02/03/2021
“Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble, honorable and satisfying. “~
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ABourdain
Winter is usually the season were an overworked guide has chance to throw a line. A time to reconnect. Today I got to come home to one of my favorite runs. A place that taught me much of what I tell you on a guide trip. This hole coined the phrase, “midges make the world go round.” It has taught me so much, but all is not well underneath her rippled surface.
Over the last 50 years, as more and more water is diverted by Denver Water through the Continental Divide, the biomass of the Colorado River has suffered. The higher spring flows are no longer able to flush and cleanse the river. Literally, the rocks are being cemented together further limiting spaces the biomass can actually live and thrive. Recognizing this fact, has resorted to a ‘new” approach to bolster the river. Hopefully by resculpting the River it will provide increased habitat for invertebrates, sculpin, and the trout population will benefit as well. To be sure, nothing will be the same. Changes are inevitable. At least I got to talk to ‘the Squeezebox ‘ one more time...
FYI... since December 20th 2020 more water (540 cfs, roughly 60% of the Colorado)has been diverted to the Front Range through the Adams Tunnel than has been allowed to flow free on the Western Slope... how’d we get here?