Not enough water to go around: the Colorado River Basin

This is a repost from the CBS News 60 minutes segment all about the Colorado River. The Colorado River has been hitting record low volume as seven states and 30 Native American tribes lying in the Colorado River Basin prepare to make hard choices as water levels plummet due to a 22-year drought. Bill Whitaker reports. Check out the full video segment below.

Repost from: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/colorado-river-water-level-60-minutes-video-2021-10-24/

This is why it's so important to be involved in Colorado's Water Plan, as the Basin Implementation Plans are being updated and we need YOUR input right now thru Nov. 15. It’s time to make your voice heard: What do you think needs to happen in your local watershed for the health of your local rivers, the environment, and water supply?

TAKE ACTION

Trout and Water Temperature: When it's time for a break

Colorado is seeing some intense heat and arid conditions, so we wanted to share this graphic we made of when it's time to give trout a break! Water temperatures tell us so much about the conditions of a fishing spot and how the fish will be reacting. Once you reach past 68 degrees F, mortality chances increase, even with proper catch-and-release. A water thermometer is a cheap and easy tool to add to your fishing gear for your next outing.

Looking for a high-rez version to print or share with friends? No problem, we have multiple formats below that you are welcome to download.

• High Resolution PDF (English)

• High Resolution PDF (Español)

• High Resolution JPG (English)

• High Resolution JPG (Español)

• High Resolution JPG (English and Celsius)

• High Resolution JPG (Español and Celsius)

  • Please note that we rounded the conversion of 18.3333°C to 18.3°C

In the News

Read our article in High Country Angler, Drought Threatens Western Colorado Fisheries written by Ken Neubecker, featuring the CTU Trout Water Thermometer here.

Check Colorado’s Fishing Conditions here.

Check CPW’s Voluntary and Mandatory Fishing Closures here.

Voluntary fishing closures across the state

Headwaters of the Roaring Fork River. Wikimedia Commons

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has issued voluntary fishing closures across Colorado. This is in response to the low flows and high temperatures many of our rivers have been experiencing. When stressful conditions like these are present, trout are more likely to not survive after catch-and-release, even if done properly. 

If you have not yet seen the warnings about fishing when the water temperatures are above 65 degrees, check out our Trout Thermometer to know when it's time to give the fish a break. 

CPW will not legally enforce the voluntary closures, but simply ask anglers to plan on going earlier in the day or try other locations.

Voluntary Closures after 12pm

• Tomichi Creek at the Tomichi Creek State Wildlife Area and on the Animas River from 12pm -7pm
• Rio Grande River after 12pm
• Read more about some of the voluntary closures from Grand Junction's Daily Sentinel. 

Voluntary Closures Between 2 p.m. and Midnight

• Eagle River fm Wolcott downstream to its confluence with the Colorado River

• Colorado River from State Bridge downstream to Rifle

• Crystal River from Avalanche Creek downstream to its confluence with the Roaring Fork Rive

• Roaring Fork River from Carbondale downstream to its confluence with the Colorado Rive

• The north fork of White River at the National Forest boundary, through the main stem of the river to the County Road 5 bridge, downstream of the Rio Blanco Lake State Wildlife Area

• The south fork of the White River from the National Forest boundary thorough the main stem of the river to the County Road 5 bridge, downstream of the Rio Blanco Lake State Wildlife Area

• Fraser River from Grand County Road 8 in Fraser, downstream through the towns of Tabernash and Granby to confluence with the Colorado River near Windy Gap Reservoir

• Colorado River from the confluence with the Fraser River near Windy ap Reservoir downstream to its confluence with the

Read the full voluntary fishing closures in Northwest Colorado press releas

Full-time Voluntary Closures

• Yampa River, from Chuck Lewis State Wildlife Area to western Steamboat Springs city limits

Closures NO LONGER in Effect

• A mandatory fishing closure in place at the tailwater of the Yampa River has been rescinded (see 7/19/18 news release).

CPW regularly updates their fishing conditions online here. So be sure to check before you head out on your fishing excursion. 

Still need more information? Contact your local CPW office. 

Doom and Gloom, but what can I do?

Drought is plaguing most of Colorado and pretty much everywhere in the southwest. Every summer, it feels like we are saying the same thing and warning everyone about not enough snowpack melt, low flows and warming waters. Whether you are a native, transplant, or visitor to this great state - we can all do something to make a difference in conserving our scarce water sources. 

Most of these ideas are easy to do, while some take practice. Even just adopting one strategy to conserve water, can make a difference. Feel free to leave a comment about your ideas as well!

1. When brushing your teeth or shaving try not to the let faucet run. Need water? Fill up the sink instead to rinse your razor and turn off the faucet between brushing.

2. Most dishwashers do not require any pre-rinsing, especially if they are relatively new. Instead, scrape off any food (preferably into compost) then run the cycle when the dishwasher is full. Some dishwashers even have a "water saver" cycle you can try.

3. Are you still rinsing your produce under the faucet? Try filling a bowl or tub to rinse them in and reuse the water on your houseplants or garden outside. 

