The State of Colorado's Watersheds Report 2005

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local watershed reports New Executive Director This has been an exciting year for the Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC), largely thanks to our new executive director, Rick Lofaro. Rick has been with RFC for six years, wearing many hats, from Land Conservation Director to Water Quality Coordinator. Now as executive director, he is leading RFC in becoming a cohesive organization by increasing collaboration and developing a new program area: Water Resources. Accomplishments Water Resources • Worked with the Nature Conservancy to kick -off a Conservation Area Planning Process for the Watershed. • Continued work with the Colorado Water Trust and the Nature Conservancy on instream flow concerns in the Crystal and Upper Roaring Fork Rivers. This includes assisting in the donation of 1.2 cfs in the Crystal River through one of our conservation easements. • Received $74,436 in federally competitive grants to continue research regarding our Stream Flow Survey Project. • Provided input to the Colorado River Water Conservation District regarding management of trans- mountain diversions. Education • Provided more than 4,800 student contacts this school year in 15 schools. • Coordinated an eight -week, whole - school study of the Roaring Fork Watershed with the Aspen Community School. • Took more than 300 people down the lower Roaring Fork River during our 2004 & 2005 River Floats. • Launched our Riverside Walk series, which explored the natural history on four of our conservation easements. Land Conservation • Currently under contract or negotiating four additional conservation easements. • Established seven fishing access trails on our Cardiff Township and Blue Creek Ranch easements. • Improved upon last years' Emma Overlook Project by adding permanent binoculars to our We must plan for the future of all of our state's watersheds, and for the future of our state's water. interpretive bird overlook trail. Amended the Cattle Creek Confluence easement agreement to further protect the herons, which produced a record 57 fledglings this year. Water Quality • Re- activated two historic water quality sample stations and River Watch schools on Castle Creek and the Crystal River. • Publishing The State of the Watershed Report this fall. • Based on analysis of 24 water quality stations throughout our watershed, we were able to streamline our monitoring on sites indicating excellent water quality. This allows us to focus on streams or reaches of streams that are at high risk. Looking Ahead We are excited to move forward on a number of fronts. This year we launched our Adopt a Watershed Program, where donors can buy into a program area (e.g. adopt an acre or a watershed class). We are also a local partner in the Keep It Clean 'Cause We're All Downstream Educational Campaign, which broadens awareness on nonpoint source pollution to citizens. Additionally, we are working with the Ferdinand Hayden Chapter of Trout Unlimited on a Roaring Fork River tamarisk removal project this fall. Our mission inspires us to explore, value and protect our watershed. Yet, we are only a piece of a larger watershed puzzle. We must plan for the future of all of our state's watersheds, and for the future of our state's water.