Colorado River Update: A Flurry of Media About Our Work!

Hi Friends of the Colorado River!

IT’S HOT OUTSIDE — Supposed to hit 100 degrees today here in Fort Collins where our organization is based. Stay cool and hydrated — WATER is the magic elixir for both those needs.

At the exact same moment we are seeing record temperatures across the Colorado River basin, the supply of water is diminishing and the riverine ecosystems are suffering along with people and their communities. We’ve had a mad flurry of media hits in the last two weeks highlighting our work calling for common-sense solutions that protect the Colorado River and its ecosystem.

First, our boardmember, Daniel P. Beard, who was the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in the Clinton Administration, is highlighted in this article in the Salt Lake Tribune. Dan speaks about our policy supporting the decommissioning of Glen Canyon Dam, a facility that is not only not needed, it’s dragging the system down with it. There’s simply not enough water to keep both reservoirs and hydropower plants — at Mead and Powell — alive and working. That said, the current Bureau of Reclamation does not appear to be taking any steps toward letting go of Glen Canyon Dam. As we like to say, “Let go, or be dragged”, and the Bureau — so far — is getting dragged. You can read the story in the Salt Lake Tribune by clicking here.

Second, KJZZ public radio in Arizona covered us twice. One story is about our campaign — with Patagonia and Earthjustice — advocating against hydropower as “clean energy”. Not only does hydropower destroy rivers, ecosystems, and fish populations, many hydropower plants emit Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, sometimes as much as a coal-fired powerplant. Beneath the surface of the reservoir, organic material decomposes anaerobically and emits vast amounts of methane, a potent GHG. Read that story here.

The other KJZZ story covered our major campaign of “No New Dams and Diversions”. As crazy as it might seem when the river is collapsing, water agencies are proposing and trying to build another 20 new dams and diversions. Listen to that story here.

Third, Water Education Colorado also covered our “No New Dams and Diversions” campaign by highlighting the Gross Dam/Reservoir expansion ongoing in Boulder County, CO, as well as the Windy Gap Firming Project in Colorado. Both projects are currently being constructed. We fought to stop both projects for 10 years, but ultimately the Boulder County Commissioners cut a deal with Denver Water to allow the Gross Dam expansion to move forward. And, we lost in court in our effort to stop the Windy Gap Firming Project, although we did negotiate a deal to get $15 million for restoration and mitigation in the headwaters of the Colorado River in Grand County. Both projects are being built — which will take another 45,000 acre feet of water out of the Colorado River, on average, each year — while the Colorado River system collapses. Read that story here in Water Education Colorado.

We appreciate your support! We’re a small, aggressive, outside-the-mainstream river-protection organization. We rely mostly on individual donations as well as support from small foundations and companies, all of which allow us to be free thinking and independent, exactly the kind of organization that is most likely to make a consequential difference and push hard against the status quo.

The status quo on the Colorado River has led the system into complete doom and destruction. We offer positive and common-sense solutions that will turn the ship around for the betterment of human and non-human societies across the Southwest U.S.

You can donate online by clicking here!

Thank you!