4. Try using a broom to clean off sidewalks, driveways, patios, or decks instead of the hose.

5. Tired of mowing the lawn? Check out xeriscaping alternatives to replace or reduce the amount of grass in your yard. If you do need to mow, keep the trim length minimal to reduce evaporation and increase soil moisture retention which will reduce your need to water it. Having longer grass will help it grow a stronger root system and increase it's drought and pest tolerance.

6. Are you still trout fishing when the water is climbing above 65 degrees? Giving fish a break can increase their chances of surviving during this stressful time. Check out our handy water temperature thermometer for trout.

There are plenty of ways to conserve water in the west and with the rise of energy and resource saving standards in our appliances and home systems, it's becoming easier and easier to use less water without even thinking about it. If you are interested in learning more about the innovative ideas out there regarding water conservation, check out the links below. Colorado's rivers and the trout that live in them will thank you!

Resources & Other Water Saving Tips

Water Conservation in the Home

Rain Barrels in Colorado 

What is greywater? How is it used?

Greywater Opt-in Colorado Legislation

Water Conservation across Colorado

Xeriscaping in Colorado: Budgeting, Design, How to

Free Xeriscaping Plans & Plant Suggestions

5 tips for fishing the drought

Water temperatures are important to monitor when fishing in the summer. Trout are a coldwater species and therefore respond negatively to warming waters. Need more information about fishing, stream flows. rigging, and locations? Check out our "Go Fish" page.

This winter was certainly a tough one for Colorado. Whether you fish small creeks in the high country, irrigate your crops on the Western Slope, or water your lawn in central Denver, we will all be feeling the impacts of the low-water year. According to the latest SNOWTEL analysis offered by the NRCS National Water and Climate Center the percentage of snow-water equivalent (SWE) in Colorado currently ranges from 5% to 44% of normal. While it is true that hydrologic conditions can differ from drainage to drainage – with some areas seeing minimal impact from the low snow totals – overall,

Colorado will see less water in the creeks and rivers this year. Anglers, irrigators, ranchers, municipalities, and recreationalists will all feel the pain this summer, but we are not the only ones. Low flows and hotter days can have serious impacts on fish. With less water and warmer temperatures, the dissolved oxygen content within a stream reach can fluctuate significantly – meaning less holding capacity for fish and bugs. These tough conditions can also affect spawning, migration, and recovery (for example, after being released off the hook).

As anglers, we wait all winter to chase trout during the warmer seasons, but how can we pursue that goal and not over-stress our fisheries? We reached out to our fly shop partners around Colorado and posed that very question:

State Drought Monitor website.

The Tips

The fish and wildlife will continue to adapt to these changing conditions, but we can certainly do our part to help them adjust. Take this year as an opportunity to explore new watersheds, improve your handling practices, and better understand your local streams. If you have questions about when and where to fish, you can always ask your local fly shop. 

CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION

• Trout Tips: Fly Fishing Lakes and Deeper Water

• CPW offers fishing in reservoirs to avoid the warming streams

• Picking the right time to fish in Durango, CO

• San Luis Valley Chapter asks for voluntary fishing restrictions

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About the Author

Dan Omasta is the Grassroots Coordinator for Colorado Trout Unlimited, overseeing 24 chapters across the state. 

What's in a drought? That which we call a drought.

Rafters enjoy floating down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Boating down the Colorado River below Havasu Creek in Grand Canyon National Park. NPS photo by Mark Lellouch.

A report published by the Colorado River Research Group takes a look at the word "drought" and why it might be time to retire its usage based on the data seen from the Colorado River Basin.

“Drought: a period of dryness especially when prolonged; specifically : one that causes extensive damage to crops or prevents their successful growth”

— Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Water is a hot commodity for ranchers across Colorado.

A sign advertising a water sale sits on a farm outside Del Norte, Colorado. Luke Runyon / HARVEST PUBLIC MEDIA

According to that definition, a drought refers to a period of time which would mean there is a beginning and a foreseeable end. What we are noticing in Colorado is a drought that seems to have no end. That's why scientists from Arizona, Utah, California, Colorado, and Michigan are starting to label the changes we have seen in the Colorado River Basin as aridification. It's true that the word does not share the same one-syllable punch that drought delivers, but the research groups says that it better defines what is happening to the area.

“aridification: the gradual change of a region from a wetter to a drier climate, often measured as the reduction of average soil moisture content”

— Merriam-Webster Dictionary

A riverbed dried up along the Rio Grande.

What this study suggests is that the years upon years of weather patterns we have seen in Colorado are pointing to a larger trend that is simply more than just a temporary drought or warming. If you are interested in learning more, you can read the full report with the link below. As always, what do you think? Is it time to start calling a spade a spade?

Other topics addressed in the report include: 

• Measuring the likelihood of future megadroughts in terms of low soil moisture
• What studies say about the "dust on snow" phenomenon
• What are two possible new normals based on climate models, trends, and Colorado population demand and growth

Read the Full Report here: 

When is Drought Not a Drought?  Drought, Aridification, and the "New Normal" (March 2018) 

P.S. Did you catch the Shakespeare reference?