The New Fall 2024 Issue of High Country Angler is Live!

Your new Fall 2024 issue of

High Country Angler is here!

Check out the Fall 2024 issue of High Country Angler e-zine, including these stories:

• Landon Mayer with Getting Lined Up

• Jeff Ditsworth with A Tribute to My Dad

• Brian La Rue with Texas Intercoastal Redfish

• Colorado TU Staff with Good News for Abandoned Mine Restoration

• Hayden Mellsop with Into The Flattops

• Other columns by Barbara Luneau, CTU Staff, Peter Stitcher, and Joel Evans

September Currents Newsletter

This month’s issue of currents features Fall Rendezvous, Denver Fur Ban, CTU Fall Raffle, and More!

Denver Fur Ban Initiative a Threat to Fishing

Colorado TU is urging its members and supporters in the City and County of Denver to vote no on Initiated Ordinance 308 this year, the proposed Denver Fur Ban. While farming of fur bearing animals and sale of luxury fur apparel are not coldwater conservation issues, the proposed fur ban is written broadly and vaguely enough that it puts at risk the purchase or sale of fly tying materials and many flies and lures. That poses a threat to our fishing and tying members in Denver, and to our business partners in the fishing industry.

Those industry members are not just important in sustaining angling, they are stalwarts in funding fish conservation. The fishing industry many years ago agreed to federal excise taxes that are charged on all fishing tackle items sold in the U.S., with the proceeds from those taxes earmarked for grants to state fish and wildlife agencies to support their fishery management programs. The program, popularly known as Dingell-Johnson, is a critical source of funding for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and its peer agencies across the country. Every time an angler purchases a rod, a reel, and yes, a fly or fly tying materials – a part of that purchase helps fund conservation through grants to those state agencies.

Unfortunately, under initiated ordinance 308, it appears that sale and purchase of flies, lures, or fly tying materials including animal fur would be prohibited in Denver – including delivery to a Denver address from retailers located outside of the city. If 308 passes – Denver anglers will no longer be able to purchase those flies and lures, or materials with which to tie them at home, within the City and County of Denver.

Other groups beyond the fly fishing community have expressed concern about the effects of 308 due to its broad and vague wording, including the National Western Stock Show (where exhibitors sell items that include fur, such as traditional cowboy hats); and tribal interests who note that 308’s exemptions for tribal cultural purposes are narrowly written and would not apply to the majority of Native Americans.

While the measure would apply only in the City and County of Denver, Colorado TU encourages members across the state to take note as proponents of the fur ban have previously voiced their interest in using passage of a ban in Denver as a stepping stone to seeking a similar statewide initiative.

If you live in Denver – VOTE NO on Initiated Ordinance 308!

Sig and Relay Creeks Passage Project Completed

Trout Unlimited (TU), in partnership with the San Juan National Forest (SJNF) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), recently completed the Sig and Relay Creeks Aquatic Organismal Passage (AOP) project; it was successful due to the effective teamwork of these organizations as well as the commitment and dedication of the contractor, Medved Global.

The AOP effort replaced existing culverts with structures that allow all aquatic organisms to access upstream reaches of each tributary. This work is part of the Hermosa Creek Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT) Reintroduction effort and was listed as a project in the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area Plan legislation, signed in 2018.  CPW and the SJNF have worked to reestablish a genetically pure CRCT population in the Hermosa Watershed.  

“Between the two culverts, approximately 1.5 miles of new habitat will be available for cutthroat trout located downstream, which is significant because Sig and Relay Creeks regularly provide more water to the watershed than East Fork Hermosa during low flow periods.” Clay Kampf, Supervisory Aquatic Biologist, San Juan NF             

The CRCT populations in the greater Hermosa drainage are experiencing a substantial rebound due to over 35 years of effort. Past endeavors dating to the 1990s included the construction of fish barriers to prevent upstream migration of non-native trout species and widespread habitat improvements. Decades of accomplishments were headlined by and in partnership with the San Juan National Forest, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and Trout Unlimited Five Rivers Chapter.

Sources

USDA Forest Service Partnership Peaks, Winter 2023. “Connecting Habitat for Cutthroat Trout”; Abe Proffitt- SJNF Partnership Coordinator

Durango Herald, August 23, 2024- “Part of Hermosa Park Road closes through September 13”; Reuben Schafir- Herald Staff Writer

RSC Supporters Tour Colorado River Connectivity Channel

On the weekend of September 14, a group of Colorado TU’s River Stewardship Council (RSC) donors joined CTU staff and a representative from Northern Water for a weekend of fishing and a tour of the Colorado River Connectivity Channel, informally known as the Windy Gap Bypass.

When Windy Gap Reservoir was constructed in the 1980s, it began a steady decline in fish and bug life downstream. Impacts of the dam included blocking fish passage and eliminating the natural movement of stream bed materials (gravel, cobbles) needed to keep spawning and macroinvertebrate habitat healthy. When Northern Water proposed its Windy Gap Firming Project to expand its use of Windy Gap water rights, they agreed to assess how a “bypass” channel might be built and if it could be expected to mitigate those historic impacts from the original dam. A few years and many millions of dollars later, the Connectivity Channel is now a reality, thanks to collaboration among Northern Water, Trout Unlimited, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Grand County, and the Colorado River District, the Upper Colorado River Alliance, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

The project included building a large new berm to decrease the reservoir’s footprint, opening up floodplain area to construct a connecting channel around the reservoir capable of passing water, fish and sediment, thereby reconnecting the upstream and downstream segments of the Colorado River.  Construction activities began summer of 2022 and are currently wrapping up.

