...more than three-quarters of the lower Roaring Fork's riparian and in-stream habitat is now "severely degraded" or "heavily modified," according to the State of Roaring Fork Watershed, a comprehensive report released online Thursday by the Ruedi Water and Power Authority and the Roaring Fork Conservancy. "There seems to be more bad news than good news," said Sharon Clarke of the Roaring Fork Conservancy, who was the principal author of the report. "Riparian habitat degradation is pretty pervasive throughout the watershed." The report finds that more humans will probably live near the river in the future and that we'll likely place more demands on the water and stream banks...
"The Roaring Fork Watershed is witnessing a significant increase in population. Such a trend influences the watershed's environmental resources through increases in impervious surfaces, decreases in native vegetation as it is replaced by developed landscapes, a decline in open space, a shift in water use patterns, and impacts on water quality."
The report's water quality section adds that more impervious surfaces create chemical runoff, increase stream temperatures, and decrease infiltration when it rains or snows, or when the snow melts. In addition, low streamflows "intensify the concentration of chemicals and can adversely affect water quality."
The report suggests we should develop a plan to manage ourselves in better harmony with the rivers and streams in the watershed, especially given the potential of more transmountain diversions, which would leave less water in the river, more development near waterways, which could destroy more riparian habitat, and the worldwide burning of fossil fuels, which could mean more rain and less snow to replenish rivers and streams.
The new report suggests that in the second phase of the watershed management effort, people should agree to use less water, prepare for a drought, stop building so close the rivers, and be careful when digging up the earth to erect buildings. It also suggests improving how run-off from paved streets is managed, buying more water rights and restoring the sections of river we've degraded. Specifically, the report found that the section of the Roaring Fork just above and through Aspen is degraded, and about 60 percent of the riparian habitat along the river between Basalt and Carbondale is now severely degraded. One-quarter of the habitat in the Crystal and Fryingpan rivers is degraded, over half of the habitat in and along Brush Creek is degraded, and three-quarters of Cattle Creek is degraded...
Most of the riparian and in-stream habitat in the high upper Fork and in Castle and Maroon creeks is still "high quality" or only "slightly modified." The report, which includes many detailed and informative maps and an extensive appendix, took two years to prepare. Its principal authors include Sharon Clarke, Kristine Crandall, John Emerick, Mark Fuller, John Katzenberger, Delia Malone, Michelle Masone, Albert Slap and Judith Thomas. Another 17 people reviewed the report.
A 32-page executive summary of the report has been printed and includes color maps of each of the nine sub-watersheds within the larger watershed, which encompasses 1,453 square miles. Printed versions of the full report are not yet available and are likely to cost $100, according to Mark Fuller of the Ruedi Water and Power Authority. The complete report can be found on the Roaring Fork Conservancy's Web site.
