August 21, 2024
COLORADO SPRINGS – Today, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission unanimously approved the designation of approximately 385 miles across 15 rivers and streams in the Upper and Lower Colorado, Eagle, Yampa, and Roaring Fork River basins as Outstanding Waters. The decision was celebrated by landowners, community members, anglers, recreation groups, and conservation organizations.
Outstanding Waters designations are determined by the state through the authority granted to them by the Colorado Water Quality Control Act and Clean Water Act. An Outstanding Waters designation protects existing high-quality waterways for the environment, wildlife, and people by safeguarding waterways from future degradation, including pollution from development, mining, oil and gas extraction, and other uses. The designation also preserves drinking water and the state’s robust recreation economy. These protections do not affect existing uses in the watershed, which may continue if they do not degrade existing water quality.
Advocates have worked extensively across the state to gain broad support for the designation. This included conducting outreach to groups, including local, state, and federal government entities, water rights holders, water districts, water providers and interests, businesses, land managers, and landowners.
As communities across Colorado face drought, wildfire, development, and other water quality stressors, including the ongoing effects of climate change, protection of these pristine waters is critical for generations to come. These new water quality protections are a promising start to ensure communities’ ability to be more resilient to climate change, and to boost ecosystem health and recreational opportunities in Colorado. While these designations are a reason to celebrate, Colorado has many other streams with exceptional water quality that need protection.
Today’s decision was celebrated by members of the Colorado River Basin Outstanding Waters Coalition:
“This Outstanding Waters designation provides timely and lasting protection to some of Colorado’s most deserving streams. Roaring Fork Conservancy is very pleased to have been part of this great collaborative effort, which included thousands of hours of work over two years by the 11 partners that make up the Colorado River Basin Outstanding Waters Coalition. The commission’s ruling provides these high-quality streams with the protections necessary to maintain ecological and recreational values for future generations.” – Chad Rudow, Water Quality Program Manager, Roaring Fork Conservancy
“The Outstanding Waters designation is crucial to protect Colorado’s highest quality streams. These waters are central to our way of life, providing clean drinking water to our communities, supporting irreplaceable fish and wildlife habitat, sustaining farms and ranches, and supporting outdoor recreation.” – Orla Bannan, Policy Manager for State Policy and Engagement, Western Resource Advocates
“Clean water is essential to a thriving Yampa River Basin. Visitors and residents count on these streams and rivers to fish, paddle, tube, and relax. The Outstanding Waters designation will help layer protections to these increasingly threatened resources. Anyone who loves the Yampa Valley knows the importance of the Yampa River and its tributaries, and it’s time for the protections to match that.” – Jenny Frithsen, Environmental Program Manager, Friends of the Yampa
“The high-quality waters flowing through the streams protected today are vital to the recreational opportunities on classic boating, floating and fishing reaches in the Colorado, Yampa, Roaring Fork, and Eagle River basins.
This is why river recreationists from across Colorado asked the Water Quality Control Commission to protect these streams this June. We are pleased their decision will ensure that all who enjoy these beautiful streams will be able to enjoy them in their pristine condition for years to come.” – Hattie Johnson, Restoration Director for Southern Rockies Program, American Whitewater
“We commend the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission’s decision to designate 15 rivers and streams in the Upper and Lower Colorado, Eagle, Yampa, and Roaring Fork river basins as Outstanding Waters. Outstanding Waters designations are critical to preserving Colorado’s water quality, ecosystem health, wildlife, and exceptional recreational value for generations to come.
Pew joins Colorado communities and partners in thanking the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. We also applaud the Colorado River Basin Outstanding Waters Coalition’s engagement with state and federal agencies, water users, local businesses, private landowners, and many others to build widespread support for protecting some of Colorado’s highest-quality waters.” – Carrie Sandstedt, Senior Officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts
Media Contact:
Caitlin Weber, 505-372-4937, caitlin.weber@westernresources.org
About The Colorado River Basin Outstanding Waters Coalition
The Colorado River Basin Outstanding Waters Coalition (CRBOWC) is comprised of American Rivers, American Whitewater, Audubon Rockies, Colorado Trout Unlimited, Eagle River Coalition (previously Eagle River Watershed Council), Friends of the Yampa, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Roaring Fork Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, Western Resource Advocates, and Wilderness Workshop, which have a common goal of safeguarding clean water in Colorado. The CRBOWC proposed Outstanding Water (OW) designations to protect the outstanding waters of the Upper and Lower Colorado, Roaring Fork, Eagle, and Yampa river basins.
