New Report Documents Colorado Rivers and Streams Under "Stress"

A Dry Legacy, a new report released by Trout Unlimited (TU) analyses the challenges of maintaining healthy rivers and streams in a semi-arid state like Colorado. The report draws attention to the adverse impacts that low water flows have by highlighting 10 case studies (Cache la Poudre, Snomass Creek, Colorado, South Boulder Creek, San Miguel, La Plata River, Bear Creek, South Arkansas River, North Fork of the Gunnison, and Conejos).

“This report makes clear the dire circumstances of many of Colorado’s rivers and streams. The extreme low flows in many of these rivers have serious environmental and economic effects. Native fish populations are at risk and sports fisheries are unable to support healthy populations. Even recreational river users can be impacted,” said Environmental Defense Rocky Mountain Office director Daniel Luecke.

The TU report also points to several approaches that can help protect water flows needed to maintain vibrant and healthy rivers in Colorado. They include municipal and agricultural conservation, better enforcement of laws protecting instream flows, increasing the number of instream flow rights, and recognition of water rights for National Parks and other important federal land.

“The more liberal use of markets to allocate and protect the state’s waters could add a degree of flexibility to state water law, making it possible to keep water in rivers for fish habitat and for recreation. Colorado must do a better job, as a community of water users, not competitors, to make state water laws more effective before the problem gets worse,” said Luecke.

Scott Ingvoldstad 303 440-4901

Dan Luecke 303 440-4901