Colorado Trout Unlimited1320 Pearl Street, Suite 320Boulder, Colorado 80302

Office 303-440-2937 Fax 303-440-7933 www.cotrout.org

Annual Report2009

100%

Printed on 100% Recycled PaperTrout Unlimited is a 4-star charity as recognized by Charity Navigator

Photo by Mark Lance

COLORADO TROUT UNLIMITED

2 15

YEAR IN REVIEW

A Voice for Colorado’s Rivers

Mission

Colorado TU Officers:Sinjin Eberle, PresidentRick Matsumoto, Vice-PresidentRandy Kittelson, SecretaryMichael McGoldrick, TreasurerKen Neubecker, Past President

Colorado TU Staff & Contractors:David Nickum, Executive DirectorErica Stock, Outreach DirectorJohn Gamble, Administrative AssistantJen Boulton, Legislative LiaisonBob Bush, Graphic Design ConsultantDr. John Woodling, Water Quality Consultant

TUWestern Water Project Staff:Melinda Kassen, Managing DirectorDrew Peternell, Colorado Water Project DirectorMely Whiting, Legal CounselDavid Stillwell, Office ManagerRandy Scholfield, Communications DirectorJohn Gerstle, Technical Advisor

TU Sportsmen’s Conservation Project Staff:Steve Kandell, DirectorCorey Fisher, Energy Field CoordinatorTy Churchwell, Backcountry Coordinator,Alpine Triangle

Greg Moore, Communications Specialist

TUWatershed Restoration Staff:Elizabeth Russell, Mine Restoration Project Manager

Executive Offices1320 Pearl Street

Suite 320Boulder, Colorado 80302

303.440.2937

website: www.cotrout.org

Cover Photo CourtesyMark Lance, Riverlight Images

Design by: Bob BushPrinting by: Silver Star Printing

Boulder, CO 303.442.1825

Colorado Trout Unlimited works to conserve, protect, and restore Colorado’s coldwater fisheriesand their watersheds. As the grassroots arm of our parent organization, Trout Unlimited, we usecooperation, collaboration, advocacy, and education to promote conservation.

Jane Tollett, Executive Director, Grand County Water InformationNetwork (L). Erica Stock, Outreach Director, Colorado TroutUnlimited (R).

Corporate & FoundationAnonymousAspen Community FoundationBank of ColoradoDenver FoundationEcological ResourceConsultants

Educational Foundation ofAmericaHewlett FoundationKenney Brothers FoundationKrogerLands for Wildlife HabitatMathilde U and Albert ElserFoundation

Miller CoorsPark CountyRocky Mountain Angling ClubSierra ClubSilver Trout FoundationStreamside Professional SearchTrout and Salmon FoundationTrout Unlimited –Embrace-a-Stream

TU Chapter ContributorsBoulder Flycasters ChapterCherry Creek Anglers ChapterCheyenne Mountain ChapterCollegiate Peaks ChapterColorado RiverHeadwaters Chapter

Cutthroat ChapterDenver ChapterEvergreen ChapterFerdinand Hayden ChapterFive Rivers ChapterGrand Valley Anglers ChapterGunnison Angling SocietyGunnison Gorge AnglersChapter

Mid-Missouri ChapterRocky MountainFlycasters Chapter

San Luis Valley ChapterSouthern ColoradoGreenbacks Chapter

West Denver Chapter

In-kind/Auction DonorsShawn BrattAustin CondonTom ConninMac CunninghamPat DorseyEd EberleSinjin EberleMike GeorgeMike GerberCarl GriffinTerry GroszEldridge &Ann HardieKent HigginsTimothy JacobsJonathan KeislingBrian KuchynkaMark & Sharon LanceAl MakkaiLandon MayerBud McAllisterMichael McGoldrickJake McKittrickRichard MeadJohn MurphyJim NeibergerDavid & Lisa NickumSusan Pellegrini

Eric PettineCheryl PilatzkeRich PilatzkePaul Prentiss & Bob BushBarry ReynoldsAl RittTravis RummelSteve SchweittzerBill SearlesRandy SmithRick TakahashiDavid TaylorJohn VevurkaGordon Wickstrom

Absaraka Fishing Bear CabinsAfrican Eyes TravelAlagnak LodgeAlaska’s Legend LodgeAlmont AnglersAlmont ResortAlpine Tackle SupplyAnglers AddictionAnglers AllAngler’s Book SupplyAnglers RoostArkanglersArkansas River ToursArvada CenterBadgerland Pheasant FarmBass Pro ShopsBattenkill LodgeBlue Quill AnglerBob’s Fly ShopBreckenridge OutfittersBrodin Landin NetsBudweiser Events Center.comBunkhouse Bed & BreakfastCabela'sCherry Creek Shopping CenterChota Outdoor GearClear Creek Co.Colorado History MuseumColorado Symphony OrchestraConejos River Anglers

Confluence CastingCopper Door Coffee RoastersCottonwood CampD’Vine Wine ImportsDenver AnglerDenver Art MuseumDenver Center for thePerforming Arts

Denver Museum of Natureand Science

Denver Zoological FoundationDistant Waters AnglingAdventures in New ZealandDown River Equipment CoDr. Slick CompanyDuranglersDvorak’s Fishing ExpeditionsDyna-KingElkhorn Fly Rod and ReelFishpondFlatiron TroutfittersFlow Tek/Monic Fly LineFlyfishing Services IncFly LogicFrank Amato PublicationsFront Range AnglersGalvan Fly ReelsGander Mountain, AuroraGarfield Estates VineyardGateway Canyons ResortGrand Hyatt DenverGunnison River ExpeditionsGusterman's JewelersHoliday InnRocky Mountain National Park

