Join us in Steamboat Springs on Tuesday August 19th for River in Motion—a celebration of the community collaborations that help keep the Yampa River flowing strong!

Tickets are limited, so make sure to register for this great event here. 

What: An educational event featuring the many organizations that work together to boost flows on the Yampa
Who: This event is open to the public—bring your friends and family!
Where: Art Depot, downtown Steamboat Springs
When: Tuesday August 19th, 5-6:30pm at the Art Depot, with happy hour at Mountain Tap to follow

This event is being co-hosted by Colorado Water Trust and the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District.

Speakers include: 

• Kent Vertrees – Moderator
• Julie Baxter – City of Steamboat Springs
• Blake Mamich – Colorado Water Trust
• Holly Kirkpatrick & Andy Rossi – Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District
• Anna Mauss – Colorado Water Conservation Board
• Jackie Brown – Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association
• Brian Romig – Department of Water Resources
• Greg Hamilton – Yampa Valley Community Foundation
• Mike Robertson – Yampa River Fund
• Jennifer Wellman – The Nature Conservancy
• Dylan Roberts – Colorado State Senator
• Hunter Causey – Colorado River District

Please email Barrett at bdonovan@coloradowatertrust.org with any questions. We hope to see you soon!

Curious to learn more? Here’s some background information on the project we’ll be discussing:  

Reservoir releases near Steamboat Springs, Colorado benefit multiple water users and the environment during periods of low flow in the Yampa River.

In the summer of 2012, the Yampa River saw critically low flows due to drought, threatening the health of the river and forcing the City of Steamboat Springs to close the river to all fishing and recreation. Colorado Water Trust engaged in an emergency response effort with the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District and the Colorado Water Conservation Board to address the needs of the river.

As the first ever short-term lease of water to the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Instream Flow Program, this project leased water from Stagecoach Reservoir to support streamflow, aquatic habitat, and temperature mitigation. The released water also indirectly benefits hydropower generation, and recreation. The success of that first short-term lease led to annual efforts to boost flows in the Yampa by releasing water out of Stagecoach using various legal tools. In 2021, a new 10-year contract was signed to release water to the river that included a lease to Instream Flow that can used in 5 out of 10 years. The Instream Flow lease can also be renewed twice, allowing environmental releases to bolster flows in the Yampa River for up to 15 out of 30 years if needed.

At times, the water from this project accounts for over half of the water in the Yampa River from Stagecoach through the City of Steamboat Springs.

This project is made possible by over 13 project partners, many of whom you’ll hear from during River in Motion.

Learn more here.