Mission:

To lead in the protection, conservation, use, and development of the water resources of the Colorado River basin for the welfare of the District, and to safeguard for Colorado all waters of the Colorado River to which the state is entitled.


It's now legal to catch a raindrop in Colorado (But read the fine print)
For the first time since territorial days, rain will be free for the catching here, as more and more thirsty states part ways with one of the most entrenched codes of the West. Precipitation, every last drop or flake, was assigned ownership from the moment it fell in many Western states, making scofflaws of people who scooped rainfall from their own gutters....Now two new laws in Colorado will allow many people to collect rainwater legally.
-From The New York Times-

Note: the matter is not as simple as it seems. Residents not connected to municipal water systems can harvest rainwater from up to 3,000 square feet of roof tops, provided they get a permit from the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Also: see this fact sheet from the DWR. Applications may be submitted beginning July 1.

For those on municipal systems, House Bill 1129 establishes 10 pilot projects for new developments. Details can be found in the legislation. Bottom line: if you get water from a municipal system, don't go out and buy a rain barrel just yet.

"Dust in the Wind and Other Winds of Change"
Save the Date
The Colorado River District's Annual Water Seminar is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, at the Two Rivers Convention Center in Grand Junction, Colo. The cost is $25, lunch included. Speakers and panels will discuss Colorado River operations by the Bureau of Reclamation in the Lower Basin and this year's unusually intense winter dust storm phenomenon and early runoff. We also expect to hear from a new high ranking member of the Obama administration's Department of Interior. More is yet to come. Look for registration information in the coming weeks.

Once again, our event coincides with the very popular Colorado Mountain Winefest at Palisade (http://www.coloradowinefest.com/). This makes securing lodging challenging in the Grand Valley. For attendees' convenience, the Colorado River District has blocked a number of rooms for Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Hampton Inn, adjacent to the Two Rivers Convention Center.

Hotel contact information: (Must call, do not book online)
Hampton Inn, 205 Main Street, Grand Junction, CO  81501
970-243-3222
Room Block listed under "Colorado River District"  The rate is $149 per room and will be held, while availability lasts, or until August 21st.
If tax exemption status applicable, seminar attendee must mention that at the time they make their reservation.

For more information about the Annual Water Seminar, contact Jim Pokrandt, Colorado River District, 970-945-8522 x 236; e-mail .

Expect challenging holiday waters for fishing
Some days you get the bear, other times the bruin spoils the most important outdoor holiday of the year. For those who link their July 4 fishing fortunes to clear-flowing streams with easy wading and trout rising eagerly to snatch insects, guess what this season will bring. High flowing and less than clear waters.....
-From The Denver Post-

Yampa River flowing 3 times faster than normal
Last Saturday afternoon seemed like the perfect opportunity to float the Yampa River for one Craig man and his friends. However, he didn’t plan on being pinned up against a log in the middle of the river, unable to get free.... As of Monday, the river was flowing at 3,000 cubic feet per second, more than three times the average for this time of year.
-From The Craig Daily Press

Volunteers needed for Colorado State University precipitation monitoring network
From Grand Junction to Limon, Trinidad to Wellington, volunteers who monitor precipitation across Colorado - through Colorado State University - are making a difference. Rain, hail and snow amounts can vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and block to block, so scientists are beginning to rely on consistent data collected by volunteers, said Nolan Doesken, state climatologist at Colorado State University.

"Scientists are increasingly relying on our volunteers to help us figure out what parts of the state may experience flooding and who may suffer from drought," Doesken said. "And with major variations in weather even in one small region, we need as many volunteers as we can get." To join, go to the CoCoRaHS website at http://cocorahs.org/ and click the "Join CoCoRaHS" button or call (970) 491-1196. Volunteer training is available.

Colorado River District and the Southwest District discuss "Compact Water Bank"
June 5, 2009
The boards of the Colorado River District and its sister water conservation district, the Southwest District, met in Durango yesterday in a rare joint meeting to review progress on a planned water bank designed to address the potential impacts of an interstate compact call on Colorado River water users. Together both districts cover the entire Colorado River watershed in Colorado.

Tom Iseman reviewed work he and The Nature Conservancy conducted for the two districts on a conceptual plan for a "Compact Water Bank." This concept is intended to minimize the risk and impacts of an interstate curtailment of water use if the four upper states of the Colorado River basin fail to meet the water deliver requirements of the 1922 Colorado River Compact. The Colorado River has never experienced an interstate compact call; however, mindful of development of new water uses, potential for climate change, and inevitable drought cycles, the two boards consider planning for a possible curtailment critical.
-Full Press Release-

Water gap an enigma for Colorado Water Conservation Board
How do you fill a bucket of water when you can't see where it's coming from or find out where it's leaking? That's the dilemma the Colorado Water Conservation Board attempted to tackle during a workshop Monday at the Pueblo Convention Center. The state water board is looking at a few big water projects, new ways to share water and conservation as ways to address the impending gap between future municipal water supplies and identified projects to meet the gap.
-Coverage in The Pueblo Chieftain-

Wolford Mountain Reservoir boat docks open May 1
Inspections for mussels are mandatory for 2009; Northern pike $20 incentive continues
WOLFORD MOUNTAIN RESERVOIR -- The boat ramp at this popular recreation area in Grand County opens May 1. Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Boat owners will find an important new procedure at the launch area - mandatory boat and trailer inspections for mussel contamination.
-Full press release-

The Colorado River District Board of Directors has released its 2008 annual report.
Published copies are available by calling 970-945-8522 or by e-mailing edinfo@crwcd.org.
To download a pdf version, click here.
Access to 2008 and previous annual reports.

How low will it go? Colorado may face a dry and difficult future of fighting for water

Eric Kuhn is not the person you'd expect to deliver ominous revelations about Colorado's future. Kuhn runs the Colorado River Water Conservation District, which represents 15 counties on the state's Western Slope. Compared to some of Colorado's other water agencies, the River District leads a relatively low-profile existence on one floor of a small office building in the mountain town of Glenwood Springs. The district has 23 employees, a dog-friendly office policy and a vehicle fleet composed mainly of Subarus, all of which gives the enterprise the folksy charm of an REI catalog.
-Coverage in The High Country News-