This month’s issue features a story about the history of a Colorado town that decided it needed to give itself a new identity. The newsletter also includes a new Behind the Fin feature, our 50th Anniversary Art Poster Contest Winner, the new High Country Angler Spring e-magazine, Fork Not Taken Recap, Clean Water Action alert and some upcoming events around the state.
The irreplaceable river: How George H.W. Bush's EPA administrator saved the South Platte
South Platte/Deckers Flyfisher. 2019 Picture by: Annie Smith/CTU
REPOST from the Gazette:
By: Paul Klee | Mar 4, 2019
Thank you, William K. Reilly.
Thank you for saving our river from drowning.
Reilly, now 79, is the former Environmental Protection Agency administrator who vetoed the Two Forks project that in 1990 sought to dam the South Platte upstream from the one stop sign in the mountain town of Deckers.
“It was all systems go,” Reilly said last week, and the 20 miles of irreplaceable trout habitat where hundreds of kids like me learned to fly fish would be nothing more than a sad bedtime story.
This fragile, world-class trout fishery would have been flooded below the 615-foot Two Forks dam, a structure roughly the size of Hoover Dam. Twenty-five miles southwest of Denver and 42 miles northwest from Colorado Springs, six towns and a priceless outdoor recreation area would have been washed away.
So thank you.
“How’s the river doing, anyway?” Reilly asked before his keynote speech for Colorado Trout Unlimited’s annual River Stewardship Gala here Thursday.
Really well, considering. The Hayman fire was rough on everybody, and the trout populations are gradually returning. But here’s the real catch: At least this stretch of river still exists.
Thanks to Reilly.
As Reilly told it from his home in San Francisco, the Two Forks dam was “a foregone conclusion from every angle” when the late George H.W. Bush hired him as head of the EPA in 1989.
“You don’t bring the World Wildlife president into the EPA to just sit there. You want drive, action,” Reilly said. “I was determined in my authority to make him the environmental president.”
Continue reading the full story on the Gazette here.
Calling all River Enthusiasts: This is your sneak peek!
The Colorado TU River Stewardship Gala is the largest celebration of Colorado’s rivers and world-class fishing opportunities. In 2018, nearly 400 guests helped to raise over $100,000 for Colorado TU’s conservation efforts throughout the state. Funds from the River Stewardship Gala go towards CTU’s work in youth education, protecting statewide instream flows and temperature, reintroducing and protecting native trout, and preserving and restoring the state’s fisheries and their watersheds.
This year, Colorado TU is celebrating its 50th anniversary and we will be honoring William Reilly, the former EPA Administrator who vetoed Two Forks Dam and helped spawn new, more collaborative approaches to water management, with the 2019 River Stewardship Award. Join us at the Gala and support our work for healthy rivers and fish in Colorado! (P.S. Tickets have sold out over the past 3 years!)
Auction Sneak Peek
50th Anniversary Custom Sarabella Rod and Abel Reel
This year’s gala will be featuring a one-of-a-kind custom Colorado Trout Unlimited 50th anniversary SaraBella Fishing rod and custom 50th anniversary Abel reel - two Colorado companies partnering with Colorado TU to celebrate 50 years of protecting rivers! This custom 9’ 6 weight fly rod featuring a curvy grip, natural finish, native juniper reel seat, a blue to green body, custom silver 50th CTU logo and tagline, and a fighting butt to land all those trophy fish in style. (see in pictures above)
Fly Fishing Adventure of a Lifetime in New Zealand
New Zealand is famed for its beauty and the quality of fly fishing you can enjoy! This package for two includes five days of guided fly fishing – one of which is a helicopter trip into remote New Zealand backcountry – with seven nights accommodations, breakfast and lunch provided daily, and roundtrip airfare from San Francisco to New Zealand. This is the fly fishing adventure you’ve been waiting for! www.distantwatersnz.com
Want to getaway in March? Distant Waters has one spot open on an amazing New Zealand fly fishing adventure. The trip starts March 6th, 2019 and is discounted exclusively for Colorado TU supporters. Learn more here.
Fish and Stay along Montana’s Fabled Madison River!
Situated on the banks of the Madison River just 3 miles north of Ennis, Montana, anglers are offered unparalleled access to all the best blue-ribbon fly fishing in southwestern Montana. This getaway for 2 includes luxury accommodations for 2 nights, delicious meals including streamside lunch and gourmet dinners, and a full day of guided fishing on the Madison. The lucky winner of this trip will be “just a cast away” from their finest Montana fishing experience ever! www.madisonvalleyranch.com
Experience a true Colorado Dude Ranch
Enjoy an unforgettable Colorado guest ranch experience at Lost Valley Ranch! The winner of this all-inclusive Dude Ranch Vacation package will enjoy a weekend getaway for 2, including lodging, meals, and a variety of outdoor activities. Nestled among the beauty of Pike National Forest and just 70 miles southwest of Denver, Lost Valley Ranch is a great place to escape for a fun-filled weekend! www.lostvalleyranch.com
But wait, there’s more:
6-day, 5-night float trip for 2 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon from Middle Fork Adventures
"A Diamond Takes Shape Slowly" – framed artist print by Judy Haas of Telluride
A 3-day, 2-night stay at the Flat Tops Wilderness Camp plus guided fishing for 2 from Ripple Creek Lodge
Full-day walk/wade for 2 on your favorite Southwestern Colorado river with Duranglers
Green River gear bag and Thunderhead submersible backpack from Fishpond
Full-day walk/wade for 2 on waters near Sheridan, Wyoming with Rock Creek Anglers
Bring three of your friends and brew your own beer with Horse and Dragon Brewing
Two nights lodging in a Breckenridge condo plus a float fishing trip on a private put-in on the Colorado River from Mountain Angler
