Birds at Risk Along the Colorado River

September 27, 2017 In the arid West, we often hear how the Colorado River supports people–it provides drinking water to nearly 40 million people in seven states, irrigates 5.5 million acres of farmland and ranches, supports 16 million jobs, and has an annual economic impact of $1.4 trillion. We also hear…

Current Efforts in Cutthroat Trout Conservation

October 31, 2017 For decades, it was accepted that Colorado’s native cutthroat trout could be distinguished by their location:  Greenbacks were east of the Continental Divide; Colorado River and Rio Grande cutthroat were in their namesake watersheds; and yellowfin were extinct from Twin Lakes.  In 2007, however, through the use…

Where does all the traction sand go on Vail Pass?

January 23, 2018 The arrival of snow means traffic on I-70 over Vail Pass bustles with skiers and visitors to and from the Front Range, with cars braving storms and bumper-to-bumper traffic in search of a powder day. Without the help of traction sand or de-icers, our ability to constantly…

River Voices

This time of year, the theme of love is in the air. This Valentine’s Day, the Watershed Council wanted to give Eagle County locals the chance to write a love note to something often underappreciated–our rivers and streams! Hear from them on why they love our rivers: To me, our…

Beavers: An Untapped Water Source?

Beavers are second only to humans in their ability to change a landscape. Some of us admire that ability, others aren’t exactly fans. Love them or hate them, beavers may play a huge role in helping us to meet our growing water supply needs in the arid West. Prior to…