Ruedi Reservoir Aquatic Nuisance Species Protection Program
Perhaps RWAPA’s most high-profile program has been the ANS Boat Inspection Program at Ruedi (to prevent the infestation of mussels) which has operated since 2010.
Programs, Projects & Reports
Ruedi Reservoir Aquatic Nuisance Species Protection Program
Perhaps RWAPA’s most high-profile program has been the ANS Boat Inspection Program at Ruedi (to prevent the infestation of mussels) which has operated since 2010.
Regional Plans
RWAPA has focused on local water management and conservation issues with the sponsorship and fostered implementation of the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan and the Regional Water Efficiency Plan.
Ruedi Releases & Fryingpan Flows
For the first twenty-plus years of its existence, RWAPA’s foremost goal was to maintain Ruedi as a local recreational and environmental resources in the face of various attempts to claim Ruedi water for out-of-valley uses. RWAPA has fought to control Ruedi releases so that they support, rather than damage, the Fryingpan fishery and to maintain the value of the reservoir for flat water recreation. In so doing, RWAPA has engaged in ongoing discussions and negotiations with the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Colorado Water Conservation Board and others with the goal of representing Roaring Fork Valley interests in the course of policy-making for reservoir management. That participation in the Ruedi management decision-making continues today with our inclusion in the Colorado River Basin Roundtable and in the annual conversations during the warm-weather months regarding the timing and size of Ruedi releases for endangered fish and other purposes.
River Guides
The Authority has worked with the Roaring Fork Conservancy to produce a series of Visitor’s Guides to local waterways aimed at enhancing the experience of visitors to the Fryingpan, Crystal and Roaring Fork rivers. The Fryingpan Guide was first published in 2006 and was followed by the Crystal River Visitor’s Guide in 2016. In future years, the Authority and the Conservancy expect to produce guides to the upper and lower Roaring Fork. These handy and informative brochures are available at no charge at most local fishing and tourist-oriented businesses and at local Chamber information kiosks.
Educational Activities
We have sponsored the development of educational material illustrating the issues and agencies associated with Ruedi and its management. These materials include posters, charts and narratives. In addition, our organization regularly leads tours of the dam and hydropower facility and appears before local public groups and clubs to discuss Ruedi-related issues. The Poster that we developed in cooperation with the Colorado River Water Conservation District to provide summary information about Ruedi can be viewed here.