Island Acres MotelJim Teeny Inc.Kingfisher DriftersKrieger EnterprisesKuhrt RanchLake Carol AnneLandmark Component CoLinehan OutfittersLost Canyon ResortMadison Valley Ranch

Modern BungalowMondo VinoMontana Fly CompanyMontana TroutfittersMountain AnglerMountain PressPublishing Company

New Belgium BreweryNorlanderO. Mustad & SonOdell Brewing CompanyOliviers & Co.Otter ProductsPatagonia, DenverPEAK FishingPesce Fresco BistroPins & Fins LLCProfessor Bodkin Fly FishingProject Healing WatersFly Fishing

Rainbow Trout RanchRedstone InnRedwood LlamasRio Products Intl. Inc.R LWinston Rod CompanyRocky Mountain AdventuresRocky Mountain Angling ClubRoss ReelsSan Miguel Mountain &River Products

Scott Fly RodsSleepy Hollow LodgeSmith Action OpticsSoulwater GallerySportsman’s Warehouse,Loveland

St. Peter’s Fly ShopStackpole BooksStafford Creek LodgeStranahan’s Colorado WhiskeyStreamside Professional SearchStreamworksSylvan Dale RanchTargus Fly & Feather Inc.Taylor Creek Fly Shop

Temple Fork OutfittersThe Wildlife ExperienceT.L. Johnson Rod Co.Trappers Lake Lodge & ResortTroutmapTwo Leggins OutfittersTy-Rite

Wilderness Aware RaftingWildlife by Dan AndrewsWillowfly AnglersWinding River RanchWright & McGill CompanyYellow Dog Fly FishingAdventures

WHY I GIVESharon Lance,National TU Trustee, Cutthroat ChapterPresident and Volunteer

"I am very proud to be a member of TroutUnlimited. I have seen the collective workof thousands of volunteers acrossColorado. They have put in hundreds ofhours in preserving and protecting ourcold water resources and in teaching thenext generation of stewards. I try to giveback with my time and my money."

Mr. Steve WallingfordMr. Andrew WalvoordMr. Robert WeaverMs. Mary WellsDr. Anne WentzMr. Jim WilliamsMr. Larry WilliamsMr. Jonathan WoodcockMr. Stuart WrightMr. Dave ZankeyMr. Jack ZilisMr. Art ZimmerMr. Sanford ZismanMr. Mike Zuendel

2009 FINANCIALS

14 3

YEAR IN REVIEW

2009 INCOME

2009 EXPENSES

Thank You! Colorado Trout Unlimited wishes to express our deepest appreciation to our supporters, whothrough their continued generosity allow us to conserve, protect, and restore Colorado's rivers and watersheds.River StewardshipCouncilMr. Jerry ArnoldMr. RA BeattieMr. Robert BushMr. Robert CollinsMr. Michael DelaneyMr. Sinjin EberleMr. & Mrs. John &

Denise FrontczakMr. & Mrs. Caleb &

Sidney GatesMr. Bill HankinsonMr. Jay KenneyMrs. Sharon LanceMr. Rick MatsumotoMr. Michael McGoldrickMr. Chuck OhmerMr. & Mrs. Gary &

Ivy ParishMr. James StevensCentury ClubMr. John AaronMr. Ron AceeMr. Scott AllenMr. Smoky AndersonMr. & Mrs Dan &

Mary ArmourMr. Stephen BaileyMr. Byron BairdMr. Todd BaizeMr. David BakerMr. Robert BarberMr. Terry BarrettMr. James BeasleyMr. Eric BeebyMr. Chuck BellockMr. Paul BenedettiMr. Philip BeranatoMr. Richard BirdMr. Willard BissellMr. Maurice BlackmonMr. Jim BlugermanMr. James BoakMr. John BorstMr. & Mrs. G.C. &

A.L. BowenMr. Brendan BowlerMr. Myles BrownMs. Robin Brown

Mr. Dennis BrunerMr. William BuchholzMr. John BullingtonMr. Larry BusseyMr. Joe CannonMr. Charlton CarpenterMr. & Mrs. Patrick and

Susan CarrMr. Mason CarterMr. Carl ChambersMr. Jeff ChandlerMr. L. Shawn CheadleMr. Anthony (Tony)

ChelfMs. Shirley CherryMr. Ty ChurchwellMr. David ClarkMr. Mark ColeMr. & Mrs. Tim &

Anne CollinsMr. Dennis CookMr. David CorkillMr. Steve CraigMr. G. Christian CrosbyMr. Chett CrossMr. Mac CunninghamMr. Paul D'AmatoMr. & Mrs. Bruce &

Donna DickinsonMr. Austin DieckmannMrs. Karen DilsMr. Court DixonMr. John DoningerMr. Richard DoucetteMr. John DoughtyMr. Frank DuncansonMr. & Mrs. Susan &

Ian DuncansonDr. Glen EdwardsMrs. Jackie EdwardsMr. John ElginMr. Michael EnglhardMr. Christopher EriksenMr. Eric EssweinMr Edward EstlowDr. Carol EtheridgeDr. Greg EvansMrs. Jo EvansMs. Sally FantMr. Todd Fehr

