By Al Pfister
Upper San Juan Watershed
Enhancement Partnership
As discussed in last week’s SUN, the Upper San Juan Watershed Enhancement Partnership (WEP) has been working for approximately the past three years to assess the environmental (ecological), recreational and agricultural infrastructure needs of the Upper San Juan, Navajo, and Blanco Rivers.
After gathering preliminary input and direction from representatives of the agricultural, environmental, municipal and recreational communities, the WEP spent the past year gathering data on the issues and needs identified. This data will be used to direct the WEP’s future activities in assisting the community to more efficiently meet future water needs in our warming and drying climate.
The San Juan Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service worked with private landowners to identify improvements and efficiencies needed to more effectively use water resources. Lotic Hydrological collected data throughout the watersheds to identify ecological and recreational issues and needs. In addition to presenting the aforementioned data, the Colorado Division of Water Resources will present on the administration of the use of our local waters and Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District will present on its drought management plan.
Critical to the WEP’s ability to determine projects needed to address the various water user community needs is input from the community. Please carve out some time on March 31 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to share your thoughts on the information collected thus far.
Please join our Zoom meeting at: https://zoom.us/j/92255114220?pwd=SHpGRDJ0c3NhMUFQcGhBZ291U1ZGUT09. Dial-in details for the meeting and additional details/reports associated with efforts to date can be found at: http://www.mountainstudies.org/sanjuan/smp.
If you have questions, please contact Al Pfister at westernwildscapes@gmail.com or Mandy Eskelson at mandy@mountainstudies.org. Hope to “see” you on March 31.
