Rocky Mountain Canoe Club

Conservation notes to RMCC members

May, 2019

From Lynne Carpenter, Trip Master RMCC

Good evening all!

To see this as a Google doc (it may be easier to read) please go here. This first informational email has a LOT of information and events; subsequent emails will be smaller.

Please find information that may be of interest to you as a club member and/or as a member of the paddling community below.

RMCC club events:

Note: “RMCC club events” are also on our website and calendar. I am only including instructor certification classes and free classes in this listing, except for RMCC hosted classes. There are a multitude of boating classes throughout Colorado.

Other classes

  • Online: Swiftwater Awareness course: Lynne note: I took this class – the first module is probably good for new boaters to learn the river terminology (such as “river left” “pillow” “hole” etc.). The second module is more first-responder swiftwater related. Overall a pretty basic class. The class is free. Takes about an hour.
  • May 27 – 31 (Salida, CO) ACA SwiftWater Rescue Instructor Certification Workshop. $500.00. This is a five day intensive clinic for river runners who wish to become ACA certified L2 to L4 Swiftwater Rescue instructors. Located at the Canyon River Instruction campus and Arkansas River near Salida, CO. Instructor Trainer: Tommy Gram of Whitewater Attainment. Please contact CRI for more information.
  • June 2nd – 6th (Salida, CO) ACA Raft Instructor Certification Workshop. $500.00. This is a five day intensive clinic for skilled rafters who wish to become ACA certified L4 Raft instructors. Both whitewater rowing and paddle rafting disciplines are covered in this course. Located at the Canyon River Instruction campus and Arkansas River near Salida, CO. Instructor Trainer: Elisha McArthur. Please contact CRI for more information.

Conservation activities throughout Colorado (and nearby):

Upcoming events of interest:

Ongoing / Current

  • Current, ongoing (Denver, CO): Metropolitan State University of Denver is offering a new Water Studies Online Certificate to provide training and skills relevant to careers in water studies, conservation, agriculture, construction, engineering, and law. From lifelong learners who want to know more about water preservation to those working in green and sustainable professions, this unique certificate provides introductory level training and skills relevant to a wide range of fields in the nonprofit, corporate, and public sectors, including water industries, conservation, agriculture, construction, engineering, and law. Find out more HERE.
  • Current: Estes Valley Watershed Council is looking for new board members interested in protecting and improving the Estes Valley Watersheds.  If you are interested, please click HERE to fill out our Contact Form on the Get Involved page.

May

  • May 2 7pm (Buena Vista, CO) Healthy Headwaters: The Importance of Small Streams and Wetlands. Central Colorado Conservancy. Mark Beardsley, M.S., Ecometrics, Buena Vista, CO When speaking of watershed health, our attention tends to focus on the bigger rivers like the Arkansas and South Platte. Though less conspicuous, small streams make up more than 90% of the river network and they support most of the wetland and riparian habitat in these basins. This talk explores the diversity of Central Colorado’s small mountain headwaters streams to discover how important they are to water supply, water quality, biodiversity, sustaining fish and wildlife, and providing watershed resilience to drought, flood, fire, and other disturbance. We will take a look at the health of our small streams and wetlands, how they’ve become impaired, and what we can do to protect and restore them.
  • May 3 – 5 (Loma, CO): Birding on the Colorado River. Led by the Colorado Canyons Association. Journey down Ruby-Horsethief Canyon on the Colorado River for a 3-day rafting and camping trip and discover the amazing avian diversity along the way. This fully outfitted adventure is a three-day/two-night river trip with an overnight at Colorado Canyons Association’s Catalpa Camp and includes a freshly prepared dinner, local wines, and fireside stories about area. Some hiking and light paddling. $525/Museum or CCA member; $575/Non-member. $175/deposit. Includes a fully outfitted trip and birding experience with meals, shuttle, and camping equipment (if desired). Register by April 15.
  • May 4 (Denver, CO): 14th Annual South Platte River Clean Up. Please Register. When: Saturday, May 4th, 2019. Time: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm. Registration & Shuttles: 9:00 am – 10:30 am. On the Water: 11:00 – 2:00 pm. After Party: 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Confluence Kayaks, 2301 7th Street, Denver Co, 80202 (click link for map). What: For the past several years, over 250 rafters, kayakers, cyclists and pedestrians have come together and successfully removed over 2 TONS of garbage from Denver’s South Platte River corridor. The event has received local and regional attention as the best river stewardship event in the Metro area. This year High Country River Rafters is presenting the 14th Annual South Platte River Clean-up, and we need your help to make it the MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR YET! Participating in the Clean-up is a great way to give back to your community and take care of the river that winds its way through the heart of Denver. Registration is FREE and there’s a terrific after party with giveaways!
  • May 4, 8am – 3pm (Tabernash, CO) Willow harvesting project in Ranch Creek. Trout Unlimited. In 2017 the Colorado River Headwaters Chapter had their first major on-the-ground-and-in-the-river event on the Fraser River upstream from the Sunset Ridge ponds near Tabernash. Their 2018 project kept the momentum going with a similar event repeated on the nearby Black Property on Ranch Creek. Once again, in 2019, they will be harvesting willow stakes on May 4 and be planting them on May 18 and 19. They need around 150 volunteers for this event, so your participation is critical!
  • May 4 8:45am – 3:30pm (Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area Lake George, CO 80827) Willow Harvesting on the Charlie Meyers SWA (Dream Stream). Pikes Peak Trout Unlimited Chapter. Join the Pikes Peak Trout Unlimited Chapter for their annual volunteer project with CPW in improving the river habitat for aquatic insects and trout along the South Platte River. BRING A BUDDY – WE WILL FEED YOU TOO! Willows planted along the banks of a stream have a very positive affect on that stream. The plants roots stabilize the bank, both keeping the stream narrow and thus the current strong and allowing hiding places under the bank for the large trout that love to reside there. The willow also provides shade to the water and thus keeps the temperature lower. Trout do not do well with warm water. Willows also secrete a sweet liquid upon which ants feed. The result is that many ants fall into the water and the trout love ants. Activity Descriptions: May 4 we will be harvesting willows using hand pruners. We bundle the willow cuttings in bundles of 25 and place them in buckets of water. At the end of the day we transfer the willows to a quiet area of the stream near the planting sight.
  • May 4 2019 (Estes Park) Estes Park Duck Race. Big Thompson Watershed Coalition. Festival at George Hix Riverside Plaza in downtown Estes Park. Join us at the 2019 Estes Park Duck Race on Saturday, May 4th, 2019! You can support BTWC by adopting ducks and selecting BTWC as the non-profit on the adoption forms here.  Select “Big T Watershed Coalition” or “Big Thompson Watershed Coalition” as your charity of choice at checkout. BTWC needs to successfully adopt a minimum of 20 ducks to be eligible for event proceeds! If we succeed, $19 of each duck adoption will support our work in watershed conservation and community resilience building along the Big T River. Each duck adoptions puts you in the running for a variety of prizes that will meet anyone’s outdoor and Colorado lifestyle interests! Come say “hello” to our staff and board members at the event – BTWC will have a table at the event where you can check out our floodplain simulator and learn more about how floodplains work during flood events.
  • May 6, 6 – 8pm.  RFC hosts a Lake Christine Post-Fire Panel Discussion. Roaring Fork Conservancy. As snow recedes with the spring runoff revealing a changed landscape on Basalt Mountain, approximately six months after the Lake Christine Fire. In anticipation of the spring melt and the summer field season, key organizations are convening to share information and discuss ongoing collaborative efforts to address the post-fire impacts of Lake Christine.

The Panel will feature speakers from the US Forest Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Basalt Police and Fire, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, FEMA, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The Lake Christine Fire began on July 3, 2018 and burned over 12,500 acres of private, State, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. Since the initial work and assessments of the Burned Area Emergency Response Team (BAER) in the fall of 2018, a group of dedicated partners have been meeting regularly to plan and coordinate ongoing response and restoration efforts for the area.

