26th annual Fryingpan and Beyond River Cleanup - April 22-27, 2024
(Basalt, CO) - It’s time for spring cleaning and the rivers of the Roaring Fork Valley need your help!
Roaring Fork Conservancy and local partners launch drought resiliency project
Farmers and ranchers in the Roaring Fork Valley are coping with the effects of prolonged drought. Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC) recognizes the value and complexities of local agriculture. To this end, RFC is partnering with several producers, Lotic Hydrological consulting, and Pitkin County Open Space to explore opportunities of enhancing the resilience of ranching operations in the Roaring Fork Valley in times of water shortage. The project team is interested in identifying means for mitigating against the impacts of drought on productivity in mid- to high-elevation grass pastures and hay fields—the dominant agricultural land use in the Roaring Fork Valley. The study will work to identify field-scale treatments that can be used to minimize (or eliminate) reductions in crop yields and forage quality that are expected in times of limited water supply.
Roaring Fork Conservancy honored with a 2023 Award for Excellence in Environmental Education
The Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) awarded Roaring Fork Conservancy’s Watershed PenPal Program with a 2023 Innovative Environmental Education Program Award. Recipients of the 2023 Awards for Excellence in Environmental Education were recognized on Friday, September 29, 2023 at CSU Spur in Denver as part of CAEE’s Annual Advancing Environmental Education Conference.
Weekly Snowpack and River Report
April 25, 2024 -
Summary:
During the past two weeks, hot, sunny, and windy weather has caused snow water equivalent (SWE) to significantly decrease at every SNOTEL site in the Roaring Fork Watershed, bringing snowpack to 86% of normal for this time of year. The most notable SWE decreases were at McClure Pass (10.3” decrease), Nast Lake (9.2” decrease), North Lost Trail (9.1” decrease), and Schofield Pass (6.8” decrease). These sites range from 8,700-10,700 ft. in elevation, indicating that snowmelt is underway at both low and high elevations. Consequently, local rivers that were flowing mostly below average a week ago are now flowing well above average (141-169% of normal).