Hope for Rivers During Drought | National Geographic

great American rivers like the Colorado

great American rivers like the Colorado provide power recreation food and water

provide power recreation food and water

provide power recreation food and water to people and wildlife

to people and wildlife

to people and wildlife but when demand outpaces supply and

but when demand outpaces supply and

but when demand outpaces supply and drought hits rivers are threatened the

drought hits rivers are threatened the

drought hits rivers are threatened the Colorado River Basin has suffered really

Colorado River Basin has suffered really

Colorado River Basin has suffered really badly from this drought there’s been

badly from this drought there’s been

badly from this drought there’s been very little snowpack this year way below

very little snowpack this year way below

very little snowpack this year way below normal levels and the snowpack is what

normal levels and the snowpack is what

normal levels and the snowpack is what drives most of the flow in the rivers in

drives most of the flow in the rivers in

drives most of the flow in the rivers in the Colorado River Basin in response to

the Colorado River Basin in response to

the Colorado River Basin in response to the drought the Colorado Water Trust

the drought the Colorado Water Trust

the drought the Colorado Water Trust proposed an innovative method for

proposed an innovative method for

proposed an innovative method for restoring water to the state’s rivers a

restoring water to the state’s rivers a

restoring water to the state’s rivers a drought lease program that ask water

drought lease program that ask water

drought lease program that ask water users to loan water to rivers in need we

users to loan water to rivers in need we

users to loan water to rivers in need we look at the lease as an opportunity for

look at the lease as an opportunity for

look at the lease as an opportunity for us to find willing participants in the

us to find willing participants in the

us to find willing participants in the program and match them up with rivers

program and match them up with rivers

program and match them up with rivers responding to the call was the upper

responding to the call was the upper

responding to the call was the upper yapple water district in Steamboat

yapple water district in Steamboat

yapple water district in Steamboat Springs where the area’s world-famous

Springs where the area’s world-famous

Springs where the area’s world-famous snow feeds the town’s centerpiece the

snow feeds the town’s centerpiece the

snow feeds the town’s centerpiece the yapper River upstream from the city the

yapper River upstream from the city the

yapper River upstream from the city the stagecoach reservoir can augment the

stagecoach reservoir can augment the

stagecoach reservoir can augment the rivers flow and during this difficult

rivers flow and during this difficult

rivers flow and during this difficult year the owners offered to lease some

year the owners offered to lease some

year the owners offered to lease some water supported in part by funding from

water supported in part by funding from

water supported in part by funding from National Geographic and the Bonneville

National Geographic and the Bonneville

National Geographic and the Bonneville environmental foundation the drought

environmental foundation the drought

environmental foundation the drought lease was purchased in June the drought

lease was purchased in June the drought

lease was purchased in June the drought lease was something that everyone was

lease was something that everyone was

lease was something that everyone was happy with our board was happy to put

happy with our board was happy to put

happy with our board was happy to put the water under contract and to release

the water under contract and to release

the water under contract and to release the water to the river and the river

the water to the river and the river

the water to the river and the river certainly benefited by the release of

certainly benefited by the release of

certainly benefited by the release of the water throughout the summer the

the water throughout the summer the

the water throughout the summer the reservoir continually released water

reservoir continually released water

reservoir continually released water into the river and kept the Yampa

into the river and kept the Yampa

into the river and kept the Yampa flowing at healthier levels

flowing at healthier levels

flowing at healthier levels so striking that deal at the appropriate

so striking that deal at the appropriate

so striking that deal at the appropriate time and getting that water back into

time and getting that water back into

time and getting that water back into the river was critical to preventing an

the river was critical to preventing an

the river was critical to preventing an ecological crash in the river critical

ecological crash in the river critical

ecological crash in the river critical to making sure the fish populations

to making sure the fish populations

to making sure the fish populations didn’t crash both native and introduced

didn’t crash both native and introduced

didn’t crash both native and introduced fish populations occupy the Yampa River

fish populations occupy the Yampa River

fish populations occupy the Yampa River system and for aquatic biologist Bill

system and for aquatic biologist Bill

system and for aquatic biologist Bill Atkinson drought years pose special

Atkinson drought years pose special

Atkinson drought years pose special challenges bill must monitor the river

challenges bill must monitor the river

challenges bill must monitor the river frequently checking conditions if low

frequently checking conditions if low

frequently checking conditions if low water levels result in conditions

water levels result in conditions

water levels result in conditions stressful to the fish tubing and even

stressful to the fish tubing and even