  • May 7, 6 – 8pm (Silverthorne, CO) Summit County State of the River. Blue RIver Watershed Group. Join BRWG and the Colorado River District for the 26th Annual State of the River. The agenda includes: IWMP Announcement from BRWG and Trout Unlimited, Operational updates for Dillon Reservoir, Green Mountain Reservoir, and Blue Lakes, Updates on the Swan River Restoration Project, Drought Contingency Plans.
  • May 7, 7am – 10 am. (Aspen, CO) May Birding at Hallam Lake, Hallam Lake Nature Preserve. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Spring brings many migratory birds back to the Aspen area, making May an exciting month for observing diverse species and nesting activities. This outing meets at Hallam Lake and includes birding in ACES’ 25-acre preserve as well as a mini-field trip to one of many nearby hotspots. Birders of all experience levels are welcome! These outings are designed to enhance your knowledge of local birds and their habitats as well as honing your field craft skills, whether you are a beginning birder or a seasoned expert.Join us to discover the area’s most watchable wildlife: birds! About the Instructor: Rebecca Weiss is a Naturalist specializing in birding, botany, and interpretive program development. She came to ACES as a Summer Naturalist in 1993, and later directed the Naturalist Field School and worked with ACES’ Naturalist Programs. She guides for ACES’ Birding Program outings and is a professional writer and consultant. Rebecca is the author of Birds of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. She holds a BS in Biology and a MA in Environmental Education, and loves exploring the natural world with her husband, Austin, and their children, Anders and Elsie.
  • May 9th, 2019 (Fort Collins, CO): Party on the Poudre. Colorado Water Trust is throwing a barn burning fundraiser on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River! Local resident, Craig Harrison, is generously opening up his barn at H Lazy T Bar Ranch to invite you to a Party on the Poudre! Join them for an evening of drinks, appetizers, and discussions about Colorado’s water challenges as well as solutions to protect our rivers and the communities around them. Colorado Water Trust’s innovative thinking is coming to the Fort Collins area, as they build a coalition of partners to help put water back in stressed reaches of the Cache la Poudre River. They believe that our water challenges in Colorado are fixable by working within the current system and all Coloradans are needed to get engaged. For more information and registration, click HERE.
  • May 9th, 2019 (Boulder, CO): Boulder Social with Institute for Environmental Solutions and Ocean First Institute. The Ocean First Dive Shop in Boulder will host the IES Chemical Footprint Project team for an evening social. IES is partnering with their sister nonprofit, Ocean First Institute, to present a workshop on Reducing Your Chemical Footprint. It will be a great opportunity for the local Boulder and diving communities to connect with both organizations. IES will demonstrate how trace concentrations of toxic chemicals in personal care and household products affect you and your environment, how to avoid them, and how simple it is to reduce your footprint. Everyone will get a chance to make their own safe products to take home: all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner, and hand sanitizer. Make a commitment to reduce chemical footprints on your own terms and take home recipes and safe DIY products to share. Shrinking your chemical footprint is easy, healthy, and proactive, all in one hour. For details email Helen McGrath, [email protected]. 
  • May 10 and 11, 8:45am – 3:30pm (Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area Lake George, CO) Willow Harvesting on the Charlie Meyers SWA (Dream Stream). Pikes Peak Trout Unlimited Chapter. Join the Pikes Peak Trout Unlimited Chapter for their annual volunteer project with CPW in improving the river habitat for aquatic insects and trout along the South Platte River. BRING A BUDDY – WE WILL FEED YOU TOO! Willows planted along the banks of a stream have a very positive affect on that stream. The plants roots stabilize the bank, both keeping the stream narrow and thus the current strong and allowing hiding places under the bank for the large trout that love to reside there. The willow also provides shade to the water and thus keeps the temperature lower. Trout do not do well with warm water. Willows also secrete a sweet liquid upon which ants feed. The result is that many ants fall into the water and the trout love ants. Activity Descriptions: May 10 and 11 we will be planting the cuttings using a “dibbler” to punch a small (1 inch diameter) hole into the ground, pushing the cutting into the hole and filling in any gaps with soil. There will be a pump available to pump water from the stream to soak the plantings.
  • May 11, 2019, 9:00 AM  4:00 PM (Rifle, CO) Rifle Creek Restoration Project. Join the Middle Colorado Watershed Council in partnership with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and Natural Resource Conservation Service for a volunteer day of planting at the Rifle Creek Ranch.  Lunch will be provided.  Sign up at [email protected].  And pass the word!
  • May 11 10am – 12pm (Colorado Springs). Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up, Sierra Club Pikes Peak Group.. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • May 11th (Lyons, CO) River Restoration: Apple Valley. Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Apple Valley just outside Lyons is the scene of one of WRV’s greatest river restoration success stories! In September 2013 the St. Vrain Creek flooded, devastating multiple communities in the area. Federal disaster relief money funded permanent repairs of the river, and Apple Valley became WRV’s largest project for 2018. We’re back this year for just one follow-up day, which will provide a great chance to see how well our work performed over the past year! We’ll be working on one lone trouble area, re-seeding the banks of the overflow channel to give a leg up over invasive, non-native weeds. Come be a part of this ongoing success story!
  • May 11, 11am – 2pm (Confluence Park Denver, CO) ART ON THE RIVER                       Greenway Foundation. Art on the River is a chance for families to explore the different ways art can be inspired by nature. There will be nature-based art stations set up throughout the park and interactive ways to explore the South Platte River. This event is FREE to attend, and lunch is provided! Prior registration is required to ensure we purchase enough craft supplies and lunch! If you any questions regarding this event, please reach out to Lauren Berent at [email protected].
  • May 14 (Cheyenne, WY): Wyoming Water Forum: Cathy Rosenthal, Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts. “Updates on WACD’s Progress Reports and Suitewater Mapping Tool.” Location: 6920 Yellowtail Road, Cheyenne, WY 82002.
  • May 14, 6:30 – 8:30, (Grand Junction, CO) Mesa County State of the Rivers Meeting, May 14, 6:30 – 8:30 in CMU’s University Center Ballroom. This meeting will provide you with an update on this year’s snowpack, expected river flows and reservoir operations, as well as drought planning and information on an innovative project to help endangered fish in the Grand Valley. A free chili dinner will be provided to those who RSVP. Co-sponsored by the Colorado River District.
  • May 14, 7am to 2pm. (Basalt, CO) Spring on West Sopris Creek: A Wild Cacophony of Bird Song. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $85. West Sopris Creek is home to a wide variety of native birds as it descends the lower slopes of Mount Sopris through richly varied habitats. Join us for this special opportunity to explore the birds of West Sopris Creek with ACES’ first director Jody Cardamone. A Roaring Fork Valley native and life-long naturalist, Jody has a unique perspective and a wealth of insights to share about the birds and the ecosystems they inhabit. This field trip is offered as part of ACES’ year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary. From the Emma Schoolhouse to the top of Prince Creek Road and sites in between, we will observe birds in cottonwood galleries, aspen forest, mixed shrublands, sagebrush, spruce-fir forest, lush riparian willows, and open meadows. Some of the birds we may see include wild turkey, Bullock’s oriole, Lewis’s woodpecker, American goldfinch, downy woodpecker, plumbeous and warbling vireos, yellow and Virginia’s warblers, red-tailed hawk, black-chinned and broad-tailed hummingbirds, tree and violet-green swallows, green-tailed and spotted towhees, mountain bluebird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, northern flicker, common raven, American kestrel… the possibilities are unlimited… even Rocky Mountain canaries have been seen in the vicinity. Birders of all experience levels are welcome!  This class requires advance registration to ensure appropriate planning for the field experience.
  • May 15th, 2019 (Lakewood, CO): The Denver Metro Water Festival at Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood Campus. Volunteers are needed for a variety of positions. All volunteers receive a festival t-shirt, lunch and the opportunity to share their enthusiasm for water with 6th grade students from across the Denver Metro area. Learn more HERE.
  • May 16, 5:30pm (Fruita, CO) Earth Science Lectures. Dr. Josh Lively, Professor at University of Illinois (Springfield) – Marine Monsters of Delta County. Colorado Canyons Association. Located at the Dinosaur Journey Museum auditorium and free to the public every third Thursday of the month, March through October at 5:30pm (special event in May – stay tuned for more details). Come learn about how our amazing backyard landscapes have been shaped and formed by all types of geologic forces.
  • May 16 @ 9:00 am – 11:30 pm (Clear Creek Meeting Area, Mayhem Gulch Trailhead Parking Lot, Clear Creek Canyon Park.) WDTU Colorado River Watch       Colorado River Watch. West Denver Trout Unlimited participates in the Colorado River Watch water quality monitoring program.  Led by WDTU member Dennis Wiles .  We will meet at the Mayhem Gulch parking lot at 9:15 AM and then car pool to the three sites.  Information about the next sampling event can be found here. Colorado Parks & Wildlife Volunteer Program Colorado Parks & Wildlife has a volunteer program.  You can sign up for volunteer opportunities at their web site http://cpw.state.co.us/. They will send you emails…
