Yampa River Awareness Project

The Yampa River Awareness Project is organized by the Friends of the Yampa who rallies local, state, national and international organizations, businesses and individuals to realize the unique natural and recreational values of the Yampa.

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First Annual Colorado Public Lands Day

Last May, Colorado lead the nation by becoming the first state to establish a holiday that honors the value of public lands within the state. Going forward, Colorado Public Lands Day will be recognized annually on the third Saturday in May as a way to celebrate the significant impact public lands have in Colorado. Senator Kerry Donovan carried the bill, which passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Hickenlooper.

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Abundant snowpack doesn’t always fill area reservoirs

The following article was published by the Steamboat Pilot & Today by Tom Ross on March 9th 2017. Full article with photos can be seen here: http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2017/mar/09/abundant-snowpack-doesnt-always-fill-area-reservoi/ Steamboat Springs — […]

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Water testing shows upper Yampa River is healthy

The following article was published by the Steamboat Pilot & Today by Tom Ross on January 24th 2017. Full article with photos can be seen here: http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2017/jan/24/water-testing-shows-upper-yampa-river-healthy/ Steamboat Springs — […]

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Pure Colorado cutthroats call Steamboat Ski Area home

The following article was published by the Steamboat Pilot & Today by Tom Ross on July 13th, 2016. Full article with photos can be seen here: http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2016/jul/13/pure-colorado-cutthroats-call-steamboat-ski-area-h/ Steamboat Springs — […]

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Catch the Drift

A project introduced by Leadership Steamboat, Catch the Drift’s goal is to foster stewardship locally and statewide by cultivating education within the community and greater users of the Yampa River resulting in a well-respected and protected Yampa River.

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Yampa River Structures Project

In August of 2012, FOTY received a grant from the State of Colorado’s Water Conservation Board to carry out a project titled the Yampa River Structures Project. This project will design, engineer, permit, build and improve on several instream, recreational and environmental rock structures in the Yampa River, in downtown Steamboat Springs, Colorado. These structure projects include: regrading and replanting riparian habitat, creating formalized river access points, removing debris from the river, repair/enhancing existing boating structures and installing a new boating structure.

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Watershed Planning on the Yampa River

The Yampa River watershed is known throughout Colorado as a relatively high‐quality watershed, but as land‐uses change, water demand increases, and natural events occur, such as forest beetlekill, balancing the uses and needs for water and protecting water quality requires more coordination among stakeholders. The Friends of the Yampa and its partners are addressing watershed issues for the Yampa River and its tributaries from its confluence with the Green River up to its headwaters, including Elkhead Creek and the Elk River in Routt and Moffat Counties.

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Yampa River Structural Master Plan

The Yampa River Structural Master Plan provides a framework for instream and riparian area improvements that will optimize the recreational benefits of the river while protecting its ecological integrity. The area encompasses approximately 6.4 miles of the Yampa River and riparian corridor located on City property from the Chuck Lewis Wildlife Management Area to the Fournier Open Space. The plan prioritizes the recommended improvements and provides budgetary cost estimates for City implementation.

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Bear River Park Comprehensive Plan

The city of Steamboat Springs is engaging the public to help it determine how the Bear River Park should be developed. The city anticipates improvements will be funded for Bear River Park in 2017, and it wants to revise the master plan to help determine what to build. Friends of the Yampa is advocating for an official take-out suitable for trailered vehicles at this location. We feel there is enough community support to make this happen. View the current master plan here, and find out how you can make your voice heard.

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Yampa River Management Plan

The Yampa River is a huge asset to the City of Steamboat Springs. It runs through the heart of the City, which is one of the distinguishing factors between Steamboat and other mountain resort communities. The river has year-round appeal, and plays a large economic and aesthetic role in the lives of those who live here. Few other mountain towns can boast having a major river with a high quality recreation, trout fishery, and a high quality scenic appeal running through the center of their municipality.

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