UPCOMING EVENTS
UWP Board Meetings
Open to Public: Every other month* on 2nd Thursday 4-6 p.m.
(Jan. 11, March 14, May 9, July 11, Sept. 12, and Nov. 14)
Working Group Meetings will be held during the other months. UWP’s new Working Groups are: Watershed Work, Financials/Fundraising, Operations, and Education/Outreach. If you are interested in volunteering on a working group, please contact Tanya at tanya@uncompahgrewatershed.org.
* Please contact UWP Board Secretary Taylor Poyner at uwpcoordinator@gmail.com to confirm meeting date and time if you plan to attend. Some meetings may be rescheduled or cancelled based on necessity.
2024 Events
Uncompahgre River Classic
Entries open on March 1 and close on May 1, 2024
Learn more about our annual peak flow prediction contest
Rocky Mountain Mining & Reclamation Conference
Wed.-Fri., May 22-24, 2024
Learn more, sponsor, and submit an abstract. Registration open.
Rollans Park volunteer morning
May or June 2024
Ridgway RiverFest
Saturday, June 29, 2024
More information coming in Jan. 2024
Ridgway Reservoir Cleanup
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024
Ridgway State Park, in collaboration with Colorado Parks & Wildlife
Love Your Gorge
October 12, 2024
Join us at Ouray Ice Park and the Uncompahgre River Gorge in Ouray.
PAST EVENTS
A Benefit for the Uncompahgre River – Fly Fishing Film Tour
Sat., March 16, Doors open at 5pm. Ouray County 4H Event Center
UWP 10th Anniversary Celebration
Thursday, Nov. 16, 5:30-8pm. Ouray Community Center. Potluck dinner, slide show, and a special speaker!
Cheatgrass Treatment Workshop
Tue., Nov. 7, 5 to 8:30 p.m. Ouray County Event Center. Sponsored by Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. Hosted by Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership and Shavano Conservation District.
The Next 10 Years of the Upper Uncompahgre River Watershed
Tue., Oct. 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Ouray Community Center. Funded by Telluride Foundation and CDPHE Non-Point Source Program.
Love Your Gorge
Saturday, October 14, 2023, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Uncompahgre River Gorge, Ouray Ice Park
Watershed Restoration in the Ironton Park Area
Sat., Oct. 7, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A free guided field trip
Ridgway Reservoir Cleanup at Ridgway State Park
Fri., Oct. 6, 9 a.m. to noon. Hosted by Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
Water Quality Monitoring in the Upper Unc
Sat., Sept. 30, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A free guided field trip
Watershed Restoration in the Upper Unc
Fri., Sept. 29, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. A free guided field trip
Taking Care of the Uncompahgre River Valley
Wednesday, August 16, 2023, The Forum at Colorado Mesa University Montrose, Community Room
Mine Site Remediation in the Uncompahgre River’s Headwaters
Tuesday, July 18, 2023, Evenings of History at the Wright Opera House
Ridgway RiverFest
Saturday, June 24, 2023, Rollans Park, Ridgway
Taking Care of the Uncompahgre River Valley
Thursday, June 15, Presentation at Montrose Library
Rollans Park Adopt-A-Park Riparian Restoration
Saturday, June 17, Rollans Park, Ridgway
World’s Largest Swimming Lesson at Ridgway State Park
Thursday, June 22, Ridgway State Park Swim Beach at Dutch Charlie- CANCELLED
Uncompahgre River Classic
Peak flow contest and river flow awareness campaign
March 1-May 1, 2023
A Benefit for the Uncompahgre River
Int’l Fly Fishing Film Festival, Ouray County 4H Event Center, Ridgway, March 18, 2023
Snow Research Meets Water Resources Operations in the San Juans
Current and Future Collaborations with CSU, Silverton, February 7, 2023
Colorado Gives Day Fundraiser
December 6, 2022
Reconnect & Reboot
A meetup in Ouray organized by the San Juan Mining & Reclamation Conference Committee
Sept. 29 & 30, 2022, Wright Opera House, Ouray Hydroelectric Plant, The Western, Red Mountain Pass, Camp Bird Road, Colorado Boy Southwest Pub, Sauvage Spectrum
Guided Snowshoe Exploration of Winter Wildlife
Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
Guided Snowshoe Tour to Red Mountain Mining District
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022
May
30
Wed
Join UWP at the Ouray Community Center at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30 to learn about activities related to improving water quality in Red Mountain Creek through reclamation work at the former Idarado Mine. Representatives from Newmont Mining and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will present information about reclamation activities over the past five years and plans for addressing acid drainage for the coming years, as well as answer questions from the community.