  • May 17 – 19 (Buena Vista, CO): Down River Rendezvous Customer Appreciation Weekend. Please register. When: Friday Evening, May 17th-Sunday, May 19th, 2019. Where: River Runners @ Brown’s Canyon, 24070 County Road 301, Buena Vista, Colorado 81211 (click for map). What: We love boating, but we love you even more! Join us at River Runners in Buena Vista to celebrate another season of rafting. This is our 6th Annual Customer Appreciation Weekend. River Runners is partnering with us to provide camping, access to their private Brown’s Canyon put-in and the infamous Riverside Grill on-site.
  • May 17 5:30 (Denver, CO) An Evening for Sand Creek with Ken Salazar (and an important announcement you’ll want to hear!). Sand Creek Regional Greenway. Please join us Friday, May 17 for a special fundraiser for Sand Creek Greenway. We’ll be at The CUBE in Northfield/Stapleton (8371 Northfield Blvd) for a live music, food and drink, a silent auction and a special talk by former U.S. Senator and Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. The evening will also feature a special announcement about the future of our Greenway by Denver Parks and Recreation, Scott Gilmore!
  • May 18 @ 8:30 am – 2:30 pm (Buena Vista, CO) Clean-Up Green-Up [the Arkansas River]. In 1992 Colorado Governor Roy Romer declared “Arkansas River Cleanup Day”. This was quite an honor, and we have all been staying true to the intent of this Declaration for the past 28 years. On Saturday, May 18, 2019, from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, it’s time again to clean up the public lands in the Arkansas River watershed  before the summer river season begins. New this year! For Colorado Public Lands Day, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) State Park, Friends of State Parks, and GARNA are teaming up to provide clean up supplies and celebratory picnics in Buena Vista, Salida and Cotopaxi! Also, volunteer hours count toward the 48 hour requirement for a free annual State Parks Pass!
  • May 18, 9:00 AM  – 11:00 AM (Pueblo, CO) Pueblo: Fountain Creek Clean-up. Let’s get together and clean up the Fountain Creek! Sierra Club Fountain Creek Sentinels. Please join us for our monthly Fountain Creek clean-up in Pueblo on Saturday, May 18th at 9AM. We’ll meet at El Centro del Quinto Sol  just behind Nick’s Dairy Cream at the corner of 8th St. and Eerie Ave (map). We’ll start with announcements and introductions and then hit the trail to clean up trash before it can pollute the creek.
  • May 18, 2019  10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM Colorado Springs Roswell Reach Creek Cleanup. The Pikes Peak Group of the Sierra Club has “adopted” the Roswell Reach portion of Monument Creek and conducts cleanups of trash and litter three times each year.  We will be hosting our first cleanup of the year on Saturday, May 18 at 10 a.m.  Participants should wear work clothing appropriate to the weather conditions, including long pants and sturdy footwear.  Participants should wear sunscreen.  Sierra Club will conduct a pre-cleanup safety meeting and will provide information on items that should not be picked up, but left for a special crew.  Participants should plan to meet at 10 a.m. at Roswell Park, 515 Polk Street.  Map at https://www.springsgov.com/units/parksrec/maps/mppgrnwy6.htm  For details or to sign up, contact Jane Ard-Smith at 520-5381 or [email protected].
  • May 18 10:00 AM  12:00 PM Gateway Natural Area (Bellvue, CO) Fire Ecology Tour. Coalition for the Poudre River. Join CPRW, the USFS and the Rocky Mountain Research Station for a Fire Ecology Tour! We will explore a part of the watershed that has recently burned and talk about how fires impact vegetation, wildlife and river. The tour is free and lunch will be provided. To attend please RSVP to Hally: [email protected].
  • May 18 and 19, 8am – 3pm (Tabernash, CO) Willow harvesting project in Ranch Creek. Trout Unlimited. In 2017 the Colorado River Headwaters Chapter had their first major on-the-ground-and-in-the-river event on the Fraser River upstream from the Sunset Ridge ponds near Tabernash. Their 2018 project kept the momentum going with a similar event repeated on the nearby Black Property on Ranch Creek. Once again, in 2019, they will be harvesting willow stakes on May 4 and be planting them on May 18 and 19. They need around 150 volunteers for this event, so your participation is critical!
  • May 19 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sun, May 19, 2019  10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: Free
  • May 19  2019 (Loveland, CO) Build Your own Rainbarrel Event. Big Thompson Watershed Coalition. Interested in building your own rain barrel for use in your garden or yard? Come to the Big Thompson Watershed Coalition’s Rain Barrel event at the Big Thompson Brewery on Sunday May 19th, 2019. A small fee and reservation is required, and proceeds benefit the BTWC and our ongoing programs and projects. Visit Eventbrite to buy your barrels. Ready your porch, yard, or garden for summer water conservation with style! Join Big Thompson Watershed Coalition for our annual Build your own Rain Barrel workshop. Purchase your barrel here and join us at the Big Thompson Brewery on Sunday May 19th, 2019 for some fun in the sun for a good cause. Water conservationists of all ages are welcome to join! Registration is required as barrels are limited, 100% of proceeds benefit the Big Thompson Watershed Coalition and our ongoing Big Thompson environmental and community resilience programs. $50 ticket provides you: a 55 gal. barrel & kit, decoration supplies, tools and assistance, and one local Big Thompson Brewery beer to enjoy while you paint. Up to 4 barrels per customer, supplies are limited – reserve your barrel today!
  • May 21, 7am – 10am. (Basalt, CO) May Birding at Rock Bottom Ranch. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Spring brings many migratory birds back to the Aspen area, making May an exciting month for observing diverse species and nesting activities. This outing meets at Rock Bottom Ranch and focuses on exploring the diverse habitats in and around the ranch property. Birders of all experience levels are welcome! These outings are designed to enhance your knowledge of local birds and their habitats as well as honing your field craft skills, whether you are a beginning birder or a seasoned expert. Join us to discover the area’s most watchable wildlife: birds!
  • May 21 5pm – 7:30pm (Basalt, CO) Ruedi Reservoir Tour: Storing West Slope Water. Roaring Fork Conservancy. $10.00. Curious to know more about Ruedi Reservoir and its significance in the Roaring Fork Watershed? This is your chance! Join Mark Fuller from Ruedi Water and Power Authority to learn about transbasin water diversions and how Ruedi Reservoir operates, by visiting the reservoir. We’ll also gain a unique perspective of the dam and its construction from the Rocky Fork area.
  • May 22nd, 2019 (Boulder, CO) St. Vrain Tamarisk Removal Volunteer. Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Join Wildlands Restoration Volunteers for an upcoming volunteer opportunity! Enjoy panoramic views of the Front Range and heal a local area deeply impacted by the 2013 flood! In the aftermath of the flood, millions of tamarisk seedlings germinated, which pose a major threat to the watershed should they mature. Volunteers will continue work from the past few years, removing tamarisk through hand pulling, weed wrenching, and cut & stump treatment with herbicide. Notes: Their project is located on St Vrain Creek, just east of the Boulder/Weld County line, where the Sept 2013 flood breached several lakes and carved a new channel. Tamarisk (aka Salt Cedar) has devastated watersheds throughout the west, costing billions of dollars in lost habitat, lost water, and lost electricity.
  • May 23, 7:30 am (Berthould CO) Northern Water East Slope Tour. Northern Water’s East Slope full-day tour highlights the Conservation Gardens at Northern Water, water operations and proposed storage projects. Space is limited for all tours. Click the Register link below to request registration. We will notify you as soon as participation lists for each tour are finalized. Specific itineraries will be e-mailed no later than two weeks prior to each tour. Please provide your e-mail address with your registration. Click the Information link for more information on the registration and waiting-list process.
  • May 23, 7am – 2pm. Birding by Habitat: Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands & Riparian. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $85. Pinyon-juniper woodlands and lower-elevation riparian and open water habitats offer excellent birding in late spring, as migratory species arrive and breeding activity ramps up for these birds as well as resident species. Open water sites with areas of shallow shoreline and deeper water attract a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, and late spring migrants may be seen along with birds that breed locally. We will visit these habitats at various mid-valley locations to be determined depending on bird activity at the time of class. Birds we are likely to observe include blue-gray gnatcatcher, spotted and green-tailed towhee, plumbeous vireo, mountain bluebird, black-throated gray warbler, Virginia’s warbler, orange-crowned warbler, red-tailed hawk, turkey vulture, osprey, belted kingfisher, gadwall, American wigeon, northern shoveler, grebes, white-faced ibis, and more.
  • May 25-26, 2019 (Salida, CO) Bluegrass on the Arkansas Festival, hosted by Salida Rotary Club, will be at Riverside Park over Memorial Day weekend (May 25/26).  Admission is free. Come out and enjoy the music, food, drink and fun for all ages! For additional information visit http://www.bluegrassonthearkansas.com.
  • May 29th-31st, 2019 (Gunnison, CO):  Western Water Future Games in Gunnison Colorado, presented by The Colorado Water Workshop. The Western Water Future Games includes three intensive days of brainstorming and collaborating over evolving water issues in serious need of new thinking and new ideas. There will also be campfires, music and food. Head HERE for more information.
  • May 30, 7am (Basalt, CO) Birding Maroon Creek Wetlands. Join Roaring Fork Audubon and Roaring Fork Conservancy for a brisk morning of birding at the Maroon Creek Wetlands. A ranger from City of Aspen Parks & Open Space will explain how this constructed wetland benefits people and wildlife, by being a temporary home to dozens of migratory birds during the early summer. Please bring your binoculars. We have a limited amount of binoculars we can loan. If you need to borrow a pair, please make note on your registration. Please dress appropriately as this event will happen rain or shine.  Please call (970) 927-1290 with questions.
  • May 30 – June 2 (Steamboat Springs, CO). 39th Annual Yampa River Festival. Friends of the Yampa Organization.

