The Colorado River Waterkeeper Network
The Waterkeeper Alliance is the fastest growing water protection organization in the world with 330 Waterkeepers in 35 countries and 6 continents. Waterkeepers speak for and protect their local waterway from threats of dams and diversions, pollution from myriad sources, climate change, and an increasing litany of environmental problems. Waterkeepers are a grassroots force and front-line voice willing to do whatever it takes to keep clean and healthy rivers and waterways protected for future generations of people as well as the non-human species that depend on clean and flowing waterways for survival.
The Colorado River Waterkeeper Network’s objective is to help develop and support more Waterkeepers and Affiliates in the Colorado River basin to help protect and restore the watershed. The Network:
- Works with Waterkeeper Alliance staff and current basin-wide Waterkeepers to find and develop new Waterkeepers and Affiliates in the basin so that each tributary is eventually protected by a Waterkeeper. Dozens and dozens of rivers and streams that are tributary to the Colorado River currently do not have a Waterkeeper and may be good candidates.
- Helps coordinate efforts of individual Waterkeepers and Affiliates so they are connected with the broader Network and the Waterkeeper Alliance.
- Provides assistance to Waterkeepers and Affiliates in the Network including:
- Communications assistance
- Information and education about threats
- News updates
- Connections to potential funding sources
- Coordination with Waterkeeper Alliance regional and national staff for support services
Waterkeepers in and connected to the Colorado River Watershed
The Colorado River basin currently has eight Waterkeepers (or Affiliates) inside the basin:
- Colorado Riverkeeper in Moab, UT
- Las Vegas Water Defender, a Waterkeeper Affiliate in Las Vegas, NV
- Green River Action Project, a Waterkeeper Affiliate in Vernal, UT
- Upper Green River Network, WY
- Animas Riverkeeper in Durango, CO
- Roaring Fork Riverkeeper in Aspen, CO
- Black Mesa Waterkeeper in Kykotsmovi, Arizona
- Friends of the Santa Cruz River, a Waterkeeper Affiliate in Tubac, AZ
In addition, the basin currently has eight Waterkeepers (or Affiliates) that are connected to the river because its water is piped, diverted and imported to these watersheds including:
- Poudre Waterkeeper in Fort Collins, CO
- Boulder Creek Waterkeeper Affiliate in Boulder, CO
- San Diego Coastkeeper in San Diego, CA
- Orange County Coastkeeper in Huntington Beach, CA
- Inland Empire Waterkeeper in Riverside, CA
- Los Angeles Waterkeeper in Santa Monica, CA
- Ventura Coastkeeper in Ventura, CA
- Tijuana Waterkeeper in Tijuana, Mexico
Network Administration
The Colorado River Waterkeeper Network is a a program of Save The Colorado and the Colorado Riverkeeper, which are both free-standing 501c3 organizations based in Fort Collins and Moab, respectively. The Network works under the fiscal agency of Save The Colorado. Gary Wockner of Save The Colorado, and John Weisheit of Colorado Riverkeeper, jointly administer the Network.
Contact information:
Gary Wockner: 970-218-8310, gary(at)savethecolorado.org
John Weisheit: 435-259-1063, john(at)livingrivers.org
If you are interested in joining the Waterkeeper Alliance in the Colorado River basin, please contact us and visit the Waterkeeper Alliance Affiliate webpage!