Mr. Kenneth Fellin IIMrs. Victoria FinchMr. Kyle FinkMr. Richard FinlonDr. Frederick FraikorDr. Eric France, M.D.Dr. Charles FraserMr. Thaddeus GabreskiMr. John GambleMr. Gerald GavendaMr. Thomas GhidossiDr. Burton GolubMr. Roy GoodwinMr. Robert GrayMr. Hugh GreathouseMr. John GreggMr. Thomas GregoryMr. Darrell GriffinMr. Brian HaanMr. John HammerbeckMr. Jay HarrisMr. William HaskeyMr. Wendell HatfieldDr. John HaunMs. Charlene HeinsDr. Richard HeskyMr. Thomas HextMrs. Joy HilliardMr Bruce HoaglandMr. Ron HoenningerMr David HoffMr Kendall H HolmMr R. T. HowellMr. & Mrs. Marcia &

Dennis HultMr. James ImparaMr. Michael IngoMr. Richard G IsenbergerMr Ralph H JacobsonMr. Howard JenkinsMr Robert JenkinsMr Robert JohannesMr. Craig JohnsonMr. & Mrs. Sam &

Ann JohnsonMs. Tina JohnsonMr. Alan JonesMr. Donald JonesMs. Elise JonesMr. Kevin Jones

Mr. Tom JonesMr. John KarpanMr. Dikran KashkashianDr. Bruce KautzMr. Anthony KayMr. John KeyserMs. Kimberly KirkendollDr. Michael Kish, DMDMr. Benji KitagawaRev. Randy KittelsonMr. & Mrs. Henry &

Ann KlaimanMr. Kirk KlanckeDr. Richard

KnackendoffelMr. Kurt KoeglerMr. Richard KohlerMr. & Mrs. Walter &

Mary KoozinMr. Nicholas KosmickiMr. Stephen KozakMr. Tom KrolMr. Randall KryszakMr. Richard KuehsterMr. Doug LaihoMr. Christopher LamsonMr. Richard LandonMr. Allan LarsonMr. David LawsMr. Darrell LewisMr. Josh LeyMr. Richard LirtzmanMs. Phyllis LormanDr. Robert Lowe DVMMs. Barbara LuneauMr. Ron MaclachlanMr. Stephen MacyMr. Jay MarksMr. Tim MartinMr. Manuel MartinezMr. Robert MasonisMr. Nick MathersMr. Richard MatteraMr. John McClowMr. John McDermottMr. Douglas McDonaldMr. Donald McIntyreMr. David McMillanMr. Chuck MeederMr. Shawn Merrill

Mr. Jeff MetzgerMr. Robert MillerMr. Gary MintzMs. Jaynanne

MontgomeryMr. Michael MoonanMr. Tom MooneyMr. Gerald MooreMr. Tom MoyerMr. Frank MuellerMr. John MurphyMr. Michael MurphyMr. Steve MurrayMr. & Mrs. Robert &

Marcie MusserMr. Allen NakagawaMr. David NesbitMr. David NewberryMr. Rich NewtonMr. David NickumMr. Daniel NortonMr. David NoslerMr. Ray O'MaraMr. & Mrs. Richard &

Lois OberhelmanMr. Chuck OgilbyMr. John OkadaMr. George OrbanekMr. Craig OrbanoskyMr. Carl OrmistonMr. Steven OsaMr. John OsbornMr. Bruce PapichMr. Richard ParachiniMr. Garry PatrickMr. William PerkinsMr. Drew PeternellMr. Mark PeternellDr. Jerry PetersonMr. Robert Pew IIIMr. Randy PharoMs. Florence PhillipsMr. David PiskeMr. Paul PrentissMr. Craig PuckettMr. Fred RasmussenMr. Alvin RevzinMr. Robert RichMr. Matt RiveraMr. Carl Roberts

Dr. John Roberts Mr. Walter RockwellMs Connie RogersMr. John RogersMr. Kevin RogersMr. Dave RootesMr. Scot RoseMr. Stan RoviraMr. Jack RudolphMr. William RussellMr. Jerry RyanMr. Ray SamuelsonMr. James SawyerMr. Paul SazonickMr. Gary ScholtonMr. & Mrs. Miles

SchulzeMs. Elizabeth SearleMr. Lawrence SeidlMr. & Mrs. Leslie &

Nancy SelzerMr. Daniel SheaDr. Mark SheehanMs. Celia ShenemanMr. Steve ShermanDr. Arnold SilvermanMr. Donald SimonMr. Buck SkillenDr. & Mrs C. John

SnyderMs. Susan SpenceMr. Sean SpillaneMr. Richard SpragueMr. George StarkMr. Rick StephensDr. John StrawMr. Bob StreeterMr. Chris StriebichMr. Thomas SwansonMr. William TanisMr. Dave TaylorMr. Tom ThomasDr. John TrammellMr. Al TraskTrout's Fly FishingMr. Emery UdvariDr. Jeff UpdegraffMr. Dell Van GilderMrs. & Mr Marge &

Paul Vorndam

Contributions44%

Grants26%

Total Income$220,494

Total Expenses$236,005

Membership10%

Chapter/MemberServices17%

Outreach/Education16%

General/Administration

18%

Development7%

Conservation Programs42%

Events18%

Investment /Other

2%

Dear Friends.In Colorado, the health and enjoyment of our natural surroundings are paramount. Most people

who live here cite something about the outdoors as one of the primary reasons they are here – it's agreat place to live. But no natural habitat can exist without clean and plentiful water, and in 2009Colorado Trout Unlimited once again fulfilled the role of being the best sportsman and conservation group focused on protecting and restoring Colorado’s rivers. It's what we know, it's what we are passionate about, and it's what we do.