June

  • June 1 (Dolores, CO): 2019 Dolores River Festival is Saturday, June 1st! More details soon.
  • June 1 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (Leadville, CO). Clean Up Green Up – the Headwaters [of the Arkansas]! It’s time for the annual Lake County Community Clean-up! This year, GARNA is partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, The Lake County Community Fund, the City of Leadville, Leadville Main Street, Get Outdoors Leadville and Cloud City Conservation Center to organize community members to collectively clean-up our community in time for the summer season! Lunch will be provided thanks to the donation of Climax Molybdenum-Freeport at noon!
  • June 2, 9:30 am (Centennial, CO) Unique to the [Cherry] Creek – A Tour of the Parker Jordan Centennial Open Space. Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners. Meet at the Broncos Parkway Trailhead 16400 E. Broncos Parkway in Centennial. Walk the newly reclaimed floodplain of Cherry Creek and see the birds, bugs and botany that make Cherry Creek such a valuable community resource. You will be joined by local experts who will help us explore native and exotic vegetation. This year the plums and chokecherries are abundant and the spiderworts are putting on a show.
  • June 2, morning. (Drake, CO) Big Thompson Canyon Association Pancake Breakfast. Big Thompson Water Coalition. Join us at the Big Thompson Canyon Association Breakfast on Sunday June 2nd at the Canyon Association building and Fire Station in Drake. We will have a BTWC table at the craft fair where you can learn more about current BTWC programs and projects!
  • June 3. (Blue River, CO) Blue River Town Cleanup Day! Come out and help spruce up Blue River. On Saturday, June 3rd 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Garbage bags, coffee, juice and donuts will be provided. Bring the family out to clean up along the highway, lake, park or just along the roads in your neighborhood. A single dumpster will be set up at Blue River Town Hall to bring items. Once filled, it will be locked off and no further dumping will be allowed. A separate container will be provided to drop off garbage bags from road cleanup. This is for Blue River Residents ONLY! Items NOT Allowed For Dumping Paint, Tires, Batteries, Liquids, Fuels, Oils, Refrigerators,Propane Tanks, E-Waste
  • June 4, 6:30am – 9:30am. (Aspen, CO). June Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25 Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • June 4, 7 AM. (Berthoud, CO), Northern Water West Slope Tour. Northern Water’s West Slope full-day tour travels through Rocky Mountain National Park to the collection facilities for the Colorado-Big Thompson and Windy Gap projects. Click the Register link below to request registration. Space is limited for all tours. We will notify you as soon as participation lists for each tour are finalized. Specific itineraries will be e-mailed no later than two weeks prior to each tour. Please provide your e-mail address with your registration. Click the Information link below for more information on the registration and waiting list process.
  • June 4 – 5 (Steamboat Springs, CO). Yampa Basin Rendezvous. On June 4-5, 2019 The Friends of the Yampa organization “are partnering to create a two-day workshop on the weather, climate, ecosystems and cultural dimensions of the Yampa River watershed, held at the Allbright Auditorium, Colorado Mountain College, in Steamboat Springs CO. This event will bring together members of the local community, researchers from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E), and local/regional subject matter experts for two days of exploration and discussion. We hope you can join us at some point for this two-day exploration of all things Yampa. More details to come.”
  • June 4, 5pm (Basalt, CO)  5:00 PM | North Star Roaring Fork River Float – North Star Preserve. $10. Interested in floating the gentle Roaring Fork River through some of the most important wildlife habitat in the upper Roaring Fork Valley? Take a gentle float through important wildlife habitat in North Star Open Space with Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails. We’ll provide some history of North Star, discuss wildlife highlights, and discuss recent restoration activities along this mild two-hour float. Floats are dependent on river flows and may be cancelled due to extremely high or low flows. An inflatable kayak (ducky), paddle, and PFD are provided for each participant. Please dress appropriately as the float will happen rain or shine. (No cotton attire!). Please call (970) 927-1290 with questions.
  • June 6 9am – 1pm (Denver, CO)  Urban Waters Cycle Tour South Platte River. What is the relationship between water use, river health and community development? Why is the South Platte River important to understanding our relationship to public health? Explore this waterway by bicycle along with citizen leaders, scientists, planners and water managers to discover more! Urban Water Cycle Tour Route –It is about a 10 mile route beginning at Johnson Habitat Park, going up to Riverside Cemetery and back-tracking to a RINO Brewery. The stops along the route with confirmed speakers are described below.
  • June 6th-7th, 2019: 40th Annual Getches-Wilkinson Center, University of Colorado (GWC) Summer Conference. This year, the conference is titled, Charting a Better Course for the Colorado River: Identifying the Data and Concepts to Shape the Interim Guidelines Renegotiation.  You can find the Conference Agenda HERE and the Registration HERE.
  • June 7 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (Salida, CO), 21st Annual Headwaters Institute. Eric Heltzel, volunteer with Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited. On Friday, June 7 Arkansas River Outfitters Association (AROA), Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) and GARNA are presenting the 21st Annual Headwaters Institute, an all-day workshop for first year river guides and the public. Lectures and break-out sessions will be presented by numerous local and regional experts. Topics will include management of the Arkansas Valley, geology, the effects of global climate change on the Arkansas, wildlife in the watershed, and updates on local public lands issues. Location: Salida Scout Hut. Cost: $10 for AROA member guides, $20 (general public and non-AROA member guides). Ticket includes lunch and pizza and beer after party.
  • June 7 1pm – 5pm (Denver, CO)  Urban Waters Cycle Tour South Platte River. What is the relationship between water use, river health and community development? Why is the South Platte River important to understanding our relationship to public health? Explore this waterway by bicycle along with citizen leaders, scientists, planners and water managers to discover more! Urban Water Cycle Tour Route –It is about a 10 mile route beginning at Johnson Habitat Park, going up to Riverside Cemetery and back-tracking to a RINO Brewery. The stops along the route with confirmed speakers are described below.
  • June 8, 2019. 5:30 PM  8:00 PM (Palisade, CO) 6th Annual Crazy About Canyons Wine Dinner @ Carlson Vineyards. Hosted by Colorado Canyons Association.
  • June 8, 8:00 AM (Carbondale, CO) River Float, Coryell Ranch, Carbondale, Colorado. $55. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Spend a morning with Roaring Fork Conservancy staff and river ambassadors as we float the Roaring Fork River! After the float, join us at Coryell Ranch for a cook-out, music, and the opportunity to try stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, fly rods and the latest gear from local outfitter shops.
  • June 8 10am – 12 pm (Colorado Springs, CO) Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up. Sierra Club Pikes Peak Group. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • June 8th – 11th, 2019: San Juan River Trip. Glen Canyon Institute (GCI) is proud to partner with Holiday River Expeditions for a special trip down the San Juan River to benefit Glen Canyon Institute. This four-day expedition into the Lower stretch of the San Juan River finishes at Clay Hills—above its confluence with the Colorado River—offering some of the most scenic beauty in the entire Colorado Plateau as well as a firsthand glimpse at the San Juan’s restoration as it enters Glen Canyon. Register HERE.
  • June 10 noon – 3pm (Big Thompson Canyon, Drake, CO) Big Thompson Access Pier Grand Opening, Come join us for the grand opening of the Big Thompson Canyon Access Pier at mile marker 72 in the Big Thompson Canyon on Monday, June 10th. The day will begin with a volunteer planning event (registration required at https://rockymtnflycasters.org/volunteer.php), followed by a short ceremony and light refreshments starting at 1 pm. The event is free, but parking is limited and a shuttle may be used if needed for everyone to attend. RSVP/registration for the ceremony is required by Wed, June 5th, 2019 so we can make sure we have enough space for parking and refreshments. To RSVP visit our eventbrite event page.
  • June 12, 5pm (Basalt, CO)  5:00 PM | North Star Roaring Fork River Float – North Star Preserve. $10. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Interested in floating the gentle Roaring Fork River through some of the most important wildlife habitat in the upper Roaring Fork Valley? Take a gentle float through important wildlife habitat in North Star Open Space with Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails. We’ll provide some history of North Star, discuss wildlife highlights, and discuss recent restoration activities along this mild two-hour float. Floats are dependent on river flows and may be cancelled due to extremely high or low flows. An inflatable kayak (ducky), paddle, and PFD are provided for each participant. Please dress appropriately as the float will happen rain or shine. (No cotton attire!). Please call (970) 927-1290 with questions.
  • June 12 – 14 (North Fork Valley, CO): Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days, North Fork Valley, Colorado. Community Resource Center. This opportunity only occurs once every four years in the Western Slope region, so mark your calendars for the unique opportunity to meet one-on-one with funders, participate in professional development opportunities and network with other community leaders in the region. Western Slope RPD, serving Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Mesa and Pitkin counties will take place in the North Fork Valley, Colorado on June 12-14, 2019.
  • June 13 (Salida, CO): FIBARK 2019. When: Thursday, June 13th – Sunday, June 16th, 2019. Where: Downtown Salida, Colorado (click for map). What: Every year in June during the Arkansas River runoff in Salida, Colorado, a festival occurs called FIBArk or “First In Boating the Arkansas”. The festival focuses on whitewater boat races and paddlers from around the world come to compete. This year marks the 70th Anniversary of FIBArk, the nation’s oldest whitewater festival!
  • June 13, 5pm (Basalt, CO)  5:00 PM | North Star Roaring Fork River Float – North Star Preserve. $10. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Interested in floating the gentle Roaring Fork River through some of the most important wildlife habitat in the upper Roaring Fork Valley? Take a gentle float through important wildlife habitat in North Star Open Space with Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails. We’ll provide some history of North Star, discuss wildlife highlights, and discuss recent restoration activities along this mild two-hour float. Floats are dependent on river flows and may be cancelled due to extremely high or low flows. An inflatable kayak (ducky), paddle, and PFD are provided for each participant. Please dress appropriately as the float will happen rain or shine. (No cotton attire!). Please call (970) 927-1290 with questions.
  • June 15 (Salida, CO): High Country River Rafters: Big Water Weekend. When: Saturday, Jun 15, 2019. Description: For those experienced and intermediate boaters we’ll be taking on some big water the weekend of FIBArk. This event is restricted to HCRR members only. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
  • June 16 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sun, June 16, 2019  10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: Free
  • June 17th-18th, 2019:  South Platte River Basin Tour with Water Education Colorado. Come see this hard-working prairie river up close and meet the people striving toward a water future for the local economies and habitats in Colorado’s northeastern corner. Tour topics will include the South Platte Basin Implementation Plan progress and priorities, Republican River Compact compliance, collaborative water storage and exchanges to meet an anticipated supply gap, alternative water transfers (ATM) benefiting multiple stakeholders, agricultural economy of the Eastern Plains, energy development, water quality, partnerships for endangered species recovery, and much much more. For more information, click HERE.
  • June 18, 6:30am – 9:30am. (Aspen, CO). June Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25 Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • June 18 – 20 (Estes Park, CO): The 4th Rocky Mountain Stream Restoration Conference will provide an opportunity for professionals to share ideas and lessons learned in stream restoration assessment, planning, design, construction, and evaluation, as well as other topical stream issues. The conference will explore stream restoration challenges and solutions, with a focus on the Intermountain West. For agenda click HERE.
  • June 18 -20, 2019: The 4th Rocky Mountain Stream Restoration Conference will provide an opportunity for professionals to share ideas and lessons learned in stream restoration assessment, planning, design, construction, and evaluation, as well as other topical stream issues. The conference will explore stream restoration challenges and solutions, with a focus on the Intermountain West. For the agenda click HERE.
  • June 18 – 21 (Farmington, NM): Animas and San Juan Watersheds Conference: Successes and Challenges from the Headwaters to Lake Powell, June 18-21, abstracts due April 15, Farmington, NM
  • June 19, 5pm (Basalt, CO)  5:00 PM | North Star Roaring Fork River Float – North Star Preserve. $10. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Interested in floating the gentle Roaring Fork River through some of the most important wildlife habitat in the upper Roaring Fork Valley? Take a gentle float through important wildlife habitat in North Star Open Space with Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails. We’ll provide some history of North Star, discuss wildlife highlights, and discuss recent restoration activities along this mild two-hour float. Floats are dependent on river flows and may be cancelled due to extremely high or low flows. An inflatable kayak (ducky), paddle, and PFD are provided for each participant. Please dress appropriately as the float will happen rain or shine. (No cotton attire!). Please call (970) 927-1290 with questions.
  • June 19 (Denver, CO): The Conservation Alliance Breakfast. When:  Wednesday, June 19, 7-9 AM. Where:  The Hyatt Regency. Who:  Open to the Public. The Conservation Alliance staff will be attending all three Outdoor Retailer shows in 2019.  Outdoor Retailer provides an opportunity for us to meet face-to-face with our existing member companies, and recruit new companies to join The Conservation Alliance. Our members host happy hours and product sales at each show that benefit The Conservation Alliance. The proceeds of these sales and events support a significant portion of our annual operating expenses.  Needless to say, Outdoor Retailer is an important show for us. We have decided to hold The Conservation Alliance Breakfast at the June and November Outdoor Retailer shows only. Rest assured we are as committed as ever to hosting inspiring breakfast events at the June and November shows.
  • June 20, 5:30pm (Fruita, CO) Earth Science Lectures. Dr. Julia McHugh, Curator of Paleontology at Dinosaur Journey – Dinosaur Bones Tell a Gruesome Tale. Colorado Canyons Association. Located at the Dinosaur Journey Museum auditorium and free to the public every third Thursday of the month, March through October at 5:30pm (special event in May – stay tuned for more details). Come learn about how our amazing backyard landscapes have been shaped and formed by all types of geologic forces.
  • June 21 @ 5:30 pm $15 (Gunnison, CO) 2019 World Tour Paddling Film Festival. Water enthusiasts unite to celebrate the Summer solstice AND water! 13th annual Paddling Film Festival World Tour and paddling films are submitted from around the world. The best of the best are selected to tour. The World Tour travels to more than 100 cities across Canada, U.S., Europe and Australia. Viewed by more than 25,000 paddlers and friends. Join us at the I Bar Ranch for a riveting film experience!Live local music at 6:00pm and Films starting at sundown around 8:00pm. Food & Beverages on site. No outside alcohol may be brought in. On site camping available too.
  • June 22 12pm – 9pm (Denver, CO) Citizens for the River. The best FREE summer festival in Denver is back! Citizens for the River is being combined with the South Platte RiverFest this year to create one amazing day on the River. Try a standup paddleboard or kayak, grab a drink and some food, check out the Kid’s Zone, and dance to live music all day.  NEW THIS YEAR: There will be a full day of live music, ending in an evening concert with performances by Nicki Bluhm and Anders Osborne! Full music schedule and more.
  • June 24th-26th, 2019 (Fort Collins, CO): Great Plains Low Impact Development (LID) Research & Innovation Symposium, hosted by Colorado Stormwater Center at Colorado State University. This 3-day symposium is organized to provide stormwater practitioners in the great plains region the tools and information necessary to successfully use low impact development (LID).  Many conferences on this topic are geared toward the West and East coast implementation of LID, but this conference focuses on how to use LID in the middle of the country including all of challenges and barriers. For more information, check out the website HERE.  
  • May 24 @ 5:00 pm – May 26 @ 5:00 pm Free (Farmington, NM) Farmington’s 33rd Annual Riverfest. The party begins with live music and a kick-off celebration on Friday night in Berg Park which will be followed by two days of games, races, rafting, kids activities, dancing, tractor rides, and more! We’ll be there providing updates on the river and other SJCA campaigns and we’ll also be leading the first ever Riverfest Rally! Sponsored by Animas Riverkeeper, the 1st Annual Riverfest Rally is an Animas River raft race between Aztec and Farmington. Teams from local businesses and organizations will battle for river glory while highlighting the amazing recreational opportunities in our region. The race will launch on Saturday, May 25th (location TBD) and is expected to finish at Boyd Park in Farmington by 2pm. Winners will be announced at the Little Pavilion at River Reach Terrace at 3pm.
  • June 25, 6:30am – 9:30am. (Aspen, CO). June Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • June 26 7:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Family Nights at Filoha: Fireflies, Bats and Bugs. Free. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Filoha Meadows Open Space, near Redstone. Spend an evening with your family playing games, catching fireflies, and learning about the local and natural history of this beautiful thermal wetland.  Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails are proud to present one of our most popular programs – Family Nights at Filoha Meadows! Spend an evening with your family playing games, catching fireflies, and learning about the local and natural history of this beautiful thermal wetland. This program is appropriate for families with children of all ages and their parents.  Please dress appropriately as the program will happen rain or shine, and wear closed toed shoes as there is walking on uneven terrain/off-trail.
  • June 28 – 29 (Salida, CO): High Country River Rafters: Browns Canyon Weekend. When: Jun 28 – 30, 2019. Where: Ruby Mountain Campground, County Road 301, Nathrop, CO 81236, USA. Description: During this event we’ll be running Browns Canyon. This event is restricted to HCRR members only. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected]. Reservation is at Ruby Mountain Campground sites 20, 21 & 22 for the nights of July 12th & 13th. Members can contact Nick Jimroglou for more details.
  • June 29 (Ridgway, CO). 12th annual Ridgway RiverFest. Saturday, June 29, 2019 – Ridgway, Colorado. Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership is excited to bring another family-friendly, lively community festival to you at Rollans Park in Ridgway. With no admission fee for festival goers, this event would not be possible without donations from sponsors. UWP is now seeking sponsorships from $100 to $2,500. To find out more, please go to their RiverFest Sponsor Resources webpage, or email Tanya at [email protected].

