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Current projects |
The Blue River Watershed Group facilitates Community-led projects backed by scientific research to promote, protect, and restore the Blue River and surrounding lands
watershed planning Projects
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Integrated Water Management Plan:
BRWG has partnered with Trout Unlimited to create an Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP) for the Blue River Watershed, that will provides a roadmap for future water use, restoration projects, and other solutions to the issues that currently threaten the health of the watershed. The IWMP will guide the strategic direction of BRWG for the next several years and provides the scientific backbone for the new Blue River Habitat Restoration Project. You can read more about the IWMP here. Blue River Habitat Restoration Project:
The Blue River Habitat Restoration Project (BRHRP) was created to restore the riparian ecosystem below the Dillon Dam after the Blue River lost its Gold Medal status in 2016. The loss of this status pointed to greater threats causing a significant decline in ecosystem health. The BRHRP is the result of the scientific findings from the IWMP and will address many of the issues threatening the health of the Blue River. This project will revive the health of the Blue River and work to restore Gold Medal Waters status, as well as provide enhanced recreational opportunities to the community and ensure the sustainability of this incredible resource. Learn more about the BRHRP here! |
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Wildfire Ready Watershed:
Across Colorado, local communities and stakeholders are proactively developing Wildfire Ready Action Plans (WRAPs) to identify key infrastructure and assets that may be at risk from wildfire related impacts to the watershed. These plans include recommendations for both pre and post-fire actions intended to minimize disruptions to the watershed from flooding and debris flow and impacts to aquatic habitat.
BRWG is leading the development of WRAPs for the Blue River watershed to ensure that wildfire threats to our community are clearly identified and that action-ready recommendations are supplied to stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
Across Colorado, local communities and stakeholders are proactively developing Wildfire Ready Action Plans (WRAPs) to identify key infrastructure and assets that may be at risk from wildfire related impacts to the watershed. These plans include recommendations for both pre and post-fire actions intended to minimize disruptions to the watershed from flooding and debris flow and impacts to aquatic habitat.
BRWG is leading the development of WRAPs for the Blue River watershed to ensure that wildfire threats to our community are clearly identified and that action-ready recommendations are supplied to stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
restoration PRojects
Swan River Restoration:
BRWG is currently working with Summit County Open Space and others to restore a section of the Swan River near Breckenridge that was heavily affected by dredge mining. The first phase of this project, reaches A and B, were completed in 2021 and are now experiencing an influx of returning wildlife and native plants. The second half of the project will reconnect the North, Middle, and South Fork of the Swan River for the first time in over a hundred years when dredge mining and the tailing piles left behind disrupted the natural streamflow. The next stage of this project will begin in 2024 and reaches C and D will also benefit from reclaimed habitat and stream connectivity completing this incredible restoration project. Click here to read more about this ongoing project.
BRWG is currently working with Summit County Open Space and others to restore a section of the Swan River near Breckenridge that was heavily affected by dredge mining. The first phase of this project, reaches A and B, were completed in 2021 and are now experiencing an influx of returning wildlife and native plants. The second half of the project will reconnect the North, Middle, and South Fork of the Swan River for the first time in over a hundred years when dredge mining and the tailing piles left behind disrupted the natural streamflow. The next stage of this project will begin in 2024 and reaches C and D will also benefit from reclaimed habitat and stream connectivity completing this incredible restoration project. Click here to read more about this ongoing project.
Native Cutthroat Trout Preservation Project:
The goals of this project on the North Fork of the Swan River include; replacing existing, inadequate non-native exclusion structures to prevent non-native fish species including other trout from negatively affecting native Cutthroat populations; restoring and maintain a self-sustaining native trout fishery and create habitat for a diversity of native wildlife; and increasing the native trout population by allowing natural migration and recolonization of the North Fork of the Swan River without detrimental influx of non-natives.
The goals of this project on the North Fork of the Swan River include; replacing existing, inadequate non-native exclusion structures to prevent non-native fish species including other trout from negatively affecting native Cutthroat populations; restoring and maintain a self-sustaining native trout fishery and create habitat for a diversity of native wildlife; and increasing the native trout population by allowing natural migration and recolonization of the North Fork of the Swan River without detrimental influx of non-natives.
Community education and Engagement ProjectsSummit County Outdoor Coalition:
Blue River Watershed Group along with Friends of the Lower Blue River and Summit County Sustainability have partnered to support the formation of the Summit County Outdoor Coalition. This partnership is part of the Regional Partnership Initiatives with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO). The goal of the coalition is to manage the impacts of growth in and support ecosystem health in a changing climate. Learn more about the coalition here. State Of the River Presentations: The State of the River is a series of presentations that provides an opportunity for our stakeholders to learn more about water allocation, the outlook for our rivers, and how the Colorado River District and Blue River Watershed Group are working to protect the Blue River. This years SOTR features experts presenting on current water projects, water allocation and use, as well as local water issues that impact our community. Citizen Science: This project provides an opportunity for local community members to get involved with help understanding the baselines water quality measurements and their fluctuations over time. These important data points provide us with the tools we need to make informed decisions about streamflow allocations, water temperature and salinity fluctuations, and how reduced flows on the Blue River due to transbasin diversions and water allocations affect aquatic life. River Watch: Working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife's River Watch Program, Blue River Watershed Group staff, volunteers, and student-collected data contributes to a state-wide water quality database. With this information, coordinated management practices are implemented and specific water quality concerns are addressed. Concentration of metals, water hardness, alkalinity, PH, and nutrient loads are monitored monthly as they vary by location and season Working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife's River Watch Program, Blue River Watershed Group staff, volunteers, and student-collected data contributes to a state-wide water quality database. With this information, coordinated management practices are implemented and specific water quality concerns are addressed. Volunteer Opportunities: We host several opportunities for volunteers throughout the year in addition to our Citizen Science program. Noxious/non-native weed pulls, native willow plantings, helping BRWG with community events and educational presentations, and our annual River Cleanup Festival. How you can help: We can't protect the watershed alone, so community engagement is critical to achieving our mission. BRWG is available to present on the issues and challenges that affect our watershed and what steps our community can take to protect our watershed. If you have an event that you would like us to present at, get in touch at [email protected]. |
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You can view a list of all completed BRWG projects including work on Ten Mile Creek and the Snake River here.
Header photo courtesy of Bill Linfield.
Functioning natural streams are beneficial to all Coloradans because they provide clean water for farms and cities as well as broad-based public safety and ecological services. These include forest and watershed health, wildfire mitigation and recovery, flood safety and water quality, recreation, and riparian habitats.