2009 was a great year for CTU. We continued the fight to protect native cutthroat trout habitat onthe Roan Plateau, while striving to forge a working model for oil and gas development that can satisfy all interests and protect vital natural places. Collaboration with the Governor’s office tocraft a more desirable Roadless Rule was another important effort, and the results are promising.We also supported on-the-ground stream restoration projects like those on Middle Boulder Creekand the Animas River. Local volunteers are the true strength of CTU and the primary reason we arethe most effective organization for the protection and improvement of Colorado’s streams.

At the State Capitol, with the guidance and diligence of our Legislative Advocate, CTU essentially “batted a thousand” – getting thebills we wanted passed and beating back the threats to Colorado’s rivers that are as common as mosquitoes on a summer night. With increasing budgetary constraints, the ability to effectively advocate for and pass important bills that make a difference is critical. Onceagain, we have proven that a sound conservation strategy that strikes a balance is more effective than one that is out on the fringes.

Our 2009 strategy was so successful that we will continue to use it through 2010, but we’re turning up the heat. We are committed todriving the important river conservation strategy that we all care about – essential when it comes to critical rivers like the Fraser and theUpper Colorado. We will be working harder to protect the Colorado River’s imperiled habitat and demanding the attention and respectthat the state’s namesake river deserves. This effort will require all of us, more than ever, to participate, collaborate, and invest our resources, wherever they are needed.

Nothing in Colorado is more important than water, and Colorado Trout Unlimited is here to ensure that Colorado’s rivers have a fighting chance to thrive. Together we can make it happen! Sincerely,

Sinjin Eberle, President - Colorado Trout Unlimited

Sweat equity stretches every dollar. Through volunteer efforts by CTU's 10,000 members,

every $1 contributed generates $2.81 in value.

OUR STRATEGY

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LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

A Strategic Approach to Fish andRiver Conservation

CTU works to:• Protect high quality habitat for native and wildcoldwater fish and to maintain free flowing rivers;

• Reconnect fragmented fish populations and habitatsby restoring flows to dewatered rivers and re-openingfish passage;

• Restore watersheds by working in collaboration withother conservation and governmental organizations, aswell as private landowners, to preserve and improvethe quality of habitats that support coldwater fish;

• Sustain the efforts of our volunteers and supporters byinspiring a strong conservation ethic in the nextgeneration of river stewards.

Founded in 1969, CTU is Colorado'sleading non-profit, non-partisanorganization providing a voice forColorado's rivers. As the financiallyself-sustaining, grassroots, Colorado-basedarm of the national organization TroutUnlimited, CTU is independentlygoverned by a 37 member volunteerboard.

Colorado Trout Unlimited leverages thepower of its 10,000 members from 22chapters across Colorado whocontribute approximately 44,000volunteer hours annually to restoration,education, and other local conservationprojects, equivalent to the power of 22full-time employees.

Our vision is simple — by the nextgeneration, CTU will ensure that robustpopulations of native and wild coldwaterfish once again thrive within their originalColorado range, so that our children canenjoy healthy fisheries in their homewaters.

CTU’s Strategies:• Grassroots engagement;• Support for on-the-ground community-led projectsand initiatives;

• Advocacy at the national, state and local levels;• Collaboration and partnerships with privatelandowners, state, federal, and local agencies, andother key stakeholders;

• Use of local knowledge as well as science-based toolslike TU’s Conservation Success Index to help develop,prioritize and initiate conservation efforts and advocacy;

• Leverage resources committed by donors and increasecapacity through the efforts of our volunteers;

• Education and outreach to Colorado’s young people,providing hands-on, field-based opportunities thatfoster awareness for the connections betweenColorado's trout, water resources, the environment,and themselves.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

While the State Capitol may not be the first placethat comes to mind when you think about riverconservation, the legislature is a critical forumwhere laws are made that affect our rivers.Colorado Trout Unlimited works to conserve,protect and restore watersheds throughout thestate, and a single bad law can counter thebenefits of dozens of on-the-ground efforts.Similarly, a good law can open countless doors ofopportunity for river conservation.Colorado Trout Unlimited is one of the fewconservation organizations that maintains alegislative advocate at the Capitol full-time duringthe General Assembly. Combined with the powerof our grassroots membership — activists whocontact their legislators on critical issues — CTUprovides a respected and effective voice for riverand watershed protection at the legislature. In2009, key legislative priorities included securingpassage of rules to enhance water and wildlifeconservation in oil and gas development,renewing Colorado’s “habitat stamp” as a meansof funding habitat acquisition and conservation,and establishing a tax credit for donations ofwater rights to instream flows.

• Alliance for SustainableColorado

• Audubon SocietyColorado

• Colorado BowhuntersAssociation

• Colorado EnvironmentalCoalition

• Colorado WildlifeFederation

• Environmental Defense• Northwest ColoradoCouncil of Governments

• Rocky MountainFarmers Union

• Western ResourceAdvocates

Results

CTU and our conservation allies scoredimportant victories on our top legislativepriorities, making 2009 a highly successfulsession for river and watershedconservation.