July

  • July 1, 7:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Filoha Meadows Firefly & Rare Orchid Walk. Filoha Meadows. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Fireflies, rare orchids, and thermal wetlands are only part of what makes Filoha Meadows special. Join Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails for an evening exploration of Filoha Meadows. Located near Redstone on Highway 133, Filoha Meadows is a natural thermal wetland, providing unique habitat for rare orchids, fireflies, and many other plant and animal species. We’ll tour areas typically closed to the public to learn more about these incredible species, the history of this unique area, and discuss current issues in the Crystal River Valley and Filoha Meadows.
  • July 2, 7:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Filoha Meadows Firefly & Rare Orchid Walk. Filoha Meadows. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Fireflies, rare orchids, and thermal wetlands are only part of what makes Filoha Meadows special. Join Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails for an evening exploration of Filoha Meadows. Located near Redstone on Highway 133, Filoha Meadows is a natural thermal wetland, providing unique habitat for rare orchids, fireflies, and many other plant and animal species. We’ll tour areas typically closed to the public to learn more about these incredible species, the history of this unique area, and discuss current issues in the Crystal River Valley and Filoha Meadows.
  • July 2, 7am – 10am, (Aspen, CO) July Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • July 6 (Steamboat Springs, CO). Annual Yampa River Clean Up. The Friends of the Yampa along with several partners will be organizing an annual, post 4th of July, Yampa River river clean up this coming Saturday, July 6th, 2019. This event is an annual “river-wide” clean up that engages volunteers to give back to the Yampa River so to remind us all to respect the Yampa by keeping it clean and trash free. Who: YOU and the Friends of the Yampa, the city of Steamboat Springs, Northwest Colorado Chapter of Parrotheads, Yampa River State Park, Soda Creek Pizza, Mountain Tap Brewery and other volunteer citizens. What: Annual river wide clean up on the Yampa River When: Saturday, July 6, 2019 from 9am-noon’ish Where: Steamboat Springs, Hayden (Yampa River State Park) and in Craig, Colorado.
  • July 8, 7:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Filoha Meadows Firefly & Rare Orchid Walk. Filoha Meadows. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Fireflies, rare orchids, and thermal wetlands are only part of what makes Filoha Meadows special. Join Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails for an evening exploration of Filoha Meadows. Located near Redstone on Highway 133, Filoha Meadows is a natural thermal wetland, providing unique habitat for rare orchids, fireflies, and many other plant and animal species. We’ll tour areas typically closed to the public to learn more about these incredible species, the history of this unique area, and discuss current issues in the Crystal River Valley and Filoha Meadows.
  • July 11 7:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Family Nights at Filoha: Fireflies, Bats and Bugs. Free. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Filoha Meadows Open Space, near Redstone. Spend an evening with your family playing games, catching fireflies, and learning about the local and natural history of this beautiful thermal wetland.  Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails are proud to present one of our most popular programs – Family Nights at Filoha Meadows! Spend an evening with your family playing games, catching fireflies, and learning about the local and natural history of this beautiful thermal wetland. This program is appropriate for families with children of all ages and their parents.  Please dress appropriately as the program will happen rain or shine, and wear closed toed shoes as there is walking on uneven terrain/off-trail.
  • July 11-12 (Ruby-Horsethief Canyons, Loma, CO). Paleontology River Field Camp. Colorado Canyons Association. Thu, Jul 11, 2019 2:00 PM  Fri, Jul 12, 20193:00 PM. Join some of the Grand Valley’s cadre of paleontologists as we take you down the Colorado River. You’ll hike, camp, and search for fossils where few have done so before! Will you make the next big find?
  • July 13, 10am – 12pm (Colorado Springs, CO) Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up. Sierra Club, Pikes Peak Group. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • July 13. Barr Lake Appreciation Day. Details TBD.
  • July 16, 7:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Family Nights at Filoha: Fireflies, Bats and Bugs. Free. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Filoha Meadows Open Space, near Redstone. Spend an evening with your family playing games, catching fireflies, and learning about the local and natural history of this beautiful thermal wetland.  Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails are proud to present one of our most popular programs – Family Nights at Filoha Meadows! Spend an evening with your family playing games, catching fireflies, and learning about the local and natural history of this beautiful thermal wetland. This program is appropriate for families with children of all ages and their parents.  Please dress appropriately as the program will happen rain or shine, and wear closed toed shoes as there is walking on uneven terrain/off-trail.
  • July 16, 7am – 10am, (Aspen, CO) July Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • July 17 (Wheat Ridge, CO): High Country River Rafters: Yoga on the River. When: Wed, July 17, 2019, 6pm – 8pm. Where: AAA Inflatables Equipment and Repair, Inc., 5610 Lamar St, Arvada, CO 80002, USA. Description: The purpose of this class is to help rafters with healing their body while on the river. Please bring a Nalgene bottle, yoga mat, and 9 foot strap.  If you don’t have a yoga mat, bring your paco pad, beach towel or kitchen tarp. This event is open to everyone. Club membership is not required. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected]. 
  • July 18, 5:30pm (Fruita, CO) Earth Science Lectures. Josh Smith, Paleontological Consultant – Navajo Sandstone on the Western Slope. Colorado Canyons Association. Located at the Dinosaur Journey Museum auditorium and free to the public every third Thursday of the month, March through October at 5:30pm (special event in May – stay tuned for more details). Come learn about how our amazing backyard landscapes have been shaped and formed by all types of geologic forces.
  • July 18, 7:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Filoha Meadows Firefly & Rare Orchid Walk. Filoha Meadows. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Fireflies, rare orchids, and thermal wetlands are only part of what makes Filoha Meadows special. Join Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails for an evening exploration of Filoha Meadows. Located near Redstone on Highway 133, Filoha Meadows is a natural thermal wetland, providing unique habitat for rare orchids, fireflies, and many other plant and animal species. We’ll tour areas typically closed to the public to learn more about these incredible species, the history of this unique area, and discuss current issues in the Crystal River Valley and Filoha Meadows.
  • July 18 (Wheat Ridge, CO): River Meal Cookoff. Down River Equipment. When: Thursday, July 18th, 2019. Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Where: Down River Equipment 11937 West I-70 Frontage Road North, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. What: It’s hard to beat a home-cooked meal on the river, but you can always improve. Right? Attend DRE’s River Meal Cookoff and learn new recipes, as well as tips and tricks to take your next outdoor meal from basic to gourmet while making your workload easier. More info coming soon.
  • July 19 (Aspen, CO) 10:00 AM | Twin Lakes Tunnel & Diversion Tour, Lost Man Reservoir, east of Aspen map. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Learn firsthand how up to 40% of the Roaring Fork River headwaters are diverted under the Continental Divide to the Front Range. COST: $55 for RFC members / $65 for non-RFC members. Registration is required and opens on June 28, 2019. Learn firsthand how up to 40% of the Roaring Fork River headwaters are diverted under the Continental Divide to the Front Range. Staff from Twin Lakes Reservoir & Canal Company and Roaring Fork Conservancy will lead an informative tour of the tunnels, dams and ditches that move water east. We’ll tour Lost Man Reservoir and the Roaring Fork collection dam & tunnel before 4-wheeling with Blazing Adventure’s on Lincoln Creek Road. Our destination will be Grizzly Reservoir, to get an inside look at the four-mile long Twin Lakes tunnel.
  • July 19 – 21 (Kremmling, CO): High Country River Rafters: Annual Club Picnic. When: Jul 19 – 21, 2019. Where: Pumphouse Recreation Area, Colorado 80459, USA (Group sites A & B). Description: Friday -TBD Saturday – Morning: We will run somewhere on the Upper C – probably Pumphouse to Rancho Del Rio. It’s possible we’ll break up into two groups. Please be ready to run shuttle by 10:00 AM. Evening: Potluck followed by games, raffle and campfire. The club will be furnishing dogs, brats, burgers, buns and condiments. Bring Your Own Beverages! Please also bring your a side or dessert to share. Sunday – We’ll run something, depending on what sounds good to the group. Please RSVP to Gary Ingram, so we know how much food to bring.  If you want to bring guests, that’s great! Just include them in the final headcount.  This is a great event for interested folks to meet us all!  If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected]. 
  • July 21 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sun, July 21, 2019  10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: Free
  • July 23, 10:30 AM (Aspen, CO) Herron Park – Insects of the Roaring Fork River Herron Park, Aspen. Roaring Fork Conservancy. If you like rivers, nature or fly-fishing, this is a perfect fit! Through a guided exploration of aquatic life in the heart of Aspen, you’ll discover various types of insects that live in the water and play a key role in healthy river ecosystems. If you like rivers, nature or fly-fishing, this is a perfect fit! Through a guided exploration of aquatic life in the heart of Aspen, you’ll discover various types of insects that live in the water and play a key role in healthy river ecosystems. With options to get your hands and feet wet (or not!), our knowledgeable staff will be there to help identify these little creatures and correlate them to your favorite fly-fishing fly, your least favorite household bugs, and explain how they serve as indicators of healthy rivers.
  • July 24, 5:30 PM (Aspen, CO) Water in the Age of Silver: Touring Aspen’s “Holden Works,” Holden-Marolt Mining Museum, Aspen. Join Aspen Historical Society, Roaring Fork Conservancy and City of Aspen Parks and Open Space to discover the largest industrial site in the history of Pitkin County: a state of the art silver processing plant known as the Holden Lixiviation Works. This silver processing plant was built on the banks of Castle Creek in 1891 by Edward Royal Holden, leading to innovative and sometimes destructive uses of water resources for hydropower and waste disposal. Explore the history, the museum, and the remnants of the “Works” (including the newly reconstructed cable derrick) to learn how one of our most precious resources, freshwater, was utilized in a different era.
  • July 30, 7am – 10am, (Aspen, CO) July Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.

August

  • August, TBD (loveland, CO) For the Love of the Forest! Free public workshops on forest management and wildfire risk reduction. August 2019, Round Mountain Forest Health Demonstration Project tour: Join us for a field tour our the Round Mountain Forest Health Demonstration Project at Round Mountain trailhead. We will tour the project site, discuss forest ecology and needs, restoration design, and what homeowners can do on their land independently and with the help of local resources. Background on the Project: The beloved City of Loveland Round Mountain trail received a face-lift this winter as Big Thompson Watershed Coalition and project partners team up to restore just over 14 acres of ponderosa pine forest. This project enhanced the resilience of this stand and its ability to withstand long term threats such as fire, extreme weather events, insects, and disease by strategically thinning the forest.
  • August 3 (Kremmling, CO): High Country River Rafters: Take a Kid Rafting Day (2nd Annual). When: Saturday, Aug 3, 2019. Where: Pumphouse Recreation Area, Colorado 80459, USA (Group site A). Description: This event allows kids in the greater Denver area who might not otherwise have access to outdoor opportunities, the chance to spend the day rafting the upper Colorado River. This event is restricted to HCRR club members. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected].
  • August 6th-7th, 2019: Join Denver’s Public Works and Denver Water on a two-day tour of Denver’s watershed to explore how water moves from source to faucet and storm drain. The Denver Watershed Tour is designed for classroom and informal educators to learn more about how water gets to and moves through our communities. Throughout the tour, participants will engage in interdisciplinary activities to bring back to the classroom. For more information, click HERE.
  • August 8 (Wheat Ridge, CO): Down River Equipment event: Film Night. Please register. When: Thursday, August 8th, 2019. Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Where: Down River Equipment 11937 West I-70 Frontage Road North, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.
  • August 8, 9:30 AM (Redstone, CO) Family Exploration at Filoha, Filoha Meadows Open Space. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Bring your family to explore this unique thermal wetland called Filoha Meadows. Learn about wildlife and their adaptations through games and hands-on activities in areas of Filoha Meadows not typically open to the public. Bring your family to explore this unique thermal wetland called Filoha Meadows. Learn about wildlife and their adaptations through games and hands-on activities in areas of Filoha Meadows not typically open to the public. This program is appropriate for families with children of all ages and their parents.
  • August 10, 10am – 12pm (Colorado Springs, CO) Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up. Sierra Club, Pikes Peak Group. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • August 13, 7:30am – 10:30am (Aspen, CO) August Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • August 14, 9:30 AM (Redstone, CO) Family Exploration at Filoha, Filoha Meadows Open Space. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Bring your family to explore this unique thermal wetland called Filoha Meadows. Learn about wildlife and their adaptations through games and hands-on activities in areas of Filoha Meadows not typically open to the public. Bring your family to explore this unique thermal wetland called Filoha Meadows. Learn about wildlife and their adaptations through games and hands-on activities in areas of Filoha Meadows not typically open to the public. This program is appropriate for families with children of all ages and their parents.
  • August 15 5:30 – 8:30pm (Dillon, CO) Headwaters hops festival. Join the Blue River Watershed Group for an evening of lakeside views and local-crafted brews. Learn how we are working to protect the mountain water that helps make our local beers and spirits so delicious.
  • August 15, 5:30pm (Fruita, CO) Earth Science Lectures. Dr. David Noe, Geologist – Mapping the Geology of Delta County. Colorado Canyons Association. Located at the Dinosaur Journey Museum auditorium and free to the public every third Thursday of the month, March through October at 5:30pm (special event in May – stay tuned for more details). Come learn about how our amazing backyard landscapes have been shaped and formed by all types of geologic forces.
  • August 16 – 19 (Jackson, WY): High Country River Rafters: Grand Tetons Rafting (Snake River). When: Aug 16 – 19, 2019. Where: Grand Teton, Wyoming, USA. Description: We will spend the weekend in Grand Tetons National Park rafting various stretches of the Snake River. This event is restricted to HCRR club members. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected].
  • August 18 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sun, August 18, 2019  10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: Free
  • August 20 – 22 (Location TBD). Colorado Water Congress Summer Conference. A smaller version of our Annual Convention, the Summer Conference is held the third week of August in one of Colorado’s picturesque mountain communities. It includes updates and dialogue on Colorado water legislation, workshops and panel discussions on pressing water issues, and fun break-out opportunities.
  • August 21, 5:00 PM (Aspen, CO) Get the Inside Scoop at Cozy Point!  Cozy Point Open Space, Aspen. Roaring Fork Conservancy. This is your chance to join Roaring Fork Conservancy and City of Aspen Parks & Open Space on an excursion onto Cozy Point Open Space. With Brush Creek running through it, this 170-acre parcel includes multiple ecosystem types and is managed for multiple uses including horses, agriculture, education, ranching, recreation and habitat preservation. Come see how the land, water and human elements work together at Cozy Point! 
  • August 23rd-25th, 2019 (Bond, CO). GOREFEST 2019 – Where: Rancho del Rio on the Colorado River near Bond, Colorado (click for map). About: American Whitewater announces the 2019 Gore Canyon Race and Festival August 23rd-25th at Rancho del Rio, CO. GoreFest has an event for everyone. In addition to the famous Class V downriver race through Gore Canyon, the festival also includes a family fun float through Little Gore Canyon (class II/III), and a freestyle rodeo at the Gore Canyon Whitewater Park. You can also battle it out in the SUP Cross, SUP sprint through little Gore Canyon, or go the extra mile in the Marathon downriver SUP from Pumphouse to Rancho del Rio. There will be an Anything but…Boats race at Rancho Saturday after the Gore Race followed by great local live music, photo slideshows, beer, food, and fun. Don’t miss it! All or part of this operation is conducted on Public Lands under special permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management…MORE INFO COMING SOON.
  • August 24th, 2019 (Fruita, CO) 5th Annual Raft the River. RiversEdge West and Rimrock Adventures. On August 24th, join us and local river experts for our 5th Annual Raft the River fundraiser, a one-day float trip and dinner along the Colorado River in Fruita, Colorado from 3:00~7:30.  We’ll be floating from Rimrock Adventures to the Loma Boat Ramp. Sign up here (this will redirect you to our event registration page) or scroll down for more information.  Registration ends August 15th! Attention RiversEdge West Members! You must log in to your RiversEdge West account in order to view the membership pricing.  Please give us a call at 970.256.7400 if you have any questions.
  • August 27, 7:30am – 10:30am (Aspen, CO) August Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.

