During the summer of 2022, and thanks to local advocates, the State Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) designated over 520 miles of Western Colorado’s most high value waterways, protecting habitat for native trout, clean water for recreation, and drinking water for mountain towns. Now, we are working to protect more of Colorado’s most high-quality waters. A coalition of groups has begun the important work of identifying and evaluating potential candidate streams in the Upper and Lower Colorado, Eagle, Yampa, and Roaring Fork river basins. We have collected critical water quality data, documented natural resource values, and contacted interested parties as we continue to work towards  protecting more of Colorado’s high-quality waters.

We need your help to protect clean water throughout  Colorado. This June the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission will be making a decision on whether or not 16 streams with exceptionally clean water in the Upper and Lower Colorado, Eagle, Yampa, and Roaring Fork river basins deserve critical Outstanding Waters (OW) protections. Please add your name to the petition below in support of clean water in Colorado.