Rio Grande River and the Great Sand Dunes, water has been essential to the Valley. Unfortunately, demands for water in the Valley already outstrip supplies and changing climate will only make the challenges even greater. Valley residents have been collaborating - including through water sharing partnerships facilitated by Trout Unlimited - to bring ground and surface water use back into balance.

Now those collaborative efforts are in jeopardy, as the misleadingly named “Renewable Water Resources” (RWR) proposal seeks to pump groundwater out of the San Luis Valley and export it to Colorado’s southern Front Range. RWR sponsors have now asked Douglas County to provide $20 million in Covid relief funds to promote the project. The San Luis Valley’s environment and communities - not to mention Douglas County taxpayers - stand to lose with this damaging boondoggle of a project.

You can help by contacting Douglas County’s commissioners and asking them to reject RWR’s request and to instead invest in other water solutions working with willing communities and in environmentally sound ways.

Trout in the Classroom Trout Releases

We are thrilled to celebrate another successful Trout in the Classroom program year! Students, Teachers, and TIC Volunteers Leaders have worked hard all school year to raise Rainbow Trout in their classrooms, libraries, schools, and organizations. They have learned about the Trout lifecycle, monitored tank water quality, learned about pathogens that could effect fish health, and made new connections with their local watersheds. Many of the schools celebrated with a Trout Release Event where CTU and other amazing TIC partners came together to celebrate watersheds, macroinvertebrates, and all things fishy! Here are some picture of the fun we had!

Colorado River Connectivity Channel Gets Federal OK

Partners applaud decision allowing $30M river reconnection project to proceed

DENVER, Colo.—The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today released a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) drawn from its Environmental Assessment of the Colorado River Connectivity Channel. The decision paves the way for construction to begin on the project to reconnect the Colorado through a restored channel around Windy Gap Reservoir in Grand County.

The $30 million project, proposed by Trout Unlimited (TU), Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Municipal Subdistrict, Grand County, and the Upper Colorado River Alliance, will build a natural river channel around Windy Gap Reservoir for the purpose of improving aquatic habitat in the Fraser and Colorado rivers. The project is expected to reopen the Colorado River to fish passage and improve habitat and water quality in downstream reaches.

“The idea to reconnect the Colorado River channel was conceived more than 20 years ago by local residents like Bud Issacs, whose vision, passion and persistent hard work built the partnerships and gathered the many resources needed to do this important project,” said John Andrews, NRCS State Conservation Engineer in Colorado. “NRCS is just thrilled that we can combine the Watershed Program’s funding authority with all they have done over these many years to ensure that the community’s vision for a healthy, thriving Colorado River becomes a reality.”

Built in the mid-1980s, Windy Gap currently blocks fish and sediment passage upstream and downstream of the dam. It also holds water in a shallow reservoir, sometimes elevating stream temperatures downstream of the dam when water is released. Construction of the Connectivity Channel will route Colorado River and Fraser River flows around the reservoir, reconnecting aquatic habitat, reducing stream temperatures, and restoring natural river processes currently impacted by the presence of the dam.

“The NRCS decision is a major step toward making the Connectivity Channel a reality,” said Mely Whiting, the project lead for Trout Unlimited. “This project is the linchpin connecting all other ongoing efforts to prepare the headwaters of the Colorado River for a much hotter and drier future.”

“Grand County’s Board of County Commissioners applauds the work of NRCS in reaching this decision and acknowledges the tremendous work of the project partners and individual champions,” the board said in a statement. “The project is so important to the health of the Colorado River the citizens and visitors of Grand County, and the entire river basin. Grand County has been a longtime proponent and partner in this project. We look forward to seeing the Connectivity Channel provide significant benefits to the region’s environmental, agricultural and recreational interests for generations to come.”

“The Colorado River Connectivity Channel is an example of the positive outcomes that can occur when diverse groups come to the table to meet the challenges of delivering a reliable water supply to Colorado residents, all while addressing important habitat in the Colorado River,” said Northern Water General Manager Brad Wind. “The Connectivity Channel Project also serves as a key enhancement for the Windy Gap Firming Project that provides critical water supplies to beneficiaries situated on both sides of the Continental Divide.”

In an agreement with TU, the NRCS committed over $4 million toward construction of the project, provided that an environmental assessment was completed showing that the project will not have significant impacts on the environment.  The FONSI draws from NRCS’ Environmental Assessment evaluating both beneficial and adverse impacts of the project, concluding that the project “will result in long-term beneficial impacts for environmental resources (i.e. soil, air, water, animals, plants, and human resources).” With the FONSI secured, NRCS can now provide those pledged funds toward the project construction, and may consider granting up to $9 million in additional funds still needed for the project. 

In addition to its benefits for fish passage and water and habitat quality, the Connectivity Channel will also be open for public fishing, creating approximately one mile of new river angling opportunity.

“Local anglers can celebrate this project, which will both improve the treasured Gold Medal fishery of the Colorado River and open up a new mile of public fishing through the restored channel,” said Kirk Klancke, president of the Colorado River Headwaters Chapter of TU.

Work on the project is scheduled to begin in June 2022 and is expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2023. Public angling access is expected to open in 2025 to give time for the habitat and fishery to establish.

In addition to the funding support from the NRCS, the Connectivity Channel has received significant contributions from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Northern Water, Grand County, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, the Upper Colorado River Alliance, and corporate sponsors, including PepsiCo., Frito Lay, Intel, and CocaCola. Other contributors include the Gates Family Foundation, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Occidental Petroleum Corporation. 

“I am truly awed by the level of support for the project,” TU’s Whiting said. “The Connectivity Channel is a great example of what we can accomplish when working together to accommodate water supply and ecological needs.”

To view the NRCS Finding of No Significant Impact, visit this link.

April 2022 Currents

Featuring updates on Gold Medal waters including an emerging threat to the Colorado, an introduction to CTU’s new Youth Education Coordinator, and info about upcoming chapter and CTU events - click here to check out the April issue of Currents newsletter!