September

  • September TBD (Wheat Ridge, CO): Down River Fall Sale. When: September 2019 TBD. Where: Down River Equipment 11937 West I-70 Frontage Road North, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. *Our best deals of the season!
  • September 6 – 8 (Glenwood Springs, CO): High Country River Rafters: Glenwood Rafting Weekend. When: Sep 6 – 8, 2019. Where: Glenwood Springs, CO 81601, USA. Description: We will spend the weekend boating down the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon. This event is restricted to HCRR club members. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected].
  • September 10, 8am – 11am (Aspen, CO) September Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • September 13 – 15 (location TBD): High Country River Rafters: Beginner Multi-day Rafting (Ruby Horsethief or Gunnison). When: Sep 13 – 15, 2019. Description: This training event is a great introduction to multi-day raft trips. Perfect for beginners as we run 2-3 days down easier stretches of rivers. This event is restricted to HCRR club members. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected].
  • September 14, 10am – 12pm (Colorado Springs, CO) Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up. Sierra Club, Pikes Peak Group. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • September 14, Barr Lake State Park Birding Festival. Details. TBD.
  • September 15 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sunday 10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: Free
  • September 18, 7:30 am (Berthould CO) Northern Water East Slope Tour. Northern Water’s East Slope full-day tour highlights the Conservation Gardens at Northern Water, water operations and proposed storage projects. Space is limited for all tours. Click the Register link below to request registration. We will notify you as soon as participation lists for each tour are finalized. Specific itineraries will be e-mailed no later than two weeks prior to each tour. Please provide your e-mail address with your registration. Click the Information link for more information on the registration and waiting-list process.
  • September 18 (Glenwood Springs, CO) Colorado River District Annual Water Seminar. Make plans to join us for this all-day event as we hear experts discuss current conditions on the river and future challenges associated with the “hardest working river in North America” – the Colorado River.
  • September 18 (Wheat Ridge, CO): High Country River Rafters: Knot Tying, Flip Lines, & Wrapping an Oar. When: Wed, September 18, 2019, 6pm – 8pm. Where: Down River Equipment, 11937 W Interstate 70 Frontage Rd N, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, USA. Description: In this meeting/training, we’ll be covering the various knots used related to river running in addition to creating flip lines and wrapping oars. This event is open to everyone. Club membership is not required. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected].
  • September 18, 4:30 PM (Redstone, CO) Filoha Evening Walk: Elk & Bighorn Sheep. Filoha Meadows map. Roaring Fork Conservancy. Take a rare, autumn, sunset walk to enjoy the unique and beautiful Filoha Meadows before its seasonal closure. John Groves, District Wildlife Ranger with Colorado Parks & Wildlife, will discuss elk and big horn sheep natural history, and the importance of Filoha Meadows for calving, habitat, and food. Take a rare, autumn, sunset walk to enjoy the unique and beautiful Filoha Meadows before its seasonal closure. Thermal hot springs, bighorn sheep, important elk habitat, a local bat population, healthy riparian habitat, and beaver ponds are only a few of Filoha’s distinctive attributes.  John Groves, District Wildlife Ranger with Colorado Parks & Wildlife, will discuss elk and big horn sheep natural history, and the importance of Filoha Meadows for calving, habitat, and food.  Bring binoculars (or a spotting scope) and a camera as we enjoy fall at Filoha.
  • September 19, 5:30pm (Fruita, CO) Earth Science Lectures. Stephanie Lukowski, Curator of Education at the Museums of Western Colorado, Snowmass – Ice Age Life in the Rockies. Colorado Canyons Association. Located at the Dinosaur Journey Museum auditorium and free to the public every third Thursday of the month, March through October at 5:30pm (special event in May – stay tuned for more details). Come learn about how our amazing backyard landscapes have been shaped and formed by all types of geologic forces.
  • September 19th-22nd, 2019 (Summersville, VA) GAULEY FEST 2019. American Whitewater’s Biggest Fundraiser! All proceeds from the festival support American Whitewater’s river conservation and access works throughout the nation. Started in 1983 to celebrate the derailment of a hydro-electric project that would have disrupted the flows on the Gauley River, Gauley Fest has grown to become the largest paddling festival in the world. The festival is a showcase for American Whitewater and the top whitewater vendors in the boating community. The festival will feature live entertainment, a whitewater marketplace, raffle, and a silent auction where you can pick up some awesome outdoor gear. Come out and join us for a weekend of great paddling, exciting camaraderie, live entertainment, killer boat raffles, and the infamous silent auction.
  • September 24, 8am – 11am (Aspen, CO) September Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • September 27 (Boulder, CO) with City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks. The Backyard Collective. Backyard Collectives bring together member company employees and local grantees for a day of environmental action. These events allow us to get out of the office and get our hands dirty; doing good work to preserve and protect the open spaces in our own backyards. Projects include trail work, invasive species removal, and other creative projects that make a difference in local communities and ecosystems. The BYC program brings together members of the Conservation Alliance community and illustrates firsthand the benefits of conservation efforts and the larger work of The Conservation Alliance. To learn more about becoming involved in the Backyard Collective, please contact Abby Becker, Outreach Coordinator at [email protected].
  • September 28, 2019 8am – 5pm (Montrose, CO). Eagle Rock Shelter by Raft. Colorado Canyons Association. Colorado’s oldest house is right in our backyard at the Eagle Rock Shelter. Join Dr. John Seebach and the CCA crew as we take in the fall leaves and historic sites along the Gunnison River.
  • September 28 (Kremmling, CO): National Public Lands Day River Cleanup (with High Country River Rafters) When: Saturday, Sep 28, 2019. Where: Pumphouse Recreation Area, Colorado 80459, USA. Description: This event is open to everyone. Club membership is not required.  While the clean up takes place on Saturday, the BLM typically provides free camping to volunteers on both Friday and Saturday nights, so many of us have been known to boat Friday-Sunday. For more information please contact us at [email protected].
  • September 28 8am – noon. (Denver, CO) Fall South Platte Stewardship Day. Greenway Foundation. After a busy summer in which our riparian parks are heavily used, Denver Parks and Recreation needs your help restoring the parks along The South Platte River! ​Volunteer groups will assist with numerous projects including trash removal, crusher-fine based trail repair, painting, graffiti removal, tree protection, willow harvesting or relocation and more. When: Saturday, September 28th, 2019. 8:00 am: Volunteer Check-in and a light breakfast. 8:45 am: Speaking Program and Safety Notes. 9:00 am: Projects start. 12:00 pm: Volunteers return for lunch. This event will happen rain or shine!
  • September 28, 9am – noon (Denver, CO) FAMILY FALL  STEWARDSHIP DAY. Greenway Foundation. Family-Friendly Volunteering. Each Family Stewardship Day (formerly Family RiverSweep) starts with an hour-long volunteer project, followed by games and crafts with our South Platte River Environmental Education (SPREE) staff! These events are free and breakfast is provided,​ but prior registration is required.
  • September 28. Barr Lake State Park National Public Lands Day Shoreline Cleanup. Details TBD.
  • September 28 – October 6 (Colorado Springs, CO): Colorado Springs Creek Week. Be part of the largest watershed-wide clean-up in the state of Colorado! Creek Week volunteers clean up litter along a creek, trail, park or open space throughout the watershed. We’re inviting individuals and groups (families, clubs, schools, neighborhoods, etc.) to form a Creek Crew for the 6th Annual Creek Week Clean-Up. Get outdoors, get active, and create some good for your community and those living downstream. Details TBA.

October

  • October 1, 8am – 11am (Aspen, CO) October Birding at Hallam Lake. Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. $25. Join ACES naturalist Rebecca Weiss every Tuesday throughout the summer and discover the joy of birding and diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley! Birders of all experience levels are welcome! Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at these ACES sites and at other nearby birding hot spots.  Every outing offers rich opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and local habitats.  Join us to discover the birds on these beautiful and serene early mornings!  Be sure to check locations (ACES or RBR) and outing times, as they vary through the summer.
  • October 8-10, 2019 (Avon, CO) Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference. Colorado Watershed Assembly. October 8 – 10, 2019 – Westin Riverfront Resort, Avon, CO. The 2019 conference will explore the influence of The Human Element on water and watersheds in Colorado and the West. Our growing human presence and resulting impacts on watersheds is undeniable. At the same time, our human experiences and social/emotional connections to watersheds are integral components to be considered in the work to preserve, protect and restore our watersheds. Together we will delve into our impacts and connections. We will look for ways our influence can be fostered and mitigated to avoid loving our home to death.
  • October 9th, 2019 (Boulder, CO). St. Vrain Tamarisk Removal Volunteer Event Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Enjoy panoramic views of the Front Range and heal a local area deeply impacted by the 2013 flood! In the aftermath of the flood, millions of tamarisk seedlings germinated, which pose a major threat to the watershed should they mature. Volunteers will continue work from the past few years, removing tamarisk through hand pulling, weed wrenching, and cut & stump treatment with herbicide. Notes: Our project is located on St Vrain Creek, just east of the Boulder/Weld County line, where the Sept 2013 flood breached several lakes and carved a new channel. Tamarisk (aka Salt Cedar) has devastated watersheds throughout the west, costing billions of dollars in lost habitat, lost water, and lost electricity. Learn more here.
  • October 10 – 14 (Kremmling, CO): High Country River Rafters Fall Colors Trip. When: Oct 10 – 14, 2019. Where: Pumphouse Recreation Area, Colorado 80459, USA. Description: As rafting season in Colorado gradually comes to a close and the trees start to change colors we embark on a 5 day trip as we float down the Colorado River from Pumphouse to Dotsero. There are boat ramps all along the route.  If you can’t do the whole four days let us know and we can drop you off or pick you up along the way.  An easy access river trip that’s only a couple hours drive from Denver. Note: This event is restricted to HCRR club members.
  • October 12, 10am – 12pm (Colorado Springs, CO) Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up. Sierra Club, Pikes Peak Group. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • October 16 (Wheat Ridge, CO): High Country River Rafters Kitchen Essentials. When: Wed, October 16, 2019, 6pm – 8pm. Where: AAA Inflatables Equipment and Repair, Inc., 5610 Lamar St, Arvada, CO 80002, USA. Description: Did you ever wonder what gear you should have in your cook kit on the river? Join us as Paul Van Barnveld shares his knowledge and experience of what a river kitchen looks like. This event is open to everyone. Club membership is not required. If you would like to join High Country River Rafters, please go to http://www.hcrr.org/membership.html or contact us at [email protected].
  • October 12 8am to 5pm (Montrose, CO). Intro to Fly Fishing. Colorado Canyons Association. Ready to try the waters? Time to dip your line into the Gunnison River and learn how to fly fish, like you’ve been wanting to. Join CCA and partners for this fun day!
  • October 17 (Wheat Ridge, CO): Inflatable Boat Maintenance and Repair Basics Workshop (Inflatable boats). Please Register. When: Thursday, October 17th, 2019. Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Where: Down River Equipment 11937 West I-70 Frontage Road North, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (click for map). What: We like inflatable boats because they’re low maintenance, but there are a few precautions you’ll want to take to help extend the life of your boat and gear. Attend the DRE boat maintenance and repair basics and we’ll show you how to give your boat a life of luxury make minor fixes in a breeze. We will be breaking into presentation sessions. You can choose to attend 3 of the 5 stations offered. Each presentation will last 20 minutes. 1) PVC Boat Repair (RMR, AIRE, Sotar, Maravia, Vanguard, Saturn, Down River Adventurer, Odyssey, Star, Tributary, NRS Outlaw). 2) Hypalon Boat Repair (Hyside, NRS, Down River Pro, Avon). 3) Transport, Inflation/Deflation & Valves. 4) Repair Kit. 5) End of Season Maintenance & Storage.
  • October 17, 5:30pm (Fruita, CO) Earth Science Lectures. ReBecca Hunt-Foster, Paleontologist at Dinosaur National Monument – Fossils of Dinosaur National Monument. Colorado Canyons Association. Located at the Dinosaur Journey Museum auditorium and free to the public every third Thursday of the month, March through October at 5:30pm (special event in May – stay tuned for more details). Come learn about how our amazing backyard landscapes have been shaped and formed by all types of geologic forces.
  • October 19 – 20, 2019 (Delores, CO) Restoration Getaway: Dolores River Volunteer Event. Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and the Dolores River Restoration Partnership. Spend a few days camped out under the cottonwoods along the spectacular Dolores River with us, while you’re there, maybe kill some Tamarisk. That’s what we’ll be doing. This will be our sixth year working down in this part of the state to eradicate the invasive water hogging, earth salting Tamarisk tree. Volunteers will cut small trees or regrowth of previously cut larger trees and may also cage some Cottonwoods to protect them from marauding beavers. This is a really fun project. It is known far and wide for the fabulous food, the awe-inspiring scenery and the colorful local history! Learn more here.
  • October 20 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sunday 10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: Free

