Progress on Clear Fork E Muddy Barrier Project

This year, after over 6 years of planning, work began on a protective barrier on the Clear Fork of East Muddy Creek northwest of Paonia in Gunnison County where approximately 13 miles of green lineage Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT) habitat will be restored. As with many native fish restoration projects, this will be done in two phases. Phase 1 includes the installation of the fish barrier and will result in establishment of a downstream barrier to isolate the native trout population which will allow CRCT to re-establish in the main stem of Clear Fork of Muddy Creek. Phase 2 includes a chemical and mechanical removal of introduced brook trout above the barrier and monitoring for barrier success and cutthroat repopulation. With the goal to increase the overall cutthroat population and to restore inter-connectivity of smaller tributaries, this project will be a catalyst to surrounding cutthroat projects allowing subsequent stocking out of Clear Fork and into adjacent watersheds.

In the early 2000’s brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were inadvertently stocked into the Clear Fork of Muddy Creek. The presence of brook trout in the system has severely impacted the distribution and survival of the native cutthroat. Currently, Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT) only persist in the upper reaches of the watershed, protected by natural barriers. 

Wildcat Creek Receives Restoration Work

Wildcat Creek, home to unique Colorado River Cutthroat DNA, faced a pressing need for preservation amid the looming threat of climate-induced aridification. Recognizing the stream's vulnerability to de-watering, Dolores River Anglers Chapter of TU, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, and the San Juan National Forest collaborated with the Upper Dolores Stream Protection Working Group to employ Low-tech, Process-based Stream Restoration (LTPB). Their goal was to augment the number and scale of refuge pockets and pools along the creek, utilizing locally available resources and a primary technique—log pour-over structures—to guide natural processes and fortify the stream's resilience during low water periods.

The strategic placement of log pour-over structures, modeled after natural occurrences when trees fall into the stream, emerged as a crucial mechanism in the fight against climate change-induced challenges. These structures, essential tools for small stream climate change resilience, significantly expanded the availability of drought refuges, fostering resilience in Wildcat Creek. They meticulously selected four sites along the stream based on specific channel characteristics, distributional distance, and available natural anchors to implement the log pour-over structures.

The collaborative effort involved an on-site project spanning seven days, including dedicated volunteers, staff from the San Juan National Forest, and contracted Southwest Conservation Core (SCC) members. A labor-intensive process involved carefully transporting, placing, adjusting, and backfilling the selected logs to create these essential structures. The successful execution of this project, aimed at preserving Wildcat Creek's unique genetic legacy, was made possible through the invaluable support of organizations like Colorado Trout Unlimited and the Colorado Watershed Alliance.

Fish New Zealand and Donate to CTU

Special price for CTU members that also gives back!

For a limited time, you can travel and fish New Zealand with our friends at Distant Waters for the special price of $5,999 (originally $7,999). This package is good for the 2023/2024 season and ends April 30th. Every booking gives back to CTU!

Includes the following:

• Economy Round Trip airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco included (business/premium economy upgrades available at additional cost)

• 5 days fly fishing

• 7 nights accommodations

• Price is per person, based on two anglers sharing rooms and guide

• Transportation and airport transfers to and from lodging

• Private party (drinks and appetizers) first night of arrival

• All meals including (excluding dinner)

Make sure you mention CTU when booking!

Colorado Gives Day - Early Giving Starts Now!

You don't have to wait until December 5th to make a difference!

Donate anytime from now until December 5th to support Colorado Trout Unlimited.

Join us in efforts such as reconnecting crucial spawning tributaries to the Colorado River, restoring native cutthroat trout populations, educating the next generation, cleaning up abandoned mines, and advocating for water quality across urban fisheries and pristine high-mountain streams. CTU and its 22 chapters statewide are dedicated to the ongoing conservation, protection, and restoration of Colorado's coldwater habitats.

Even a small contribution can create a significant impact. Seize this opportunity to make a difference – it's the perfect day to give back.

CTU 2023 Awards Announced

At the Rendezvous in Glenwood Springs, winners were recognized for the annual Colorado TU Awards. Congratulations to the chapters and individuals who were recognized for their contributions to coldwater conservation and community!

John Connolly Chapter Communications Award

The Denver Chapter was recognized for its work in expanding its reach through engaging social media content, and its participation in numerous community events – including its own Carp Slam – to help build awareness and involvement with conservation of the Denver South Platte.

Exemplary Youth Education

The Grand Valley Anglers chapter was honored for its expanding programs for youth, including support for multiple Trout in the Classroom sites with local schools and volunteer support for STREAM Girls programming to connect Girl Scouts with fishing and watersheds through the science, recreation and art.