The Idarado’s remedial actions in the Red Mountain Creek sub-basin are a result of a 1992 Consent Decree (outcome of 1983-1991 CERCLA litigation) in which Idarado and the state entered into a voluntary agreement for remediation of the mining area. The primary objectives were to stabilize mine tailings and improve water quality in Red Mountain Creek by reducing zinc concentrations by 50 percent or to 1.5 ppm. Although tailings have been successfully stabilized and vegetated, the zinc compliance has not been met after 18 years of monthly water quality monitoring. Thus, in 2013, Idarado initiated further studies to identify and evaluate main sources of metals loading. Alternative technologies for further remediation have been tested in recent years.
Jun
5
Tue
One of the most entertaining events of the Ridgway RiverFest is the Junk of the Unc homemade watercraft competition. Fun for spectators, the Junk of the Unc is a fantastic experience for builders and racers. UWP encourages creative, adventurous spirits – young and old – to build your own unique floating craft to put on this year’s festival on Saturday, June 30. You could win one of four fantastic trophies, if you are the Fastest, Most Artistic, Best Reused Materials, or Best of Youth.
WORKSHOP CANCELLED
If you need inspiration to build your craft, come to the Junk of the Unc Build-A-Boat Workshop on Tuesday, June 5 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., when past competition winners will share their tips on producing the most float-worthy, eye-catching crafts. This fun workshop is especially designed for creative adventurers planning to participate in the “Junk of the Unc” homemade watercraft race on the Uncompahgre River during the Ridgway RiverFest. Non-racers interested in learning the ins and outs of creating a floatable vehicle are also welcome. This class is suitable for all construction skill levels, beginner to advanced. No experience is required, but builders are advised to have moderate to advanced river recreation skills to use their homemade watercrafts on the river.
The whole point of building your own river boat is to show how repurposed and recycled materials can take on new life through some imagination and a little sweat equity. Plus, you can entertain family, friends and festival goers with your unique style and theme. Past Junk racers have featured pirate flags, baby car seats and structures ranging from paddle board-type foundations to rafts made out of every floatable material imaginable. For the workshop, some materials and supplies will be provided by instructors, but students may also bring their own. A list of suggested materials to bring will be sent to students before the workshop.
This is a 2.5-hour workshop on Tue., June 5, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at a studio in Ridgway (address to be shared after registration. The maximum student capacity is 8 people, and the workshop will be cancelled if less than 4 people sign up. Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for youth (11 to 19 years old), and includes a free race entry into the Junk of the Unc (a $20-$35 value).
WORKSHOP CANCELLED
Sep
30
Sat
A free guided field trip to view and learn about water quality monitoring around Ouray County. Funded by the CDPHE Non-Point Source Program.
Please join UWP from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to get to know your watershed by observing water quality and quantity in the Uncompahgre River and tributaries upstream and downstream of Ridgway. This is a great opportunity to learn about the Upper Uncompahgre River Watershed with citizen scientists from the River Watch program and UWP board members with related knowledge and backgrounds.
We plan to carpool up to field trip destinations. Please plan to either take additional passengers in your vehicle or to ride with other trip participants to the field trip sites. The meeting location at 1:30 p.m. will be shared after signup.
Questions? Contact Tanya Ishikawa at info@uncompahgrewatershed.org.
Tour limited to 20 people. Registration is closed.