November

  • November 2, 11am – noon. (Denver, CO) PIONEERING ON THE PLATTE. Pioneering on the Platte. At Grant Frontier Park Join us to pan for gold in the South Platte River, listen to Native American stories, make crafts, and even take a silly photo at our Western photo-booth.  This event is free for the whole family to attend, and lunch will be provided, but prior registration is required. This event will take place on the east side of the newly renovated Grant Frontier Park! This park now offers easier access to the South Platte River, a historical area that highlights life as a pioneer, and new play structures!
  • November 6 (Denver, CO): The Conservation Alliance Breakfast. Wednesday, November 6, 7-9 AM. Where:  TBD. Who:  Open to the Public Open to the Public. The Conservation Alliance staff will be attending all three Outdoor Retailer shows in 2019.  Outdoor Retailer provides an opportunity for us to meet face-to-face with our existing member companies, and recruit new companies to join The Conservation Alliance. Our members host happy hours and product sales at each show that benefit The Conservation Alliance. The proceeds of these sales and events support a significant portion of our annual operating expenses.  Needless to say, Outdoor Retailer is an important show for us. We have decided to hold The Conservation Alliance Breakfast at the June and November Outdoor Retailer shows only. Rest assured we are as committed as ever to hosting inspiring breakfast events at the June and November shows.
  • November 9, 10am – 12pm (Colorado Springs, CO) Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up. Sierra Club, Pikes Peak Group. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • November 13-14 (Grand Junction, CO): 9th Annual Upper Colorado River Basin Water Forum, Nov 13-14, 2019. CMU University Center.
  • November 17 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sunday 10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: Free
  • November 21 (Wheat Ridge, CO). Down River Lecture Series, Guest Speaker TBD. Please Register. When: Thursday, November 21st, 2019. Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Where: Down River Equipment 11937 West I-70 Frontage Road North, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033.

December

  • December 12th 6-8 pm (Wheat Ridge, CO): Down River Permit Party. Where: Down River Equipment 11937 West I-70 Frontage Road North, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (click for map). What: It’s that time of year again! Join #TeamDownRiver for an evening of River Permit Logistics… plus food & beer! We’ll go over snow-pack, flows, and how/when to apply for permits. Applying for your seasonal permits shouldn’t be stressful.  It should be the time of the year to get stoked!! Don’t waste your permit money, come and learn how to maximize your permit application potential.
  • December 14, 10am – 12pm (Colorado Springs, CO) Colorado Springs El Pomar Section Clean-up. Sierra Club, Pikes Peak Group. Please help us make our world a little cleaner and protect the health of our waterways. The Fountain Creek Water Sentinels invite you to join us in a clean-up of our new Adopt-A-Waterway section of Fountain Creek. Join us on our monthly trash pick-up of this ¼ mile segment of the trail. We will provide garbage bags, gloves, and trash picker-uppers. Our section of creek is adjacent to the El Pomar Youth Sports Center along the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.
  • December 15 (Fountain, CO): Sierra Club. Hike and Water Sampling Demonstration. Date and Time: Sunday 10:00 AM  – 12:00 PM  (Local Time). Organized By: Pikes Peak Group. Location: Fountain Creek Regional Park, 2010 Duckwood Rd, Fountain, CO 80817, USA. Join the Fountain Creek Water Sentinels for a fun and easy walk along Fountain Creek. Learn about our water quality monitoring program and how citizen scientists can have a direct impact on policy-making in Colorado. Level: Easy Cost: FreeMay 29 – 31 (Gunnison, CO), First annual Water Futures Games (successor to the Colorado Water Workshop), Gunnison, CO.

2020

  • February 4 – 6 2020 (Grand Junction, CO). 2020 Riparian Restoration Conference, Organizer: RiversEdge West, Location: Grand Junction, CO. Save the date for RiversEdge West’s 18th annual conference to be held in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Water-related jobs of interest:

Citizen Science opportunities:

  • River Watch Colorado. River Watch volunteers come in all shapes and sizes. School groups, watershed monitoring groups, community groups and individuals all serve as watershed stewardship volunteers. Some groups monitor multiple sites on as many rivers; others focus on one specific site in their region. The common link between them all is their appreciation and dedication to the waters of Colorado. If you have the sincere interest and desire to become a River Watch volunteer, we welcome your efforts and will do all we can to assist you in starting your program! Learn more about our Volunteer Groups! What do volunteers do? Because of the nature of our programs adherence to scientific methodologies, volunteers are required to commit to sampling once a month on their respective site for a continuous year. River Watch staff will provide training and equipment to the volunteer and provide continuous support and supplies to ensure your program’s success. How can I get involved? Interested volunteers must participate in a training before becoming part of our program.
  • The Western Slope Conservation Center has been collecting important water quality data in the North Fork of the Gunnison River watershed for over 15 years as part of the Colorado River Watch program. The North Fork of the Gunnison has one of the longest, most consistent sets of data of any river in Colorado, thanks to our dedicated volunteers.  Our volunteers sample and analyze water from many sites along the North Fork river system. Because of their commitment, we know a lot about our local water quality.  Go here for more information.

Scientific Talks and Societies of Interest

Lectures / Field trips

Tuesday, May 14, Colo. Sci. Soc annual Emmons Lecture and May meeting, to take place in conjunction with a 2.5-day USGS-CSM joint Mineral Resources Forum. The lecture will be a presentation by Dr. Mark Barton, Univ. of Arizona, Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources: Synthesis, serendipity, and an open mind: timely approaches to timeless challenges in mineral deposits. Exact time and location (on the CSM campus) TBA. More info will be forthcoming!

Sunday, May 19, CSS Spring Field Trip: “Quaternary Geology of the Denver Basin.” “A one-day field trip (about 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) starting at the Morrison exit/Woolly Mammoth Park & Ride, with about 4 field stops relating to the Quaternary/Pleistocene geology of the Denver Basin. The trip will include a visit to the Magic Mountain archeological site, which has recently been in the news because of recent new excavations by DMNS. The trip will include visits to:

  • Magic Mountain archeological site, Paleocultural Research Group
    This has been in the news because of recent excavations by the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.Rolfe David Mandel will talk about the site’s geology, stratigraphy, and Carbon-14 dates. – about 90 minutes
  • Cheiftain mine (General Shale Brick, formerly Robinson Brick Co.) clay pit at Alameda & C-470; Jason McGraw of General Shale will do a focused on industrial minerals geology.) – about 90 minutes. Hard hats are not required but closed-toe shoes are.
  • The White Ash and Loveland Mines, by Donna Anderson
    Because there is no longer anything to see on the south side site but a bench and plaque, we will go to the park on North side of Hwy 6. This will be the lunch stop. Ned Stern will provide a new cross-section and maps of the White Ash Mine.
  • Last stop at West Lake parking area on Clear Creek off Youngfield St., south of 42nd Ave. Dave Lindsey will talk on Clear Creek geology and Quaternary geology of South Platte basin, with a show and tell on evolution of Clear Creek.
    If you wish to attend, please write to Cal Ruleman, 303-236-7804, [email protected] .

CSS Fall Field Trip, Saturday and Sunday, September 14-15, 2019 – Geology and Geoheritage of the Florissant-Cañon City-Florence area: A two-day field trip with an overnight in Cañon City. Visiting: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument; Skyline Drive by Cañon City; Royal Gorge; the Florence coal, oil, and gas basin; and the Cope-Marsh quarries at Garden Park.

CSS Spring Field Trip, Sunday, May 19, 2019 Quaternary Geology of the Denver Basin: A one-day field trip starting at the I-70 Morrison exit/Wooly Mammoth Park and Ride, with stops relating to the Quaternary/Pleistocene geology of the Denver Basin.

Leonardo da Vinci at the Colorado School of Mines, Arthur Lakes Library: In addition to the Leonardo da Vinci: 500 Years of Genius exhibit now in progress at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (see https://secure1.dmns.org/leonardo-da-vinci-500-years-of-genius ), there is another excellent exhibit about his work, currently on display at the Lakes Library on the CSM campus. The Machines of Change: The Da Vinci Machines exhibit includes “over 60 authentic reproductions of machines and devices designed by Leonardo DaVinci were created using similar materials, building techniques and tools that Leonardo would have had access to in his time”, plus full-size reproductions of Leonardo’s most famous paintings. The exhibit, free to all visitors, is spaced around the corridors and reading rooms of the main floor of the library. Library hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. most days, 12 to 6 weekends.

Sat., May 4, 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Colorado Mineral Society Silent Auction; Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 920 Kipling St., Lakewood. Checkout begins at 2:45 p.m.; all are welcome; for more info, seewww.coloradomineralsociety.org or contact Ben Geller, 303-550-5993 or email [email protected] .

Thurs., May 9, 7:30 p.m., Friends of Mineralogy, Colorado Chapter, bimonthly meeting: featuring David Stout,Rhodochrosite from the Capillitas mine, Argentina,. Meeting in Berthoud Hall, Room 109, Colorado School of Mines campus, Golden. All are welcome.

Fri., May 10, 2:00 p.m., Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Earth Sciences Colloquium, [note 2 p.m. start time; a 2nd talk follows at 3:00] “The dinosaur resurrection: Modern birds, and their rise from Chicxulub’s ashes”; Dan Field, Univ. of Cambridge. VIP Room, DMNS; all are welcome, museum admission is not required. 3:00 p.m.: The end-Permian mass extinction from a high southern palaeolatitude perspective, by Chris Fielding, Univ. of Nebraska.

Tues., May 14, Colorado Scientific Society annual Emmons Lecture, by Dr. Mark Barton, Univ. of Arizona, Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources, Synthesis, serendipity, and an open mind: timely approaches to timeless challenges in mineral deposits; exact location on the CSM campus, TBA. This public presentation will take place in conjunction with a 2.5-day USGS-CSM joint Mineral Resources Forum.

Tues., May 16, 10:30 a.m., USGS Rocky Mountain Science Seminar, It’s not just about nitrogen and phosphorus: Why sulfur in agriculture is a growing concern. Eve-Lyn Hinckley, CU-Boulder. Building 25 auditorium, Denver Federal Center; visitors are welcome. Enter Building 25 at entrance E-14, by the security guard’s station.

Sun., May 19, Friends of Mineralogy, Colorado Chapter, Silent (+Vocal) Auction. Noon to 4 p.m. (setup begins at 11 a.m.), Clements Community Center, 1580 Yarrow St., Lakewood CO. All are welcome to attend.

Tues., May 30, 10:30 a.m., USGS Rocky Mountain Science Seminar,Levering published geological information in Macrostrat to test Earth systems hypotheses: Shanan Peters, Univ. Wisconsin, Madison.. Building 25 auditorium, Denver Federal Center; visitors are welcome. Enter Building 25 at entrance E-14, by the security guard’s station.

Fri.-Sat.-Sun., May 31-June 2, Pikes Peak Gem & Mineral Show, Norris-Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80905. Sponsored by the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society. Hours: noon-7 pm Fri., 10-5 Sat, 10-4 Sun. Adult admission $5.

