What We Do
We assist the Board of County Commissioners of Pitkin County in administering the Healthy Rivers and Streams Fund Program and advise them on the expenditures and administration of the fund. We meet the third Thursday of every month at 4:00 pm.
Regular Meeting 3:30 pm, Thursday June 20th, at Avalanche Ranch 12863 Hwy 82 133 - Redstone, CO 81623
Click on the meetings tab above for more information.
Regular Meeting 3:30 pm, Thursday June 20th, at Avalanche Ranch 12863 Hwy 82 133 - Redstone, CO 81623
Click on the meetings tab above for more information.
Up The Creek
The Annual Fall Trout migration up Slaughterhouse Falls - Aspen, CO
The Annual Fall Trout migration up Slaughterhouse Falls - Aspen, CO
Press Release Crystal River
May 15, 2012
Washington, D.C. – American Rivers named the Crystal River amongAmerica’s Most Endangered Rivers® today, shining a national spotlight on the threat dams and water diversions pose to spectacular recreation and fish and wildlife habitat. “The America’s Most Endangered Rivers report is a call to action to save rivers that are facing a critical tipping point,” said Matt Rice, Colorado Conservation Director for American Rivers. “We all need healthy rivers for our drinking water, health, economy, and quality of life. We hope citizens will join us to ensure a healthy Crystal River for generations to come.” The Crystal River is threatened with a hydropower dam and 4,000 acre-foot reservoir between Redstone and Marble; a significant water diversion from Avalanche Creek, the largest tributary to the Crystal; and a hydropower dam and 5,000 acre-foot reservoir on Yank Creek, a tributary. These proposed projects will substantially degrade the river and the surrounding area. Fish, wildlife, and habitat will be diminished and the scenic qualities of the river valley -- along with recreation and related economic values -- will be degraded. American Rivers and its partners called on local water districts to reject the dam proposals and support federal Wild and Scenic River designation for the Crystal River, while embracing more efficient and cost-effective water supply solutions. “Our rivers and streams continue to be under assault from competing interests that too often do not consider the value intrinsic in the ecosystems that rivers and streams create, nurture, and sustain. If we are to preserve our rivers, public awareness of the threats and impending changes facing these ecosystems is essential,” said John Ely, an attorney for Pitkin County. “Our spectacular and untamed Crystal River deserves to be saved as a healthy, free-flowing and sustainable stream,” said Bill Jochems, with the Pitkin County Healthy Rivers and Streams Board. “As stewards of our fragile environment, each of us has a responsibility to preserve and protect our rivers, our lands, and our quality of life. The integrity of the Crystal River and the Crystal River Valley is our challenge. Working together, we can maintain the integrity of the wild, scenic and recreational qualities of the Crystal for today’s and future generations,” said Dorothea Farris, with the Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association. “As the Crystal tumbles down from the high peaks of the Maroon Bells Wilderness, its waters provide both humans and wild critters with the essence of life itself. Maintaining the free-flowing character of the Crystal is a must. We are determined to conserve this natural wonder and the life that depends upon its flows,” said Delia Malone, an ecologist with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program. The Crystal River provides essential habitat for fish and wildlife, beautiful vistas and recreation for visitors, and is one of the few remaining free-flowing streams in Colorado. Now in its 27th year, the annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® report is a list of rivers at a crossroads, where key decisions in the coming months will determine the rivers’ fates. Over the years, the report has helped spur many successes including the removal of outdated dams, the protection of rivers with Wild and Scenic designations, and the prevention of harmful development and pollution. |
Roaring Fork Watershed Plan
Visit the Roaring Fork Conservancy's webpage for plan documents www.roaringfork.org Opportunities for Water Conservation Report Released The research and recommendations presented in this report arose from the desire among local interests in the Roaring Fork Watershed to understand how water conservation efforts could be used to improve local streamflows. The report – completed by Roaring Fork Conservancy with funding from Garfield County and the Pitkin County Healthy Rivers and Streams Fund – has its origins in a commonly heard local question: “Why hasn’t Roaring Fork Conservancy engaged in a water conservation campaign to improve streamflows?” Generally, the reason has been because in Colorado water conservation raises a host of complicated legal issues, such as abandonment, waste, and potential injury to other water users. Yet such legal barriers do not change the fact that conservation efforts are likely to prove essential to ensuring adequate streamflows in the Roaring Fork Watershed. |
For information on our Protocol and Guidelines for Monetary Grant Awards, please click here. |
