Support the Blue River Watershed!

Our projects: 

Integrated Water Management Plan:

BRWG has partnered with Trout Unlimited to create an Integrated Water Management Plan (IWMP) for the Blue River Watershed, that will provides a roadmap for future water use, restoration projects, and other solutions to the issues that currently threaten the health of the watershed.  The IWMP will guide the strategic direction of BRWG for the next several years and provides the scientific backbone for the new Blue River Habitat Restoration Project. You can read more about the IWMP here. 

Blue River Habitat Restoration Project: 

The Blue River Habitat Restoration Project (BRHRP) was created to restore the riparian ecosystem below the Dillon Dam after the Blue River lost its Gold Medal status in 2016. The loss of this status pointed to greater threats causing a significant decline in ecosystem health. The BRHRP is the result of the scientific findings from the IWMP and will address many of the issues threatening the health of the Blue River. This project will revive the health of the Blue River and work to restore Gold Medal Waters status, as well as provide enhanced recreational opportunities to the community and ensure the sustainability of this incredible resource. 

Swan River Restoration: 

BRWG, in collaboration with Summit County Open Space and others worked to restore a section of the Swan River near Breckenridge that was heavily affected by dredge mining. The first phase of this project, reaches A and B, were completed in 2022 and are now experiencing an influx of returning wildlife and native plants. The second half of the project will reconnect the North, Middle, and South Fork of the Swan River for the first time in over a hundred years when dredge mining and the tailing piles left behind disrupted the natural streamflow.

Native Cutthroat Trout Preservation Project: 

The goals of this project on the North Fork of the Swan River include; replacing existing, inadequate non-native exclusion structures to prevent non-native fish species including other trout from negatively affecting native Cutthroat populations; restoring and maintain a self-sustaining native trout fishery and create habitat for a diversity of native wildlife; and increasing the native trout population by allowing natural migration and recolonization of the North Fork of the Swan River without detrimental influx of non-natives.

Community Education and Engagement Projects:

Summit County Outdoor Coalition: 

Blue River Watershed Group along with Friends of the Lower Blue River and Summit County Sustainability have partnered to support the formation of the Summit County Outdoor Coalition. This partnership is part of the Regional Partnership Initiatives with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO). The goal of the coalition is to manage the impacts of growth in and support ecosystem health in a changing climate. 

State Of the River Presentations: 

Colorado River District hosted by BRWG. The State of the River is a series of presentations that provides an opportunity for our stakeholders to learn more about water allocation, the outlook for our rivers, and how the Colorado River District and Blue River Watershed Group are working to protect the Blue River. This years SOTR features experts presenting on current water projects, water allocation and use, as well as local water issues that impact our community. 

Citizen Science: 

This project provides an opportunity for local community members to get involved with help understanding the baselines water quality measurements and their fluctuations over time. These important data points provide us with the tools we need to make informed decisions about streamflow allocations, water temperature and salinity

River Watch: 

Working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife's River Watch Program, Blue River Watershed Group staff, volunteers, and student-collected data contributes to a state-wide water quality database. With this information, coordinated management practices are implemented and specific water quality concerns are addressed. Concentration of metals, water hardness, alkalinity, PH, and nutrient loads are monitored monthly as they vary by location and season

We also hold events such as the Blue River Clean-up Festival, Water in the West series, native plantings, invasive weed removal, and more!

How you can help:
We can't protect the watershed alone, so community engagement is critical to achieving our mission. BRWG is available to present on the issues and challenges that affect our watershed and what steps our community can take to protect our watershed. If you have an event that you would like us to present at, get in touch at info@blueriverwatershed.org.