Scientific societies or lecture series

Wyoming Water Forum. Past presentations here.

The Colorado State University School of Global Environmental Sustainability has a packed calendar of lectures and symposia here. Colorado Mesa University Water Center has numerous lectures and symposia here. (Lectures generally during the school year)

The Colorado Scientific Society (the oldest scientific society in the Rocky Mountain region) has a calendar with lectures, outings, and field trips here. Earth-science focused.

Boulder County Nature Association. Variety of classes and field trips.

Colorado Beer Talks (2nd Tuesday, 6-8 p.m.), Windy Saddle Café, 1110 Washington Avenue, Golden, “Golden’s grassroots version of TED talks, Expand your mind with a beer in your hand”, http://goldenbeertalks.org/Colorado Café Scientifique in Denver, monthly lectures on science topics held either at Blake Street Station or Brooklyn’s, Denver; open to the public, no charge other than refreshments you may choose to purchase; see http://cafescicolorado.org/ .

Colorado Scientific Society (3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.), see http://coloscisoc.org/ . Meets at Shepherd of the Hills Church, 11500 W. 20th Ave., Lakewood CO, except when noted.

CU Geological Science Colloquium (Wednesdays, 4 p.m.) see http://www.colorado.edu/geologicalsciences/colloquium

CSU Dept. of Geoscience Seminars (Fridays, 4 p.m.), see https://warnercnr.colostate.edu/geosciences/geosciences- seminar-series/

Van Tuyl Lecture Series, Colorado School of Mines, (Thursdays, 4 p.m.): https://geology.mines.edu/events- calendar/lectures/

Denver Mining Club (Mondays, 11:30), see http://www.denverminingclub.org/ .

Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Earth Science Colloquium series, 3:00-4:00 p.m., VIP Room unless noted, day of the week varies. Museum admission is not required; see http://www.dmns.org/science/research/earth-sciences/

Denver Region Exploration Geologists Society (DREGS; 1st Monday, 7 p.m.), http://www.dregs.org/index.html

Florissant Scientific Society (FSS); meets monthly in various Front Range locations for a lecture or field trip; meeting locations vary, normally on Sundays at noon; all interested persons are welcome to attend the meetings and trips; see http://www.fss-co.org/ for details and schedules.

Nerd Night Denver is a theater-style evening featuring usually 3 short (20-minute) TED-style talks on science or related topics; held more-or-less monthly at the Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave., Denver; drinks are available; for ages 18+. Admission is $6 online in advance, $10 at the door. See https://www.nerdnitedenver.com/ .

Rocky Mountain Map Society (RMMS; Denver Public Library, Gates Room, 3rd Tuesday, 5:30 p.m.), http://rmmaps.org/

Western Interior Paleontological Society (WIPS); beginning January 2019, WIPS will meet on the 1st Monday of the month, 7 p.m., at Lowry Conference Center, 1061 Akron Way, Denver. See http://westernpaleo.org/ .

For riparian restoration events around the west, click here.

For details on monthly Wyoming Water Forum meetings and webinars, click here.

For water events in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, click here.

For water events in Colorado’s Eagle River Watershed, click here. 

For water events in Colorado’s Uncompahgre Valley, click here.

Gunnison Basin Roundtable meeting, May 2, Montrose, CO.

Colorado Basin Roundtable meeting (scroll down), May 27, Glenwood Springs, CO.

First annual Water Futures Games (successor to the Colorado Water Workshop), May 29-31, Gunnison, CO.

Animas and San Juan Watersheds Conference: Successes and Challenges from the Headwaters to Lake Powell, June 18-21, abstracts due April 15, Farmington, NM.

Colorado Water Congress Summer Conference, Aug 20-22, Steamboat Springs, CO.

San Juan Mining and Reclamation Conference, Sept 24, Silverton, CO.

Recorded webinars of interest:

  • RiversEdge West Webinar training series – Webinars in the Training Series
    • Webinar 7: Identifying Resource Concerns and Determining Landowner Objectives
    • Webinar 8: How to Talk about Wetlands with Landowners
    • Webinar 9: What are Wetland Restoration Choices? Matching Objectives to Programs and Getting Additional Help
  • Watch our film the “River of Sorrow: Inheriting the Dolores” HERE
  • CO Water Congress archives.
  • Videos about the Poudre history.
  • (Website) http://ecowest.org/2013/05/21/flow-diagrams-of-u-s-and-western-water-use/
  • Webcast Engaged Scientists Series. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. Cost and Registration: Free, available for viewing. This webcast discusses issues of environmental health and safety and helps equip scientists with community engagement skills. Topics include exploring techniques to work more closely with communities, fostering dialogue and enabling two-sided conversations about environmental science, and understanding the role of power and privilege in community-based research.
  • Webcast Going Off the Grid: Disaster, Resilience, and Off Grid Energy. Smart Villages. Cost and Registration: Free, available for viewing. This webcast discusses disasters and resilience and how they relate to off-grid energy, energy access, agricultural communities, and smart village efforts that provide opportunities to better respond to disasters.
  • Video Lecture Series. Socio-Environmental Immersion Program Lectures. National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center. Cost and Access: Free, available for download. This lecture series is the product of Socio-Environmental Immersion Program workshops. Each lecture provides an overview of a discipline; covers its history, foundational theories, and methods; and describes linkages of the overall discipline to socio-environmental issues and research. Topics include environmental history, change in socio-environmental systems, anthropology, sociology, economics, and ecology.
  • Eagle River Blue Trail. American Rivers, a national river conservation organization, has developed a network of Blue Trails to help people connect with special rivers. The Blue Trails program works with local partners to link communities and their rivers through access, recreation and informed stewardship. It also helps foster a sense of “ownership” for the rivers and the lands through which they flow. The Eagle River has been chosen by American Rivers to become a Blue Trail. In doing so, the Eagle River will be following in the footsteps of other projects around the nation. Ken Neubecker, Eagle River Blue Trails coordinator for American Rivers, long-time Eagle County resident and former ERWC board president, presented on the status and future of this project. The Eagle and Colorado Rivers face new challenges, and a new generation of residents and visitors alike who care for them. Watch the full presentation here!
  • The Colorado Water Plan. Do you wonder how water is managed in our state? Did you know that Colorado is one of the few Western states operating without a State Water Plan? Under Gov. Hickenlooper’s direction, Colorado is in the process of creating such a plan, one that aims to forge “a path forward for providing Coloradans with the water we need while supporting healthy watersheds and the environment, robust recreation and tourism economies, vibrant and sustainable cities, and viable and productive agriculture…” (coloradowaterplan.com). Ken Neubecker, Eagle River Blue Trails coordinator for American Rivers, long-time Eagle County resident and former ERWC board president, brought us up to speed on this exciting and complex process. Like ERWC, the Ken Neubecker is a member of the Colorado Basin Roundtable. Holm described the ways in which Roundtable members are working to advocate for Western Slope water interests and to ensure that legislation is crafted with those interests in mind. Diane Johnson of the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District focused on the process at the local level, and spoke about the Eagle River Basin Principles. Watch the full presentation here!
  • Eagle River Valley State of the River. Watch the State of the River video. (May 29th, 2013)
  • State of the Fisheries 2015. We learned first-hand from Colorado Parks & Wildlife Aquatic Biologist Kendall Bakich about a variety of topics regarding the status and management of the Eagle and Upper Colorado River fisheries. “The fish in Eagle County are not only an incredibly important resource for the area, they are one of the most outstanding resources in Colorado,” said Bakich. “We wanted to give the public an opportunity to hear how their local fisheries are doing directly from the people who manage them.” Bakich presented her most recent survey data regarding the variety of fishes and populations currently found in the Eagle and Upper Colorado Rivers. She provided insightful hypotheses about why the fisheries might look the way they do, and explained CPW’s fisheries management strategies. You can watch the full presentation here. A big thanks to Public Access TV5 for filming all of our Watershed Wednesday presentations!
  • Abandoned & Inactive Mines. Ron Cohen, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, has seen it all. His research and expertise in microbial treatment and remediation of mine wastes has taken him around the world. As a lecturer and consultant, Prof. Cohen has shared his expertise in places as diverse as South Africa, India, Brazil, Ghana, Canada, China, Russia, and England. He has also worked on many projects around the state of Colorado, including the Eagle Mine Superfund site. We had a great lunch-time conversation with Professor Cohen, in which he spoke about inactive and abandoned mines in the Rockies, with a particular focus on the Gold King Mine incident and the implications for us in Eagle County. You can watch the full presentation here. A big thanks to Public Access TV5 for filming all of our Watershed Wednesday presentations!
  • Paddling Around the World. Seth and Jessica Mason of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Whitewater Raft Teams shared their experiences paddling rivers around the world, and how different cultures interact with water as a resource. Seth, a hydrologist, and Jessica, a water resources engineer, offered a unique perspective of rivers outside our own borders. Watch the full presentation below. A big thanks to High Five Access Media for filming all of our Watershed Wednesday presentations!
  • Colorado River Inventory & Assessment. After realizing that little data existed for the 55 miles of the Upper Colorado River running through Eagle County, Eagle River Watershed Council sought to fill this gap. The natural starting point for this effort was to conduct a full, science-based inventory and assessment of the ecology of the river corridor, its tributaries, and the surrounding area. ERWC worked in conjunction with the Colorado State University Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering to create the Colorado River Inventory & Assessment, which was released in July 2014. Bill Hoblitzell, water quality consultant for the Watershed Council, did a fantastic job outlining projects & policy suggestions from CRIA and explaining the implications it will have for the mighty river running through our backyard. Watch the full presentation here!
  • Graywater Reuse. Graywater is water that has been used for washing hands, for showers and baths, and laundry water. In a residential household or apartment, it accounts for about half of the indoor water use, and half of the wastewater generated. CSU professors Larry Roesner & Sybil Sharvelle have been studying possible, non-potable uses of graywater since 2002. Based on findings from this research, Drs. Roesner & Sharvelle are actively assisting CDPHE to develop regulations for graywater reuse in Colorado. If the Regulations are practical and encourage graywater reuse, Colorado could save up to 85,000 acre feet/year of additional demand for water. Dr. Larry Roesner has more than 40 years’ experience in water resources, water quality engineering and management. He is a nationally-recognized expert in the development & application of hydrologic, hydraulic, and water quality simulation models. Since coming to CSU in 1999, Dr. Roesner has specialized in integrated urban water management, concentrating on use of graywater for outside irrigation and toilet flushing. Watch the full presentation here!
  • May 20, 2013 Wildfire Effects on Water Supplies in Colorado. Presenters: Tom Veblen, Geography, University of Colorado – Front Range Fire History. Presentation with video and audio. Francis Rengers, Geology, University of Colorado – Measuring Post-Fire Erosion Response with Terrestrial Lidar. Presentation with video and audio. Don Kennedy, Denver Water – Denver Water’s Impacts of Past Wildfires, and the Forests to Faucets Partnership. Presentation with video and audio (pre-recorded in 2012)
  • November 13, 2012. Water, Energy, and Climate Change: Freshwater Use by Power Plants. Presenter: James Meldrum, WWA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Webinar presentation with video and audio
  • June 28, 2012. Landscape Water Use Software – Demonstration & Discussion. Presenters: Dr. Joanna Endter-Wada, Dr. Roger Kjelgren , Dr. Christopher Neale, and Clay Lewis, M.E., Urban Water Conservation Research Lab, Utah State University. Webinar presentation with video and audio (can be streamed online or downloaded)
  • May 22, 2012. Adapting to climate change on the Shoshone National Forest: A science-management collaboration to develop planning and management tools. Presenter: Janine Rice, WWA Postdoctoral Associate and USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Webinar presentation with video and audio (can be streamed online or downloaded
  • April 2, 2012. Simulating Colorado River Streamflow at Interannual and Interdecadal Time Scales and Implications for Water Resources Management. Presenters: Edith Zagona, Ken Nowak, Cameron Bracken, and Katrina Grantz – CADSWES, University of Colorado, and US Bureau of Reclamation. Streaming video file | Webinar presentations can be downloaded as PDFs at CADSWES

Dan C.