Oil & gas issues. The Colorado Oil and GasConservation Commission (COGCC) adoptednew rules to help protect wildlife and water asoil and gas development takes place in Colorado.The rules required approval by the StateLegislature and became one of the signaturebattles of the 2009 session. The “rules review”bill (HB 09-1292)— approving the COGCC(and other agency) rules— was opposed by oiland gas lobbyists and spawned a series of billsdesigned to roll back protections for wildlife.CTU and our allies successfully blockedmultiple bills that would have gutted the newrules and then secured passage of the rules re-view bill. These efforts concluded a nearlythree-year effort to promote responsible oil andgas development with appropriatesafeguards for water and wildlife. While someissues remain, the rules represent a major stepforward in establishing an appropriate balancethat allows energy development to proceed whileprotecting Colorado’s fish and wildlife heritage.

Habitat stamp. The Habitat Stamp was establishedin 2005 as an additional stamp for purchase by huntersand anglers, with proceeds dedicated to protectinghabitat and providing access through, among othermeans, purchasing land. CTU’s Collegiate PeaksChapter was involved in the very first Habitat Stampacquisition— securing public access along 1.25 milesof the Arkansas River. In 2009, continuing theprogram required reauthorization by the legislature.In securing passage of the reauthorization, CTUsuccessfully defeated efforts by some big gameinterests to lock in a 60% earmark of funds for biggame projects. The bill also increased the cost of thestamp to make more funds available for conservationand included language (sponsored by Senator Penry)making Habitat Stamp funds available to help to buywater and put it back into our rivers and streams.

Instream flow tax credit.While landowners havelong enjoyed the ability to obtain a tax credit onconservation easements for land protection, there wasno similar tax credit for owners of water rights whodonated water to the State to keep our rivers andstreams flowing. Working with our partners atEnvironmental Defense and bill sponsors Rep. Pommerand Sen. White, we were able to establish a new taxcredit for up to 50% of the value of water donated forinstream flows. While the program had notable limits(including an annual cap of $2 million in total credits),it was a valuable first step in creating tax incentivesto encourage water donations that benefit Colorado’srivers.

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WATER QUALITY

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COLORADO TU CHAPTERS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission is responsible for establishing waterquality standards for waters around the state. While the work of the Commission is of criticalimportance to protecting Colorado’s water, CTUhas been the only consistent conservation participant in the Commission’s basin hearings.Represented by a former Division of Wildlifewater quality expert, Dr. John Woodling, CTU hasparticipated as an official “party” each year inthese important public policy hearings, helping tobring a much-needed counterbalance against proposals from powerful polluters.

Through RiverWatch, a collaborative effort between the Colorado Watershed Network and theColorado Division of Wildlife, members fromfive Trout Unlimited chapters help collect base-line data on streams and rivers across the state.The Five Rivers Chapter, Cheyenne Mountain Chapter, Collegiate Peaks Chapter, CutthroatChapter, and West Denver Chapter all participatein this program, logging hundreds of volunteerhours monitoring their home waters. RiverWatchis designed to provide policy-makers and agencieswith high quality water ecosystem data to guideinformed decisions.

West Denver RiverWatch volunteers collectedsamples on numerous streams in the Clear Creek watershed, helping the U.S. Forest Service determine sites with the potential to support native trout restoration.

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Water quality is one of the most basic indicatorsof watershed health. The availability of cold,clean water is essential for trout, wildlife, andhuman health. Unfortunately, water quality inmany of Colorado’s river basins has declineddue to widespread development — from water diversion projects that reduce flows, to streamside mining and urban runoff. CTUworks to improve water quality in Colorado’srivers and streams by advocating for waterquality standards that sustain diverse aquaticlife in the Arkansas, Rio Grande, Colorado,Yampa, Platte, Gunnison, and San Juan basins.

In order to ensure water quality standards arebeing met, CTU and local chapters also investhundreds of on-the-ground volunteer hours tomonitoring their home waters, yielding valuable data used by state agencies to informongoing management of those rivers andstreams.

• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Colorado Watershed Network• High Country Citizens Alliance• Kenney Brothers Foundation• San Juan Citizens Alliance• U.S. Forest Service

NOTES FROM THE FIELDGil Hassinger, RiverWatch Committee Chair“We often discuss the quality of Colorado’s rivers andstreams, but the RiverWatch Program gives us the opportunity to do something about it. RiverWatch watersampling provides resource managers with useful waterquality data from sites throughout the state. In fact, thedata from our chapter’s RiverWatch sampling programwas instrumental in efforts to restore Greenback Cutthroat trout in Clear Creek. I would like to see allColorado TU chapters get involved in RiverWatch andsupport the program any way they can.”

(1) Alpine Anglers, Estes Park(2) Boulder Flycasters, Boulder(3) Cherry Creek Anglers, Aurora

(4) Cheyenne Mountain,Colorado Springs

(5) Collegiate Peaks Anglers, Salida/Buena Vista

(6) Colorado River Headwaters, Grand County(7) Cutthroat, Littleton

(8) Denver, Denver

(9) Eagle Valley, Eagle

(10) Evergreen, Evergreen

(11) Ferdinand Hayden, Aspen/Glenwood Springs

(12) Five Rivers Durango/Cortez(13) Gore Range, Summit County

(14) Grand Valley Anglers, Grand Junction

(15) Gunnison Angling Society, Gunnison(16) Gunnison Gorge Anglers, Delta/Montrose(17) Purgatoire RiverAnglers, Trinidad

(18) Rocky Mountain Flycasters, Ft. Collins/Greeley

(19) San Luis Valley, Alamosa(20) Southern Colorado Greenbacks, Pueblo(21) St. Vrain Anglers,Longmont

(22) West Denver, Golden

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Colorado TU chapters provide avoice for rivers and watershedsacross the state.

