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Posted inThe Roundup

The Roundup | The reason for a delay in a river restoration project

Curtis Wackerle by Curtis Wackerle November 16, 2021November 16, 2021
Aspen Journalism logo with Highlands Bowl in background
The Roundup newsletter: A weekly roundup of Aspen Journalism’s original stories with a letter from the newsroom and The Bucket, a selection of news from other sources.
Letter from the newsroom
A fisherman takes advantage of the water pooling at the Weaver Ditch headgate on a fall afternoon. Both the gate itself and the river around it are slated for changes to ease impacts on the river itself. Photo credit: Will Grandbois. Credit: Will Grandbois /Aspen Journalism

‘Articulating the needs and concerns of the resource’

Some stories change over the time journalists spend reporting them. Such was the case with our story published this week, “Crystal River restoration finding its footing in Carbondale park.” When Will Grandbois, a Carbondale journalist and former editor of the Sopris Sun, took on the assignment for our Water Desk in the waning days of summer, it appeared to be straight forward: Look into a grant application that Roaring Fork Conservancy, in partnership with the town of Carbondale, had before the Colorado Water Conservation Board for a restoration project impacting the Crystal River and adjacent riparian areas as the beloved waterway flows through the River Valley Ranch subdivision. 

The application was set to be heard at a September meeting but we soon learned it had been removed from the agenda. Grandbois kept digging and learned that the delay was related to ongoing discussions with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, relating to concerns that the state agency had with construction impacts. The project would reengineer the already-altered stream channel to create a narrower, faster and colder river, which ultimately benefits the riparian ecosystem, but as originally proposed that would involve in-channel construction for up to four months. CPW wants to see if the work can be done with a lighter touch, or perhaps be broken up over the course of multiple years. That could increase construction costs, already approaching $1.5 million, but the wildlife agency and project proponents are meeting to try to build a model for larger projects like this one, Grandbois reports. Meanwhile, the CWCB’s decision on the grant is now expected in January.

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“We’re in charge of articulating the needs and concerns of the resource,” area wildlife manager Matt Yamashita says in the piece. He adds: “We support the scope of the project wholeheartedly. The future of our waterways is only going to continue to become more and more impacted, so the more time and effort we can put toward improving those and preserving their natural qualities, the better.”

Also, an update on our fundraising efforts: Since kicking off our year-end push Nov. 1, Aspen Journalism has raised nearly $10,000 from readers like you. That’s a wonderful start and we are grateful to all of our supporters, who make this unique model possilbe. If you haven’t yet given, please consider doing so, as we look to take advantage of local, statewide and national matching opportunities to propel us toward our overall goal of $75,000.

Thanks for reading and supporting Aspen Journalism.

— Curtis Wackerle, editor

Recent reporting
Credit: Will Grandbois / Aspen Journalism

Crystal River restoration finding its footing in Carbondale park

Colorado Water Conservation Board considering grant to fund half of $1.46 million effort

By Will Grandbois | November 15, 2021

As spelled out in a Water Plan grant request, improvements will include streambank stabilization and river channel restoration, plant diversification and better access to the park as well as an automated ditch headgate.

Continue reading…

Data dashboard: Maximum air temperature keeps swinging

The Roaring Fork and the Crystal rivers remain below their minimum instream flows but close to last year’s levels.

By Laurine Lassalle | November 16, 2021

• Roaring Fork at Stillwater ran at 16.5 cfs on Nov. 14, a 20% drop from last week but only down 3.5% from last year.
• Lake Powell has lost 46.5 vertical feet in surface elevation in the last year.

Continue reading…

Tracking the Curve

Documenting COVID-19 in Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties

By Laurine Lassalle | November 16, 2021

The Pitkin County Board of Health approved its winter COVID-19 mitigation plan on Nov. 12. The plan maintains the current indoor masking policy in Pitkin County until the incidence rate drops below 50 per 100,000.

Continue reading…

Our nonprofit mission is to produce good journalism for people who care about Aspen, the Roaring Fork Valley, and the upper Colorado River basin. Today, your donation, up to $1,000 per person, can be doubled through matching gifts.

