projects

Colorado - In an effort to protect what little water is left in the Upper Colorado River, Grand County has filed for two Recreational In-Channel Diversion water rights in district court.  These rights are associated with two whitewater parks on the Colorado River. American Whitewater has worked with Grand County over the past three years to develop tools to protect river health, and provide a range of boating opportunities. These rights are part of a suite of protective measures we hope to unveil later in 2011.

Due to the current weather predictions, the US Army Corps of Engineers has cancelled the public meeting scheduled for Summit County (December 8). The meeting will be rescheduled for January 2010. Stay tuned for meeting anouncement.

The US Army Corps of Engineers has added a public hearing on the Moffat Collection Project.  Date: December 8, 2009  Location: Keystone Conference Center (0633 Tennis Club Road, Keystone, CO, 80435)  Time: Open House 4:00 pm; Public Hearing begins at 6:00 pm

To meet their projected future water needs, Denver Water proposes to develop 18,000 acre-feet per year of new water from the Upper Colorado River basin.  Denver Water's  prefered project, currently being evaluated by the Army Coprs of Engineers (ACOE), includes raising Gross Reservoir on South Boulder Creek in Boulder County to store an additional 72,000 acre-feet of water from the Fraser River and Upper Colorado basin.

AW is evaluating how severely the project will impact paddling opportunities in the Upper Colorado and Boulder Creek drainages.

For more info, attend one of three public hearings announced by the ACOE.

  Since 2007, American Whitewater has negotiated with various state agencies and urban water providers intent on developing new management criteria for the headwaters of the Colorado River, that threaten to allow water providers to nearly dry-up the river without protecting instream flows necessary for fish, wildlife, and outdoor enthusiasts. For two years, American Whitewater has been the lone recreation voice in these negotiations, and we have had measurable success protecting the Colorado River.

An alternative to Wild and Scenic River Management is currently being developed for the Upper Colorado River, that would provide water for growing populations in Colorado, while permanently protecting the iconic river's threatened fish and wildlife habitat, riparian systems, and the world class whitewater from Gore Canyon to Glenwood Canyon. American Whitewater is working to ensure that environmental and recreational flow needs are protected under the new management alternative.