Video, Podcasts, Links and More About Our Rivers
Why Cooperate With Water Diverters?
Please take a few minutes to watch The Colorado Headwaters Story. It’s a four-minute video segment from Colorado Trout Unlimited’s feature Decades. TU Chapter President Kirk Klancke makes clear why we have more successes for our rivers by cooperating with, rather than fighting, water diverters. Enjoy this video from Colorado Trout Unlimited.
Media Coverage of Fishing, Water, Climate, Environment
HEADWATERS RIVER JOURNEY SPEAKER SERIES
Human Impact on the Headwaters
Listen and learn as we continue our series addressing issues of water conservation and river preservation to raise awareness among the community, water ecology experts, and decision makers.
This talk by Kirk Klancke goes from the start of the Fraser River on top of Berthoud Pass. It is far above any human influence and because of this we can see what a pristine stream looks like. Kirk discusses the impacts that humans have as the river flows downstream and what these impacts mean to the river. We will follow the effects of the water down the Colorado River. Along the way we will discuss what actions have been taken to mitigate these negative impacts as well as what actions we can take.
Click the button below for the presentation. While you’re there, check out the other wonderful presentations that have been recorded at the Headwaters Center
Windy Gap Bypass
Windy Gap as it exists is a reservoir that disrupts the flow of the entire Colorado River just downstream from Granby. Fish and macro-invertebrates (the bugs that fish feed on) are unable to get past the dam that forms Wind Gap Reservoir. TU, Grand County, Northern Water and others have participated in setting in motion construction of a bypass that will re-connect the Colorado at Windy Gap. Learn more about this exciting achievement in this three-minute video .
HEADWATERS OVERVIEW PODCAST
Interested in a great background overview of the challenges the headwaters face? Check out a great podcast from late March 2021 by Kirk Klancke. Lots of excellent information about the history of water diversion in Grand County and the efforts to improve our dire situation.
Learning by doing
LBD is one of the best tools we’ve found to make real progress in healing our rivers. TU, along with other environmental groups, Grand County government, Denver Water, Northern Water and others are working together to make help heal our rivers. Read the excellent LBD Newsletter.
21ST-CENTURY CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS
Dating back almost ninety years, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill creating the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), to create new jobs focused on mitigating the effects humans had on our environment. Now, as we march forward in the 21st-century, it is time to make new improvements to this old law. This summer Joe Neguse introduced the 21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Jobs Act, which would provide $40 billion in funding to hire young people for public lands projects, fire mitigation, the outdoor industry and other projects. As climate change continues to be one of the most important issues facing our planet, it is important to make the necessary strides to combat this global crisis. This bill would help employ thousands, while preparing for the effects of climate change.
You can read more about our legislation in a recent article from Colorado Public Radio. The passage of this important bill will provide Coloradans much needed job security and create a cleaner future!
Racial Justice And Climate Justice Are Connected
Read or listen to a summer 2020 feature on Colorado Public Radio recording on the intersection between these two hot political topics. The feature includes comments from local TU Chapter president, Kirk Klancke.
TU Film
Enjoy the 19 minute film, Decades, celebrating 50 years of Colorado Trout Unlimited! About half way through the film, there’s a discussion of the progress we’ve made right here in Grand County.
Other News Sources We Like
Caring For Kids at Home? Check out the delightful online water-related kid-friendly material from WET (Water Education Today).
The Colorado River District has a great website with lots of wonderful, current water information. The River District’s July 2020 Newsletter has great discussions of important topics. This issue’s topics include the impact of Colorado’s budget cuts on water, discussion of the move to vote on repealing the Gallagher Amendment, a hydrology update, Watersmart Grant discussion and more.
Water Education Colorado is a non-partisan non-profit dedicated to keeping us in touch with recent water-related developments in our state. An article published on April 16, 2020 highlights the documented impact from a warming climate in our region on our rivers. Learn about policy changes, government bills relating to water speculation, drought status and much more. They update articles on their website many times each month. Click here to go to their website.
KUNC is the Northern Colorado Public Radio station based in Greeley. They have an excellent reporter, Luke Runyon, who focuses on the environment with an emphasis on water. A recent series is titled Cash Flows, How Investors Are Banking On The West’s Water Scarcity. We also encourage you to search their website for terms like “water,” “Fraser River” and “Colorado River” for more content. You can listen or read the text.
Audubon’s Western Water Project has absolutely excellent articles on the importance of water and rivers in the west. They have an entire section devoted to the Colorado basin. Obviously, their focus skews toward birds rather than fish, but they have a deep understanding of the interconnected web of life. They also have the staff and funding to dig into important issues and are not afraid to call out any leader who ignores the environment.
