WATER
When people think “mountains,” aquatic ecosystems probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But our healthy streams, lakes, and the annual snowpack that feeds them is critical to understanding the broader ecosystem and how wildlife survives at high altitude. Wilderness Workshop isn’t a river organization, strictly speaking. We have a lot of great local partner organizations that focus exclusively on this area. But we do weigh in on water issues when we feel the issue is significant enough to have an impact on the larger landscape, such as the Maroon Creek and Castle Creek proposed dam sites.
We also help facilitate policy initiatives on waterways, such as working towards Wild and Scenic designation on the Crystal River and Deep Creek.
To learn more about our current campaigns and what you can do to help, visit Local Action Alerts and Capital Watch.
CURRENT ISSUES
RESERVOIRS
We have been continuing our work to persuade the City of Aspen to abandon its rights to dam Castle and Maroon Creeks by formally objecting to the rights in water court. After filing a statement of opposition in water court, we entered into a settlement period and have since been…
CRYSTAL RIVER
WILD & SCENIC
There is a citizen movement working to protect the Crystal River with a Wild and Scenic (W&s) designation. WW has provided staff support to Crystal Valley residents working on the effort, which would give the river our country’s…
DEEP CREEK
WILD & SCENIC
In 1965 Aspen projected future growth of up to 66,000 people and filed for conditional water rights for two separate reservoirs on Castle and Maroon Creeks to meet that demand. To keep these rights, Aspen must submit a diligence…
“The wilderness that has come to us out of the eternity of the past,
we have the boldness to project into the eternity of the future.”
Howard Zahniser