Watershed Health & Protection
Water is one of Colorado's most precious resources. Eagle River Water & Sanitation District (District) and Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority (Authority) customers use over 2 billion gallons of water annually. The majority of this water is returned to the Gore Creek and Eagle River Watersheds, which together encompass 1046 square miles. To ensure watershed health and protection, each of us has a special responsibility to use water wisely and in ways that will not harm aquatic life, wildlife, and other water users downstream.
Watersheds are areas of land that drain to rivers, creeks, lakes and other bodies of water. The District and Authority have forged partnerships with other stakeholders, governmental agencies, non-profit groups, and experts in water resources and water quality to ensure source water protection and health of the Gore Creek and Eagle River Watersheds.
In 2007, the Colorado Water Quality Control Division requested assistance from interested entities with their efforts to collect paired macroinvertebrate and nutrient data. The District has spearheaded and participated in many monitoring and water quality assessment efforts over the last 30 years that have been designed for purposes ranging from assessment of potential impacts associated with individual projects (e.g. Black Lakes) to evaluation of regional water quality conditions and trends. These ongoing efforts are needed to develop and support water resources planning, management and stewardship strategies that are scientfically based.
Building upon previous studies, the District chose to participate in the WQCD's data collection effort. The District's "nutrient sampling and data collection plan" was initiated in 2008, in cooperation with the WQCD, the US Forest Service, and USGS.
Background information and preliminary results were presented in August 2010 on the Nutrient Study and Macroinvertebrate Metrics, with sampling and analysis continuing over the next few years.
Individuals can help protect our watershed simply by conserving water and properly disposing of household hazardous waste. Becoming involved with one of the many local watershed or habitat protection groups is an option for those who want to do more. Business customers of the District can do their part by checking out our Industrial Pretreatment page and following the guidelines in place for discharge of pollutants into the sewer system.
More and more people are working to improve and protect the Eagle River Watershed by educating themselves, sharing information with their neighbors, restoring water quality where needed, and planning for the future of our water.