The Town of Mt. Crested Butte Passes New Landscaping Code Ordinance
On March 19th the Town of Mt. Crested Butte voted to pass an outdoor landscaping code ordinance that will help their community grow with less water. The new code encourages keeping mountain meadows intact, reducing the amount of irrigated turf, and plants that use less water and are drought tolerant. HCCA has worked on drafting this code with the Town and SJC Landscape Architects for several years to get it just right. Way to go, Mt. CB!
Sargents mine pollution raises worries
A mining company plans to propose that water quality standards on a creek near Sargents be lowered, a move that could allow more radioactive material to enter the Gunnison River watershed.
Draining the Forests
About half of Western water supply originates on national forest land. But before that water reaches the West’s major cities or great rivers, much of it has already been claimed.
GMUG draft revision reexamines Wild and Scenic eligibility
The GMUG forest plan revision process is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to influence how the USFS manages a huge chunk of Colorado’s public lands. The GMUG has in it 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, some of which wind through the Western Slope’s most remote landscapes. Yet the Forest Service is considering less than 4% of those miles as eligible for protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
Union Park Stewardship Projects Update
Last fall our intrepid volunteers headed out in the field to harvest and plant willow stakes as part of a restoration project on a heavily eroded stream crossing in Union Park. We planted stakes along banks reconstructed with willow plugs and wads. We also did some experimental plantings with leftover willow stakes to determine if the soil up above the floodplain could support new growth.
Attention Boaters, Anglers, and Water Rats: Wild & Scenic River Comments Needed
During the forest planning process, the public has the opportunity to weigh in on the unique qualities of our local creeks and rivers and to comment on whether certain segments are eligible for inclusion in the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System.
Sampling Outstanding Waters
Our work takes us to beautiful places! Fall means that our staff get to sneak outside for stewardship projects and to collect data demonstrating that special protections are warranted for some of our favorite ecosystems. Protecting our streams requires that we collect data to demonstrate that these streams meet Colorado’s highest designation for water quality protections.
Oh-Be-Joyful Kayak Race
On the weekend of June 5, High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) held the Oh-Be-Joyful Kayak Race, drawing both local and professional kayakers to the event. Pro kayaker Rush Sturges took home the 1st place trophy while local kayaking legend Rob Dickinson was ceremoniously allowed to wear the infamous “Boof” belt buckle for going big on the iconic 23-foot waterfall (see photo).
HCCA on KBUT
Please take a moment to listen to this great interview from KBUT with our Water Program Director, Julie Nania, and Board President, Sue Navy.