The Connectivity Channel is an impressive reach of water, with pool-riffle sequences and habitat structure included to help provide quality habitat for fish and for the bug life that sustains them. The Channel will also provide approximately a new mile of river fishing access on its upper portion when it opens for angling use, likely in 2027 – once the channel and riparian areas have had opportunity to stabilize. Approximately six years later, nearly another mile of access will open up on the downstream portion of the channel under an agreement with downstream landowners.

The tour of this project was part of a weekend gathering for members of Colorado TU’s flagship donor society, the River Stewardship Council, members of whom contribute $1000 or more to support Colorado TU’s work each year. Along with the project tour, attendees enjoyed a half-day of fishing on private waters along the Fraser and Ranch Creek, a visit to the Headwaters River Journey museum in Winter Park, and a group dinner and social. Similar tours are organized each year for RSC donors to fish and see work that CTU donor support helps make possible.

EcoFlight Over Proposed Dolores National Monument

Last week, TU staff, along with staff from Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and members of the press, flew above the deep canyons and mesas surrounding the Dolores River in this remote area of the Western Slope, which is one of the most important concentrations of biodiversity and wild public lands in the US. The region lies within the ancestral lands of the Ute people, and includes many cultural sites and sacred areas.  

Conservationists, community members, and other stakeholders are coming together to find solutions to protect the whole Dolores River Canyon Country, from McPhee Dam to the Utah state line. In the southern part of the region, decades of collaborative work have resulted in the introduction of legislation to create a 68,000-acre National Conservation Area. We applaud Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper for their continued efforts to advance these protections. We must continue to advocate for passage of this bill in Congress to ensure adequate protection for the natural resources on the Lower Dolores in Montezuma, Dolores, and San Miguel Counties. 

To complement the protections in the south, Trout Unlimited and its partners are also advocating for protection of the northern region to help preserve uniquely biodiverse lands, wildlife, water resources, and a sustainable future for local communities. The area surrounding the Upper Dolores River is home to high-elevation cutthroat trout streams and quality habitat for big game species like elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep.  

In this time of skyrocketing recreation and increased threats from development and climate change, the time is now to permanently conserve the Dolores Canyons. Learn more by visiting the Sportsmen for the Dolores website and let decisionmakers know that you support protections for the Dolores Canyons 

Restoration Work Completed on Butcherknife Creek

Youth at Steamboat Springs schools will benefit from restoration work completed right by their elementary and middle school on Butcherknife Creek, a stream that serves as an outdoor classroom that can be used in teaching science and math while also connecting kids with their home watershed. The project was spearheaded through the Yampa Valley Stream Improvement Charitable Trust with support from the Yampa Valley Fly Fishers Chapter of TU, and a Colorado Rivers Fund grant from Colorado TU.

Watch the full video:

August 2024 Currents

This month’s issue of currents features US Senate Passes Bipartisan Good Samaritan Legislation, Securing Future for High Quality Waters, Blue River Restoration, and More!

Colorado Secures Future for Some of Our Highest Quality Waters

On August 21, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission unanimously approved the designation of approximately 385 miles across 15 rivers and streams in the Upper and Lower Colorado, Eagle, Yampa, and Roaring Fork River basins as Outstanding Waters. The decision came after many months of local effort by Colorado TU and conservation partners with other statewide and regional groups, working together as the Colorado River Basin Outstanding Waters Coalition. The new designations will help maintain high-quality conditions in important watersheds that provide habitat for wild and native trout, support Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy, and provide high-quality sources of drinking water for our communities.

An Outstanding Waters designation protects existing higher-quality waterways for the environment, wildlife, and people by safeguarding them from future degradation, including pollution from development, mining, oil and gas extraction, and other uses when they seek state permits. While statewide water quality standards set a floor below which polluters should not impair water quality, Outstanding Waters designations go further and can protect existing conditions in watersheds with water quality that is better than those minimum standards, rather than allowing them to be degraded down to the lowest common denominator. These protections do not affect existing uses in the watershed, which may continue if they do not degrade existing water quality.

Advocates worked extensively across the state to collect required baseline data on the candidate streams, and to gain broad support for the designation. This included conducting outreach to groups, including local, state, and federal government entities, water rights holders, water districts, water providers and interests, businesses, land managers, and landowners.

As part of the Outstanding Waters campaign, Colorado Trout Unlimited staff and volunteers with the Grand Valley Anglers chapter helped gather data on East Fork Parachute Creek – a stream on which TU has a long history of conservation engagement.  The stream is home to a restored population of native trout atop the Roan Plateau.  In past years, Colorado TU and Grand Valley Anglers volunteers have engaged in projects on the Roan, on both the East Fork Parachute Creek and in the nearby Trapper Creek watershed. TU efforts have included installing a fish barrier to assist with native trout recovery, conducting fencing and planting projects to improve riparian conditions, and advocating for responsible limitations on oil and gas development to prevent harm to the Roan’s outstanding fish and wildlife resources.

Restoring the Blue River: A Collaborative Effort to Revitalize Aquatic Habitat

The Blue River Habitat Restoration Project is a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the aquatic environment of the Blue River in Summit County, Colorado. This project will restore nearly 3 miles of the blue, including a reach from below Dillon Dam through the town of Silverthorne and a second reach downstream to the USFS Blue River Campground.

Led by the Blue River Watershed Group (BRWG) in partnership with the Town of Silverthorne, Trout Unlimited, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service Dillon Ranger District, the project focuses on improving the physical conditions of the river to better support aquatic life.

Key project highlights include narrowing the low-flow channel, enhancing pool habitats, replacing outdated drop structures with constructed riffles, stabilizing channel banks, and adding vegetation and wood to critical areas. Additionally, the project will improve trail access to the river and work closely with the Town of Silverthorne to incorporate water quality improvements along the riverbanks.

This collaborative effort is set to make a lasting impact on the health of the Blue River, ensuring it remains a vibrant habitat for years to come.