Autumn days here in the Yampa Valley aren’t complete without a walk along the river enjoying the warm afternoon sun and the colorful display of falling leaves. The river plays a central part in our lives and not just in the fall. We enjoy its beauty, recreate in and around it and maybe even make a living from it. This place just wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for the Yampa River running right through the center of our lives.

In the fall, it is natural that the river runs lower than earlier in the spring and summer. Long gone is the runoff from last season’s snowpack and even the summer rains. These lower flows mean less opportunity to enjoy the river. In the fall, we aren’t thinking about tubing or rafting and the agriculture community is finishing up their work and preparing for winter. It’s natural for the river to be low by this point — we expect it. 

But, when we are stuck with low flow conditions in July and August, the consequences are more severe. We’re all familiar with the voluntary river closures in Steamboat and some are familiar with the impacts of low water availability on local agricultural productivity. There’s plenty of suffering and disappointment to go around when times are tough and the river runs low.

This is where the Colorado Water Trust has stepped in to help support our local community. While you spend the summer enjoying all the recreational, economic, and agricultural benefits that the Yampa River provides, Colorado Water Trust is behind the scenes keeping tabs on flow conditions, watching water temperature data and requesting flow releases from Stagecoach Reservoir to keep the river from dropping even lower. 

We’ve all benefited from their efforts and experienced fewer river closures in recent years. The fish and other animals that rely on the river flow benefit from this extra water as well.

The Yampa River Fund is a significant source of funding for the work of the Colorado Water Trust on the Yampa River. This sustainable, annual funding source was made possible by generous donations that help set up the endowment and through ongoing support by local businesses participating in the Yampa Ripple Effect program.

With this funding, we ensure that Colorado Water Trust can continue to do the critical work that supports our beloved river. 

Looking at the river, you can’t tell what part is the extra water that the Yampa River Fund and Colorado Water Trust have partnered to add to the river, but rest assured, during late July and August, it’s enough to make a meaningful difference.

The Yampa River Fund invests in conservation and restoration activities that positively impact Yampa River flows and support natural resource-based livelihoods, including agriculture and recreation, throughout the basin. 

In addition to providing funding for flow releases, the Yampa River Fund provides grants to science-based projects that improve riparian, in-channel, streambank and aquatic habitat, with a special focus on addressing temperature issues and agriculture infrastructure improvements with preference for those that generate combined agricultural, environmental and recreational benefits.

Learn more about the Yampa River Fund and our next grant funding cycle in Spring 2025 at YampaRiverFund.org.

Mike Robertson is the Yampa River Fund manager.