stressful to the fish tubing and even fly fishing could be shut down to

fly fishing could be shut down to

fly fishing could be shut down to protect them of greatest concern are the

protect them of greatest concern are the

protect them of greatest concern are the native mountain whitefish negatively

native mountain whitefish negatively

native mountain whitefish negatively impacted by a 2002 drought critically

impacted by a 2002 drought critically

impacted by a 2002 drought critically low flow levels could do further damage

low flow levels could do further damage

low flow levels could do further damage to the population bill also manages the

to the population bill also manages the

to the population bill also manages the introduced brown and rainbow trout

introduced brown and rainbow trout

introduced brown and rainbow trout populations which support a robust sport

populations which support a robust sport

populations which support a robust sport fishing industry in Steamboat Springs as

fishing industry in Steamboat Springs as

fishing industry in Steamboat Springs as a look at the native fish component like

a look at the native fish component like

a look at the native fish component like the whitefish but along with that I also

the whitefish but along with that I also

the whitefish but along with that I also have a created sport fishery that I

have a created sport fishery that I

have a created sport fishery that I sustained through a stocky regiment

the spectacular Valley setting provides

the spectacular Valley setting provides a peaceful retreat for fly fishermen

and during the quiet times on the river

and during the quiet times on the river might be lucky enough to observe other

might be lucky enough to observe other

might be lucky enough to observe other native fishers

another stretch of the river groups of

another stretch of the river groups of fun seekers ride the water on tubes or

fun seekers ride the water on tubes or

fun seekers ride the water on tubes or the more adventurous in kayaks in late

the more adventurous in kayaks in late

the more adventurous in kayaks in late June low flows force tubing operators to

June low flows force tubing operators to

June low flows force tubing operators to close business but the increased water

close business but the increased water

close business but the increased water from the lease help them reopen sooner

from the lease help them reopen sooner

from the lease help them reopen sooner and get revenues flowing again traveling

and get revenues flowing again traveling

and get revenues flowing again traveling down through the middle of town enjoying

down through the middle of town enjoying

down through the middle of town enjoying a day on the river you will also pass

a day on the river you will also pass

a day on the river you will also pass through farm country a mainstay of this

through farm country a mainstay of this

through farm country a mainstay of this valleys economy a drought year brings

valleys economy a drought year brings

valleys economy a drought year brings difficult choices to farmers likely

difficult choices to farmers likely

difficult choices to farmers likely Kirby who may not be able to support

Kirby who may not be able to support

Kirby who may not be able to support their cattle or crops in these tough

their cattle or crops in these tough

their cattle or crops in these tough times I would say we’re down around 30

times I would say we’re down around 30

times I would say we’re down around 30 or 40 percent of what we would normally

or 40 percent of what we would normally

or 40 percent of what we would normally produce even though Kirby’s ranch is

produce even though Kirby’s ranch is

produce even though Kirby’s ranch is located beyond the intended reach of the

located beyond the intended reach of the

located beyond the intended reach of the lease his farm still received enough

lease his farm still received enough

lease his farm still received enough additional water to harvest a late

additional water to harvest a late

additional water to harvest a late season hay crop and during a hard year

season hay crop and during a hard year

season hay crop and during a hard year this was a helpful economic boost

the scientists warned that drought years

the scientists warned that drought years will become more common in the West we

will become more common in the West we

will become more common in the West we need innovative approaches to freshwater

need innovative approaches to freshwater

need innovative approaches to freshwater management this was a really important

management this was a really important

management this was a really important lease at the right time and what I love

lease at the right time and what I love

lease at the right time and what I love about it is it’s it’s really showing

about it is it’s it’s really showing

about it is it’s it’s really showing adaptability and that we can be

adaptability and that we can be

adaptability and that we can be resilient during these times of drought

resilient during these times of drought

resilient during these times of drought make sure that the rivers not the last

make sure that the rivers not the last

make sure that the rivers not the last in line to get help during a time of

in line to get help during a time of

in line to get help during a time of drought the lease-purchase

drought the lease-purchase

drought the lease-purchase demonstrates new possibilities to

demonstrates new possibilities to

demonstrates new possibilities to balance the needs of humans and the

balance the needs of humans and the

balance the needs of humans and the health of our vital river systems it’s

health of our vital river systems it’s

health of our vital river systems it’s just one example of how people are

just one example of how people are

just one example of how people are working together to save the life-giving

working together to save the life-giving

working together to save the life-giving waters of America’s great river systems