Despite recent rain, much of the Roaring Fork Watershed remains in “exceptional” drought as of the autumn equinox. Pitkin and Eagle counties are among the 15.2% in the state categorized in the highest ranking for drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor, alongside Lake and Alamosa counties. The majority of Garfield County is in […]
Environment
Posted inEnvironment
Local land swap update and a bit of history
A land swap in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys is attracting attention across the state. The legislative exchange, known as the Greater Access for Multiple-Use Experiences (GAME) Act, proposed by Congressman Jeff Hurd (R-CD3), must be approved by Congress before any land changes hands. There are a lot of questions swirling about the […]
Posted inEnvironment
State of the Crystal: Historic rock glaciers may be drying up
The plane wings vibrated with each acceleration. The small craft picked up speed as it headed north, with the 9,223-foot Triangle Peak as the clear aviation waypoint some miles down the valley. It was the second of three EcoFlight excursions the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 25, coordinated in partnership with the Town of Carbondale to […]
Posted inNews
Roan Plateau public comment ends Sept. 11
The public lands on Garfield County’s Roan Plateau remain in limbo. Multiple advocacy campaigns by coalitions of area sportsmen, conservationists and nonprofits have worked to conserve the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acreage on the plateau from oil and gas development. The most recent victory, in the mid 2010s, has held for over a decade. […]
Posted inLocal Government
Debate heats up around Amendment 84 (83)
Editor’s note: Since this article was written, Colorado Amendment 84 was relabeled as Amendment 83. The Right to Hunt measure will appear as Amendment 83 on the November ballot. Coloradans will vote on an amendment this fall that would enshrine the right to hunt and fish in the Colorado Constitution. Proponents of Amendment 84 say […]
Posted inEnvironment
CORE invites community to climate action expo
For the second year in a row, the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) is hosting its highly anticipated Green Expo on Sept. 11 at Aspen Meadows. Free and open to the public, community members will explore practical solutions to reduce carbon emissions. “The Green Expo really gives the community an opportunity to, in-person, meet […]
Posted inEnvironment
Balancing thirsty trees in town with riparian health
Drought and heatwaves affect more than just humans, which is the case this summer as the Roaring Fork Watershed continues to experience “exceptional” drought — the most severe rating per the United States Drought Monitor. Human residents can see visible stress in local plant life as well as animals. To learn more about drought stress […]
Posted inEnvironment
Division 5 water users weather the Cameo call
Water rights are about as nuanced as the glistening streams that shimmer through the rocks. This year, unsurprisingly, has tested the limits of water’s reach within the Colorado River Basin. Two calls generally affect Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR) Division 5, which includes all of the tributaries from Grand Lake to Grand Junction, […]
Posted inEnvironment
New gray wolf pups make a new pack in Colorado; wolf deaths continue
A gray wolf pack has settled in Eagle County, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), but five wolf deaths have also occurred since January. CPW announced on July 22 that pups born this spring in Eagle County are part of the Piney Ridge Pack — the fifth pack to form since wolf reintroduction began […]
Posted inEnvironment
Pitkin, Eagle counties, local municipalities awarded energy funding
This summer, 10 Roaring Fork Valley and Colorado River corridor jurisdictions were awarded over $4 million in climate and energy funding from the Colorado Energy Office’s Local IMPACT Accelerator program. The IMPACT Accelerator awarded $30.1 million statewide during this allocation round, meaning the local cohort landed over 13% of funding. The $4 million award will […]