Roaring Fork Conservancy and local partners launch drought resiliency project
Farmers and ranchers in the Roaring Fork Valley are coping with the effects of prolonged drought. Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC) recognizes the value and complexities of local agriculture. To this end, RFC is partnering with several producers, Lotic Hydrological consulting, and Pitkin County Open Space to explore opportunities of enhancing the resilience of ranching operations in the Roaring Fork Valley in times of water shortage. The project team is interested in identifying means for mitigating against the impacts of drought on productivity in mid- to high-elevation grass pastures and hay fields—the dominant agricultural land use in the Roaring Fork Valley. The study will work to identify field-scale treatments that can be used to minimize (or eliminate) reductions in crop yields and forage quality that are expected in times of limited water supply.
Roaring Fork Conservancy honored with a 2023 Award for Excellence in Environmental Education
The Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) awarded Roaring Fork Conservancy’s Watershed PenPal Program with a 2023 Innovative Environmental Education Program Award. Recipients of the 2023 Awards for Excellence in Environmental Education were recognized on Friday, September 29, 2023 at CSU Spur in Denver as part of CAEE’s Annual Advancing Environmental Education Conference.
Weekly Snowpack and River Report
July 11, 2024 -
Summary:
With snowmelt season ended and hot and dry conditions persisting since the start of July, stream flows are decreasing rapidly across the Roaring Fork Watershed. Flows on the Roaring Fork River in Glenwood Springs and the Crystal River in Redstone more than halved over the past week, and rivers across the watershed are flowing mostly below average (52-103% of normal for this time of year). Additionally, releases from Ruedi Reservoir have decreased 330 cfs over the past week, bringing flows on the Lower Fryingpan River to 168 cfs. With river levels decreasing towards summer baseflow and temperatures forecasted to continue climbing, now is great time to be thinking about indoor and outdoor water conservation. Find out more at www.roaringfork.org/your-watershed/water-conservation/reel-in-water-use/.