Cartography by David Stillwell

RIVER PROTECTION

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PUBLIC LANDS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

The proposed expansion of the Moffat Tunneland Windy Gap water diversion projectsthreatens to leave the Upper Colorado River andFraser River with only 25% of their native flows.Through grassroots advocacy and organizingduring the projects’ permitting processes, CTUand its local chapters successfully mobilizedover 3,000 citizens who voiced their concernsover the potential impacts of these projects onfish, wildlife, and local recreation-basedeconomies. The Colorado River HeadwatersChapter has generated widespread communityinvolvement in protecting their “home waters”—from educational public meetings to informresidents about the projects and their impacts, toa “RiverStock” music festival in Fraser to raisecommunity awareness and engagement. Withsupport and expertise from TU’s Western WaterProject, CTU and the chapter will continue toplay a part in negotiating and advocatingprotections for these rivers as the Army Corpsof Engineers and other state and federalagencies evaluate the proposed projectsthroughout 2010.

Trout Unlimited has been actively engaged inthe Southern Delivery System (SDS) proposal tobuild a large pipeline 43 miles north fromPueblo Dam to serve Colorado Springs, Securityand Fountain. TU’s Western Water Projectpressured the Bureau of Reclamation toacknowledge the impacts of the proposedproject on fish in the Arkansas River, and helpsecure adequate mitigation and managementoptions to maintain higher flows and waterquality throughout the basin.

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In Colorado, water is our most precious naturalresource. Water sustains fish, wildlife, and ruraland urban communities through healthy lakes andfree-flowing rivers, and provides manyopportunities for recreation and a sense of placefor all Coloradans.Unfortunately, due in part to outdated policiesand rules that govern the use and management ofour water resources, many rivers and streams inColorado are heavily depleted and lack the flowsnecessary to sustain healthy populations of fishand wildlife. Colorado Trout Unlimited believeswe can both meet our water needs and sustainhealthy river ecosystems, but to do so we muststrike a balance between development andprotection. To this end, CTU and National TU’sWestern Water Project advocate for sensiblepolicies that keep water in Colorado’s rivers,while ensuring a reliable water supply to farms,ranches, homes, and businesses across our state.

• Colorado EnvironmentalCoalition

• Colorado River WaterConservation District

• Educational Foundationof America

• Grand County• Hewlett Foundation

• High Country CitizensAlliance

• Northwest ColoradoCouncil of Governments

• San Juan CitizensAlliance

• Western ResourceAdvocates

Moffat Diversion dewaters Jim Creek — Kirk Klancke Photo

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Headwater streams and intact wildernessareas on public lands are quite literally the lastrefuges for many native trout populations.They sustain rare fish populations, while pro-viding a reliable source of cold, clean water toimprove conditions throughout our rivers, afunction that becomes even more importantduring periods of warming. CTU and localchapters work together with TU’s Sportsmen’sConservation Project and other partners tomaintain protection for Colorado’s valuablenetwork of public forests, wilderness, andparks — places that provide some of the besthunting, fishing, hiking and camping inthe country.

• Animas River Stakeholder’s Group• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Colorado’s Third Congressional District staff• Colorado Water Conservation Board• Southwestern Water Conservation District• Grazing permittees• La Plata Board of County Commissioners• Motorized and mechanized advocates• Recreation advocates• San Juan Citizen’s Alliance• The Nature Conservancy• The Wilderness Society• U.S. Forest Service

Results

CTU, as part of a coalition of partners, workedwith Congress to pass legislation establishingprotected areas and wilderness for Dominguez-Escalante and Rocky Mountain National Park.With the strong backing of CTU and partners,Rep. John Salazar introduced the San JuanMountains Wilderness proposal to the U.S. Houseof Representatives.The best fish and game habitat in the West isfound on land that hasn’t been developed ordegraded by human activity. Classified as“roadless” areas, these large backcountry tractsremain some of the best to hunt and fish. CTUmobilized citizens through a public commentprocess and meetings with resource managers andelected representatives to help secure majorimprovements in the proposed ColoradoRoadless Rule. The new proposal strikes a moreappropriate balance in protecting backcountryhabitat while allowing roads and timber removalto reduce wildfire risks near communities.Unfortunately, the proposal still falls short ofadequately protecting some of the best cutthroattrout and big game habitats in Colorado’sroadless areas. CTU continues to work with theState and the U.S. Forest Service to seek astronger rule.

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NOTES FROM THE FIELDTy Churchwell,Backcountry Coordinator, TU’s Sportsmen’sConservation Project

"Management of our public lands for multipleuses is a daunting task. As part of TU'sSportsmen's Conservation Project, I work withagencies and other stakeholder groups with aneye toward preserving important trout andwildlife habitat and recreation opportunitiesin the backcountry. Simply, it's an obligationI feel as a Colorado native and a troutconservationist."

TROUT RESTORATION

10 7

RIVER PROTECTION

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

The Boulder Flycasters Chapter completed anaward-winning stream habitat restoration projectalong a half-mile stretch of Middle Boulder Creek.The combination of over 3,000 volunteer hours,1,000 tons of boulders and cobble, 450 native shrubsand trees, 3,000 native grass plugs, and planning andconstruction by Ecological Resource Consultantsand Tezak Construction made this project a success,winning the 2009 Boulder County Pinnacle Awardfor Stewardship and Sustainability. An additionalsign of success; in December 2009, a park rangerreported the presence of trout along the restoredreach where none had been before.