Exemplary Project

The Denver Chapter received this award for its work on water quality advocacy for the Denver South Platte. In collaboration with other community and environmental groups, the chapter successfully restored stronger anti-degradation protections for the river and continues to advocate for those protections to be reflected in polluters’ discharge permits.

Outstanding Volunteer

Four volunteers were recognized this year for their dedicated service. Ed Calmus was honored for his longtime leadership with West Denver Chapter and mentorship to other emerging leaders. John Davenport was recognized for his hard work and innovation in strengthening the Trout in the Classroom education program across the state. Fred Miller was honored for his vision and leadership with the Denver Chapter and building up its efforts to protect the Denver South Platte.  Dave Taylor was recognized for his leadership in conceiving and organizing the Colorado TU Troutfest event to engage new audiences for conservation and angling.

Exemplary Chapter

The Yampa Valley Fly Fishers were honored as 2023’s Exemplary Chapter. The award recognized their longstanding partnership with the Yampa Valley Stream Improvement Charitable Trust in conducting habitat improvements along the Yampa River, their robust youth education programs, and their successful and unique “Golftrout” event.

Exemplary Landowner

Laine O’Neal received the inaugural Exemplary Landowner award, in recognition of her leadership in organizing with her neighbors to improve riparian habitat in the Elkhead Creek watershed and restore connectivity with the mainstem Yampa by eliminating fish passage barriers.

Exemplary Industry Partner

The North Fork Ranch Guide Service was recognized for its longstanding support of Trout Unlimited as well as its efforts to help promote the healing power of fly fishing and community through hosting events with partners including Casting For Recovery and Reel Recovery, as well as for veterans.

Distinguished Service Award

Barb Sheedlo was honored for her tireless efforts in fighting for protection of Colorado’s rivers from the threats posed by the Uinta Basin Railway, through well-researched and credibly delivered advocacy and collaboration with other conservation partners.

April Kraft, Josh Nehring, and Robert Streater of Colorado Parks and Wildlife were recognized for their partnership and support for the Trout in the  Classroom program, helping to improve the program and allow it to more than double its reach to Colorado youth over the past year.

Trout Conservation Award

Matt Fairchild of the U.S. Forest Service was honored for his leadership in coordinating work on the Poudre Headwaters Project, which will ultimately restore native Greenback cutthroat trout to 38 miles of connected streams as well as Long Draw Reservoir.

Silver Trout Award

Selected by past recipients of the award, the Silver Trout recognizes lifetime contributions toward trout conservation in Colorado.  For 2023, two recipients – Kirk Klancke and Mely Whiting – were recognized for their collective years of work in stewardship for the Colorado River headwaters through both advocacy and through partnership projects under the “Learning by Doing” collaborative and with the soon-to-be in place Colorado River Connectivity Channel to restore fish passage and river function at Windy Gap Reservoir.

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Congratulations to Our 2023 Fall Raffle Winner

Congratulations to James M. of Colorado Springs for winning our fall raffle for a San Juan getaway. Stay tuned for more opportunities to win and help support Colorado Trout Unlimited.

Thank you to our supporters:

Duranglers

Double Tree Hilton Durango

Ross Reels

October 2023 Currents

This month’s issue of currents features TU & USFS Fish Habitat Agreement, CTU Rendezvous, Progress on the Poudre Headwaters Project, and More!

Progress on the Poudre Headwaters Project

Earlier this week, Colorado TU staff and Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter volunteers joined Forest Service representatives and our partners from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Ross Reels on a site visit to see past and ongoing work as part of the Poudre Headwaters Project, the largest native trout restoration project in Colorado history. The group first visited the largely completed fish barrier on the Grand Ditch at La Poudre Pass, helping isolate the planned recovery waters for Greenback cutthroat trout on the east slope from the west slope drainages intersected by the Grand Ditch. From there, we stopped briefly at a road crossing with an undersized and not fish-friendly culvert along Neota Creek, which we hope to collaborate with the Forest Service to replace with an improved fish passage structure in 2024 or 2025. 

 The group next visited the active construction site where work is underway on installing a unique combination fish passage/temporary fish barrier project on Corral Creek. The barrier will help temporarily isolate habitat in Corral Creek for restoration of native trout and then later removed to restore connectivity with adjacent waters once they recovered for Greenbacks. An undersized culvert is being installed with a much larger culvert for the road crossing – large enough to have a simulated stream bottom constructed within the culvert so that fish can move freely up and downstream through the culvert just as if they were moving through the natural stream channel. At the mouth of the culvert, a steel wall barrier will be placed that can then isolate the upstream habitat temporarily but be readily removed in the future when habitats are reconnected as part of the planned Greenback “metapopulation” spread across multiple Cache la Poudre river tributaries.