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The Bucket: A selection of stories of interest to readers with a stake in Aspen and the Colorado River basin
A selection of stories of interest to those with a stake in Aspen and the Colorado River basin we’ve been reading from other news sources this week.

City of Aspen on fast track for mandatory climate action regulations

“The organization suggests the city reduce organics in the landfill 25% by 2025 and 100% by 2050, as well as reduce community municipal solid waste generation per capita 8% by 2025. Council also will adopt the goals to reduce landfill waste 50% by 2030 from a baseline established in 2015, and 70% total diversion by 2050.”
Source: aspentimes.com | Read more

AVH feeling statewide hospital crunch locally

“In some ways, Ressler said the current capacity issues Colorado hospitals are facing is because of a combination of factors, some of them due to the pandemic and others specifically because the world has come back online in real life since the global shutterings brought public health orders during the early, pre-vaccine days of COVID-19.”
Source: aspendailynews.com | Read more

Colorado’s governor continues to fund positions in his office with money from private donors

“Six positions in Gov. Jared Polis’ office this fiscal year are funded by grants from non-governmental organizations, including one funded by the grandson of Walmart’s founder, another that has received large sums from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and a third led by the widow of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, Laurene Powell Jobs.”
Source: coloradosun.com | Read more

Denver Water reaches Gross Reservoir settlement, but water supply concerns remain

“Climate scientists and legal experts said they’re skeptical the parched Colorado River will provide enough water for Denver Water to fill an expanded Gross Reservoir. And even if the water’s there, the expansion and other projects like it will inevitably worsen water shortages on Colorado’s Western Slope and downstream, they said.”
Source: denverpost.com | Read more

Gloomier forecasts for Colorado River still ‘too rosy,’ expert says

“‘Given we’ve lost 2/3 of the contents of those reservoirs, we need to completely understand how likely it is that those reservoirs dry in the next few years. We’re soft pedaling that risk. It’s much higher than anyone should be comfortable with.”’
Source: tucson.com | Read more

Local stakeholders must cooperate to handle changing conditions

“Deliveries to the city of Durango and La Plata Archuleta Water District await construction of new pipeline to the east. This pipeline project is the most important drought adaptation action available to serve city and county residents.”
Source: durangoherald.com | Read more

Aspen’s housing authority looks to Woody Creek mobile homes as pilot program for replacing dilapidated units

“Under the proposal, when a homeowner informs APCHA that he or she wants to sell, the agency will determine the condition of the unit through an inspection and whether it should be repaired or replaced. In the units that have been identified by APCHA that would likely need replacement, APCHA would exercise first right of refusal and buy out the homeowner and replace the mobile home with a prefabricated one and then sell it to a qualified buyer.”
Source: aspentimes.com | Read more

Help wanted: Housing for SkiCo employees

“‘Homeowners and landlords who are for their first time leasing a room to an Aspen Skiing Company employee for the ski season can choose as their incentive either a full season’s pass, 10 single-day lift ticket vouchers, or a $1,200 gift certificate valid for any Aspen-Snowmass product,’ [says the Aspen Skiing Co. statement].”
Source: aspendailynews.com | Read more

Houpt: Taxpayers should not subsidize oil and gas shortfall

“Currently the COGCC is working on the Financial Assurance Rule that determines how companies will be held accountable for the impact made by their activity. The proposed Financial Assurance Rule that would have created a system of greater assurance has been red-lined. Has the commission given away too much for fear of triggering an onslaught of abandoned wells?”
Source: gjsentinel.com | Read more

Semple: Entrance to Aspen, a song that never ends

“Does Aspen owe you a quicker drive time? If you’re driving a car like me, you’re part of the problem. I don’t feel like Aspen owes me ­anything. I provide services to locals and tourists alike, I make a comfortable, modest living; I wait in traffic like the next guy.”
Source: aspendailynews.com | Read more

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Curtis Wackerle

Curtis Wackerle

Curtis Wackerle is the editor and executive director of Aspen Journalism and the editor and reporter on the Connie Harvey Environment Desk. Curtis has also served as editor, managing editor, and reporter... More by Curtis Wackerle

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