About UWP
History
The Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership (UWP) was created in spring, 2007, when regional groups and concerned citizens applied for a watershed-planning grant. In 2013, UWP became a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to understanding, restoring and protecting land and natural resources within the Uncompahgre Watershed. UWP’s projects are completed though partnerships with a grassroots coalition of citizens, nonprofits, local and regional governments, and federal and state agencies
The Uncompahgre River is named by the Ute people, the watershed’s early inhabitants. The staff and board of UWP recognize that the Upper Uncompahgre River Watershed, where we do our work, is located on the Ute’s ancestral lands, and we acknowledge their historic and contemporary connection to these resources.
Mission
The Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership exists to help protect the natural, scenic, and economic values of the Upper Uncompahgre River Watershed, from its headwaters to the northern Ouray county line.
Vision
Our vision is a healthy watershed, restored from past damages and adaptable to changing conditions, with a knowledgeable community dedicated to watershed protection and conservation.
Values
The Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership values:
• educating, engaging, and fostering environmental stewardship
• using a science-based approach
• acknowledging natural challenges in the watershed
• ensuring that projects are feasible, adaptive, and sustainable
• leveraging partnerships with collaborators
• appreciating the needs and values of diverse water users
Organizational Objectives
1. Improve understanding of watershed health and evaluate changes through time by monitoring and analyzing conditions in the watershed.
2. Preserve and restore ecosystem function, water quality, and water quantity necessary for high-quality waterbodies and overall watershed health.
3. Ensure ongoing stewardship of the watershed and its many uses by providing robust education about science, watershed conditions, and best practices.
4. Sustain the organization with a diverse and active board and ample funding to support projects and programs.
UWP 2024-2028 Strategic Plan
UWP’s Approach to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
We recognize that stakeholder diversity includes age, gender, race, religion, socioeconomic status, cultural background, physical ability, geographic location, and other aspects of identity.
The staff and board of UWP strive to be inclusive, create an environment that welcomes diverse stakeholders to participate in our activities, and implement projects with goals of benefiting everyone.
We endeavor to plan, design and carry out our activities in a manner that fosters equitable participation and benefits for diverse stakeholders.
We understand that our personal biases, conscious and unconscious, may limit our effectiveness in our DEI efforts, so we will seek out people and resources to help us discover new opportunities that will advance our efforts.
