Search results for “colorado river basin”

Voices from the River: A reincarnated trout?

Published in Voices from the river

Photo courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife. By Garrett Hanks Extinction, as the saying goes, is forever. Reincarnation? Let’s just say the jury is still out. But the case for rebirth grew significantly stronger over the summer when Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed the rediscovery of a native trout species long considered extinct. Thanks to a

Trying to keep a river from dying in Colorado

Published in Conservation

A brown trout caught during an electroshocking fish survey on the Big Cimarron River in Colorado. Trout Unlimited photo. By Cary Denison The Big Cimarron River shouldn’t go dry. This may seem like an obvious declaration about any trout stream. But the truth is, here in Colorado’s Gunnison Basin, and many other places in the

When one door closes another opens

Published in Conservation, Climate Change, Science, Women

A lot of college internships have been cancelled this year because of the global pandemic. Bryce Larson, a senior at University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, found herself in that boat but determined to explore her options. Her tenacity paid off by landing a Trout Unlimited summer internship working on a risk assessment for native Bonneville

Delaware River Basin Commission bans fracking in watershed

Published in Uncategorized, Advocacy

As infrastructure to support natural gas extraction expanded across the Appalachians over the past decade, the Delaware River Basin remained untouched as the group responsible for the coordinated management of the watershed considered the practice.  Now, after years of uncertainty, a vote by the Delaware River Basin Commission has formalized a ban on high-volume hydraulic fracturing — often called “fracking” — in the basin.  In a special business meeting on Feb. 25, 2021, commissioners

Upper Snake River Basin Multi-species Assessment

Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly Fishers identified potential Native Fish Conservation Areas (NFCAs) in the Upper Snake River Basin above Hells Canyon Dam. NFCAs are watersheds where management emphasizes proactive conservation and restoration for long-term persistence of native fish assemblages while allowing for compatible uses. This report describes the methods and results of

How TU defines success in the Klamath River basin

Published in Uncategorized

TU’s Tim Frahm swinging on the Klamath River near Weitchpec. The legendary Klamath River is the third most productive watershed for salmon and steelhead on the West Coast, after only the Columbia and Sacramento Rivers systems. The Klamath is also Ground Zero for one of the most challenging water conflicts in U.S. history. Trout Unlimited’s

Bureau of Reclamation Funds Trout Unlimited Projects Across the West 

Infrastructure funding for water quality and reclamation projects will also benefit trout and salmon    Contact: Sara Porterfield, Western Water Policy Advisor, Trout Unlimited, sara.porterfield@tu.org Drew YoungeDyke, National Communications Director, Trout Unlimited, drew.youngedyke@tu.org     ARLINGTON, Va.—The Department of the Interior this week announced over $51 million in watershed and river restoration projects through the Bureau

Hunters and Anglers Push for New National Monument in Colorado

The Dolores River offers world-class hunting and fishing opportunities but faces threats from industrial-scale mining, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and unmanaged recreation. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts:           Today, Trout Unlimited and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers launched Sportsmen for the Dolores, representing anglers and hunters across Colorado. The purpose of this coalition is to conserve fish and

Collaboration eases conflict in the Upper Colorado River drainage

Published in From the field, Featured

Editor’s note: Water in the West is at a defining moment with severe drought and climate change upending decades of management practices and creating the need to find common ground so all users can benefit. Read or listen to learn more about how conflict can lead to collaboration in the second installment of our Western Water 101

Collaboration and compromise restore trout almost lost in Colorado

Published in Travel

By pack mule and on foot, the Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife members went in to save the previously thought-to-be extinct lineage. Less than 100 individual trout were removed and taken to the Durango fish hatchery for safekeeping and possible brood stock development.

Voices from the River: ‘Bucket-fillers’ needed in Colorado

Published in Voices from the river

By Scott Willoughby Snow season has arrived in Colorado. For better or worse, this year it coincides with election season. It is, of course, for the better. Despite the grumblings of a few fair-weather fishermen uninterested in facing the cold, hard reality of an early winter, the sooner we can reestablish our snowpack on the

CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSED GUNNISON RIVER HYDOELECTRIC PROJECT LOSES ITS WATER RIGHTS

1/04/2005 For immediate release For more information: Drew Peternell 303-440-2937 CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSED GUNNISON RIVER HYDOELECTRIC PROJECT LOSES ITS WATER RIGHTS TU: AB Lateral Project would have damaged two watersheds in western Colorado Boulder, CO A proposed hydroelectric power project which could have taken more than 1,000 cfs of water from the Gunnison River has relinquished

Fish movement and life history

Tracking how and when fish move to different habitats, and the different biological strategies they use, lets us learn about their basic ecology and understand how to sustain and restore what they need to thrive. It also helps verify the success of our restoration work when we confirm that fish are accessing and using restored

Commission moves to formalize fracking prohibition in Delaware River basin

Published in Uncategorized

By Keith Curley The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) has begun a rulemaking process to protect one of our most valuable fisheries from the impacts of hydraulic fracturing, formalizing a de facto moratorium in place since 2010. Across the country, Trout Unlimited advocates for responsible energy development, which involves protecting the highest quality habitats and

Bringing the salmon home

Published in Dam Removal

On the border of Oregon and California, the largest dam removal ever attempted, anywhere on the planet, is underway on the Klamath River.

Colorado River Connectivity Channel Clears Final Federal Hurdle

Partners applaud decision allowing $30M river reconnection project to proceed FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 9, 2022 Contacts: Mely Whiting, Colorado Water Project Legal Counsel, 720-470-4758 Jeff Stahla, Public Information Officer, Northern Water, 970-622-2331 Ed Moyer, County Manager, Grand County, 970-531-7799 John Andrews, P.E., State Conservation Engineer, NRCS, 720-544-2834 DENVER, Colo.—The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Climate change research

Trout and salmon living in coldwater habitats are naturally vulnerable to a warming climate and related impacts such as increased wildfires and floods. Trout Unlimited scientists have studied how climate changes may influence native salmonid distributions, which trout and salmon populations are most vulnerable, and how we can help them adapt to a warmer and

‘Hunters and Anglers for CORE’ Cheer Reintroduction of Colorado Public Lands Legislation

Widely popular CORE Act would open miles of public fishing access and protect big game habitat Washington, DC (February 2, 2021)—Several of the nation’s leading sporting conservation groups are proclaiming their support for the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act introduced in both chambers of Congress today by Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper