From the CTU President

Mission Accomplished: Part 2

by Sharon Lance

As we begin a new year, I am very proud of our position as the leader in coldwater conservation in our beautiful state. With over 10,000 members and growing, we will continue to protect our water, one of our most valuable resources.

In order to do this, we will continue our partnership with the Colorado Watershed Network and/or Riverwatch. Hopefully, we will be expanding this program to include every chapter that chooses to help. Joe Snoy has been working very hard to help us obtain money for this important challenge.

Colorado has 170,000 miles of streams and less than 35% have ever been monitored for water quality. Our TU volunteers are collecting metal, nutrient, and macroinvertebrate samples throughout the year for analysis. Volunteers are also implementing a program of pH, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, stream discharge and physical habitat analysis. The data is stored on an internet server and can be accessed by anyone. By collecting water samples, we can utilize this data to educate the public and inform decision makers about the condition of Colorado’s water.

We are also starting the first annual CTU River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp at Ouray Ranch near Granby from June 18th to the 23rd. Sixteen students from the ages of 14 to 18 will be chosen from an essay they have written and they will be nominated from a chapter of TU. The curriculum will include ecology, aquatic biology, riparian corridor protection, watershed management and, of course, fly fishing!! After the camp, they will also be responsible for heading up a watershed project, in conjunction with the chapter that sponsored them, to repair the habitat in a stream.

In order to continue and further these, as well as other projects, we need your help. Please come to our annual conservation auction on Thursday, March 16th at the Donald Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Center. Doors open at 5:30. We are taking donations now. We hope you can come and bring a friend with you.

Sharon Lance
President, Colorado Trout Unlimited

About The Author
Sharon Lance is President of Colorado Trout Unlimited, and a self-proclaimed “fly fishing addict.” For more about CTU, visit www.cotrout.org.