 Finally, we hiked to the expected downstream permanent barrier that will be the lowest point in the restoration area – a waterfall nicknamed “Starter Fluid” by expert kayakers who float the river. Located just below the confluence of the mainstem Poudre and La Poudre Pass Creek and about 11 miles up from where the “Big South” portion of the Poudre reaches Highway 14 and begins down to the more easily accessed Poudre Canyon runs, this cascade already blocks fish under most flow conditions and with some modest adjustments could be modified into a fully-effective fish barrier. Work on design concepts for further analysis and refinement is underway.

 Work on the Poudre Headwaters Project has been a product of collaboration among TU, the Forest Service, National Park Service, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and has also benefited through support from: 

• The Water Supply and Storage Company, which provided funds in a Trust as mitigation for their Long Draw Reservoir permits

• Ross Reels through their Native Reel program with proceeds from the Greenback reel 

• The Colorado Water Conservation Board, through Colorado Water Plan grant support

• Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fund

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish passage program

• Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines, through applied research and design efforts in support of the project

• The Western Native Trout Initiative

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Announces Closure on Arkansas River Near Salida

CPW announces closure on Arkansas River near Salida to allow dam removal

Colorado Parks & Wildlife

SALIDA, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife is closing a short segment of the Arkansas River beginning Oct. 23 to facilitate removal of a low-head dam located 1.5 miles upstream from the Mount Shavano State Fish Hatchery.

The closure will be in place from the Chaffee County Road 166 Bridge to the Salida Boat Ramp.

The dam was first built around 1956 to collect water for the hatchery downstream and then rebuilt in 1988 with an adjacent boat ramp.

Removing the dam will benefit the Gold Medal river’s fish – brown trout, rainbow trout and native white suckers – by opening about 85 miles of river upstream to fish migration. Barriers like the dam limit genetic diversity by essentially dividing the population into two segments. 

The ability of fish to move freely in a river also helps to prevent overpopulation by balancing the amount of habitat and forage with the number of fish it can support.

In addition, removal will eliminate a deadly threat to the thousands who boat on the Arkansas River each year. Water spilling over the dam churns at the bottom, creating a powerful suction that can capsize and trap boaters or swimmers.

“Removing this low-head dam will eliminate a significant safety concern for instream recreationists and will re-establish critical connectivity for aquatic species in the Arkansas River,” said April Estep, deputy regional manager of CPW’s Southeast Region. “CPW is excited to complete this important project and grateful to our partners, including the Chaffee County Board of County Commissioners, which provided $100,000 toward the $1.1 million removal effort.”

During the six-week closure, signs at access points will direct boaters, rafters and others traveling instream how to avoid the construction. River users are encouraged to CPW’s Salida-based Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) at 719-539-7289 for updates.

"This is a very popular stretch of water,” said Tom Waters, park manager for the AHRA, which encompasses 152 miles of the Arkansas River from Leadville to Pueblo. “It’s exciting to be reopening the river so that aquatic species that live in the river can again move freely up and down the river corridor.

“Even more important, it will provide safer passage for recreational users in this popular stretch of river. The environment, the river enthusiasts and the community will benefit from the removal of this low-head dam.”

The dam has not been used as a water supply for the fish hatchery since 2000 after whirling disease was detected in the Arkansas River a few years earlier. Whirling disease is caused by a parasite that infects rainbow trout, leaving them deformed and swimming in circles before it quickly kills the youngest fish. CPW spent $1.5 million at the hatchery to convert it to clean spring water to raise its fish.

Learn About Our New CTU STREAM Program Opportunities

We are excited to expand our STREAM Program offerings into a spectrum of river conservation, outdoor exploration, and angling STREAM programs. Traditionally CTU has been successful in hosting several STREAM Girl and STREAM Keeper program and we now have the ability to expand, adapt, and create unique STREAM programs to fit your TU Chapter area, Partner Organization, age demographic, diverse audience, and community. Check out our updated web pages below and our new program resources page.

We are also offering a STREAM Programs Rendezvous session on Saturday, Oct. 21st at 4 pm in Glenwood Springs on the Colorado River! Click here for more information about this session and others at our upcoming CTU Rendezvous.