The original Roaring Fork Watershed Plan is the product of over four years of effort by more than a hundred people, representing dozens of agencies, governments, and interests throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. The Plan is the culmination of countless meetings, conversations, debates, and iterations, all of them aimed at creating a document that will be meaningful and useful to both water managers and the general public.
In 2018, with funding from Pitkin County Healthy Rivers Board, RFC and Ruedi Water and Power Authority (RWAPA) brought many entities from the original group together at a Watershed Summit to discuss individual and collective achievements from the Plan, and create momentum for the future. An Executive Summary and Update were published in 2019. Each entity involved in the plan has received a "Quick Guide" that highlights actions they have committed to participating in now, or in the future. In addition, the Roaring Fork Watershed Interactive Tool provides a one stop shop to learn about all aspects of the watershed, including the Plan.
Why do we need a Watershed Plan? Water is one of our most precious natural resources and one which can readily be physically removed from the watershed by transmountain diversion. Local water resources are also threatened by global climate change, pollution from both natural and man-made sources and overuse.
Benefits of a Watershed Plan
- A structure for continued input from and dialogue between all stakeholders
- Improved community understanding, interest, and leadership in watershed issues.
- Encouragement of partnerships to identify and fund mutually beneficial projects.
- Efficient use of financial resources and effective use of agency and organizational personnel.
- Protection of riparian and aquatic resources
- Provides available watershed information and data to all stakeholders
- Collaboration on applications for major grants
- Collaboration on public outreach and education efforts
- Provides a mechanism to transfer information
2012 WATERSHED PLAN DOCUMENTS:
2008 State of Roaring Fork Watershed Report
2008 Phase II Guidance Document: Why the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan Matters
2010 Phase II Guidance Document: Illuminating the Way Ahead
2011 Fostering Implementation of the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan Report
2011 Fostering Implementation of the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan, Presentation
2011 Front Range Water Supply Planning Update
2012 Opportunities for Water Conservation Report