Also known as the “Greenback Backers,” volunteersfrom the Alpine Angers Chapter partnered with theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National ParkService to monitor trout populations in RockyMountain National Park and to educate visitors oncatch-and-release and the importance of greenbackrecovery through the volunteer Lily Lake Patrol.

Building upon the success of the “GreenbackBackers,” CTU is working with the Alpine Anglersand Rocky Mountain Flycasters to launch alarge-scale restoration project along 40 miles of theCache la Poudre River headwaters, the largest nativetrout restoration effort in Colorado history.

The Five Rivers Chapter partnered with the ColoradoDivision of Wildlife, the City of Durango, AnimasRiverkeepers, and the Animas River Task Force tosuccessfully restore the stretch of the Animas Riverbetween 9th Street and the Highway 160 bridge inDurango. The project was completed in August of2009 with the help of Western Stream Works fromRidgeway. Massive boulders were installed to pushthe current away from the bank. Scour holes wereused to create deep pools and runs. The stream bankwas stabilized by planting and protecting importantcottonwoods within the riparian area. The projectresulted in improved habitat for trout and expandedrecreation opportunities for the Durango community.

CTU contributed thousands of dollars to localchapter projects through the Leo GomolchakConservation Minigrants Program. Recipients ofthis year’s awards included the Alpine AnglersChapter Greenback Backers Program; CheyenneMountain Chapter’s Shryver Pond Project; and thedesign phase of the Cherry Creek Anglers Chapter’sproject to improve habitat and handicapped accessalong the South Platte River.

CTU staff and chapter volunteer leaders arecurrently working to develop restoration projects forColorado River and Rio Grande cutthroat trout intheir historic habitats.

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Due to a long history of mining, overgrazing,and other activities that have damaged waterquality and habitat, many of Colorado’s riversand lakes are polluted, overdeveloped anddegraded, requiring a range of interventions torestore healthy habitat. Fortunately, CTUpossesses an extraordinary resource: nearly10,000 members across the state who donateover 40,000 volunteer hours annually torestore and improve the streams and rivers intheir backyards.

• Boulder County Open Space• Bureau of Land Management• Colorado Division of Wildlife• National Park Service• Trout and Salmon Foundation• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service• U.S. Forest Service

Boulder Flycasters volunteers restore Middle Boulder Creek

Bob Bush Photo

•

•

NOTES FROM THE FIELDKirk Klancke, Colorado River Headwaters Chapter President

“I have lived almost my entire life in GrandCounty at the headwaters of the Upper Colorado River along the Fraser River. It hasbeen a lifetime of intimate contact with theriver and the environment that it sustains. Iwant my grandchildren to feel this same connection. To me there is nothing more important.”

Through the efforts of TU’s Western Water Project, the Colorado Supreme Court decided infavor of keeping more water in the San JuanRiver, striking down an attempt by PagosaSprings to remove more water than was necessary for the city’s future needs through itsDry Gulch project. TU’s groundbreaking litigation challenging this speculative reservoirproject secured new, restrictive standards for public utilities seeking water rights to serve future growth, preventing potentially harmful, excessive diversion projects from moving forward. The ruling is the second time Trout Unlimited has challenged the district watercourt’s decrees in the so-called Dry Gulch case — and the second time it has won.

Thanks to advocacy by Trout Unlimited at national, state and local levels, the Gunnison River experienced its first flushing flows in more than a decade, reducing heavy loads of accumulated sediment and algae throughout the Gunnison Gorge. Such flushes will become more common in the future thanks to a legal settlement negotiated byTU and its allies to secure meaningful water rights for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

TU works to protect the Arkansas River — Mark Lance Photo

Black Canyon of the Gunnison River — Mark Lance Photo

YOUTH CONSERVATION EDUCATION

8 9

ENERGY

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

CTU, in partnership with the Colorado Divisionof Wildlife and the Cutthroat Chapter, launchedColorado’s first Trout in the Classroom programat Thompson Valley High School in Loveland.Students raised trout from eggs to fry, engagedin water quality and habitat studies, and releasedthem into state-approved waters near theirschool in spring 2010. Because of early success,Trout in the Classroom has been approved to ex-pand into additional schools in fall 2010, includ-ing schools in Boulder, Durango, Ft. Collins, andColorado Springs.

With scholarships from local chapters, studentsages 14-18 from across Colorado participated inCTU’s Annual Youth Conservation Camp at thePeace Ranch in Basalt. From snorkel surveys towater quality sampling, campers were instructedon the principles of ecology and the importanceof coldwater conservation while also learningthe basics of flyfishing.

Our 22 chapters statewide volunteer regularlywith youth. They conduct flyfishingworkshops, field days and in-school programsto teach students about their home watersheds.For example, the West Denver and Evergreenchapters, as part of Jefferson County's Outdoor

Education Laboratory Schools program,instructed 6th grade students on the basicsof fly-tying and flyfishing. Boulder FlycastersChapter volunteers introduced at-risk teens to flyfishing and taught them to monitor water qualityin their local streams.

•

•

•

The benefits of CTU’s conservation efforts andrestoration work can be undone in a singlegeneration if future stewards fail to understandthe value of healthy river ecosystems. Toensure healthy rivers and watersheds aresustained for future generations, CTU’s YouthConservation Education Programs focus oncultivating a strong, life-long conservationethic in Colorado’s young people by providingthem hands-on, field-based opportunities thatfoster awareness of the connections betweenColorado's trout, water resources, theenvironment, and themselves.

• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Local School Districts Statewide• The Peace Ranch

NOTES FROM THE FIELDShawn Bratt,Volunteer Camp Counselor

“It’s important for our young people to understand thevalue of healthy streams and clean water and how theyrelate to our everyday lives. The Youth Campcurriculum has been structured to provide thenecessary foundation for that education. Our hope isthat kids who attend our camp today will become theconservation leaders of tomorrow.”

Youth campers learn Colorado water law — Mark Lance Photo

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

CTU continues to fight for the permanent protection ofthe Roan Plateau — an important habitat for big gameand populations of Colorado River cutthroat trout —and made significant headway this year toward meetingthat goal. Through lawsuit settlement negotiations, CTUwith legal support from Earthjustice secured suspensionof oil and gas leases on the Roan so that the arearemains protected while legal issues are addressed. Hadthe leases proceeded, 3,000 additional oil and gas wellscould have been added to this sensitive area, includingin watersheds where TU volunteers from the Grand Val-ley Anglers Chapter have invested hundreds of hours innative trout conservation projects.

In 2009, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)proposed oil and gas leases in many drainagesthroughout Colorado that contain important populationsof native cutthroat trout or are suitable for speciesrecovery efforts. CTU, in coordination with TU'sSportsmen’s Conservation Project, protested 89 leasesthat lacked adequate protections for these importantstreams. The BLM deferred 39 of those leases forfurther study and is considering stronger protections fornative trout fisheries. TU remains engaged in efforts toidentify where oil and gas development is appropriate,and where protecting sensitive habitat deserves a higherpriority.

•

•

Over the past century, traditional oil, gas, andcoal extraction has taken a toll on Colorado’srivers, wildlife, and landscapes. Today, withone of the largest oil shale reserves in theworld, Colorado remains a hotbed for oil andgas exploration and development. Even as ourstate moves toward more renewable sources ofenergy like wind, solar, hydropower, andgeothermal, threats to native trout ecosystemsremain. CTU, in partnership with TU’sSportsmen’s Conservation Project, works withenergy development companies, state andfederal agencies, elected officials, and localstakeholder groups to advocate for balancedenergy solutions — those that allow Coloradoto meet its energy needs while protecting nativefish, irreplaceable river ecosystems and humanhealth.

• Bureau of Land Management• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Colorado Environmental Coalition• Colorado Wildlife Federation• Earthjustice• Sportsmen for Responsible EnergyDevelopment

NOTES FROM THE FIELDCorey Fisher,Energy Field Coordinator,TU's Sportsmen's Conservation Project“Responsible oil and gas development is aboutstriking the right balance between extractionand protection. There are places like TrapperCreek on the Roan Plateau that are extremelysensitive where drilling is 100% incompatible,but over the vast majority of the IntermountainWest both oil and gas development and greathunting and fishing can coexist. The majorityof my work is not focused on opposing drilling,but rather promoting solutions that allow forboth healthy trout populations and energydevelopment.”

YOUTH CONSERVATION EDUCATION

8 9

ENERGY

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

CTU, in partnership with the Colorado Divisionof Wildlife and the Cutthroat Chapter, launchedColorado’s first Trout in the Classroom programat Thompson Valley High School in Loveland.Students raised trout from eggs to fry, engagedin water quality and habitat studies, and releasedthem into state-approved waters near theirschool in spring 2010. Because of early success,Trout in the Classroom has been approved to ex-pand into additional schools in fall 2010, includ-ing schools in Boulder, Durango, Ft. Collins, andColorado Springs.

With scholarships from local chapters, studentsages 14-18 from across Colorado participated inCTU’s Annual Youth Conservation Camp at thePeace Ranch in Basalt. From snorkel surveys towater quality sampling, campers were instructedon the principles of ecology and the importanceof coldwater conservation while also learningthe basics of flyfishing.

Our 22 chapters statewide volunteer regularlywith youth. They conduct flyfishingworkshops, field days and in-school programsto teach students about their home watersheds.For example, the West Denver and Evergreenchapters, as part of Jefferson County's Outdoor

Education Laboratory Schools program,instructed 6th grade students on the basicsof fly-tying and flyfishing. Boulder FlycastersChapter volunteers introduced at-risk teens to flyfishing and taught them to monitor water qualityin their local streams.

•

•

•

The benefits of CTU’s conservation efforts andrestoration work can be undone in a singlegeneration if future stewards fail to understandthe value of healthy river ecosystems. Toensure healthy rivers and watersheds aresustained for future generations, CTU’s YouthConservation Education Programs focus oncultivating a strong, life-long conservationethic in Colorado’s young people by providingthem hands-on, field-based opportunities thatfoster awareness of the connections betweenColorado's trout, water resources, theenvironment, and themselves.

• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Local School Districts Statewide• The Peace Ranch

NOTES FROM THE FIELDShawn Bratt,Volunteer Camp Counselor

“It’s important for our young people to understand thevalue of healthy streams and clean water and how theyrelate to our everyday lives. The Youth Campcurriculum has been structured to provide thenecessary foundation for that education. Our hope isthat kids who attend our camp today will become theconservation leaders of tomorrow.”

Youth campers learn Colorado water law — Mark Lance Photo

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

CTU continues to fight for the permanent protection ofthe Roan Plateau — an important habitat for big gameand populations of Colorado River cutthroat trout —and made significant headway this year toward meetingthat goal. Through lawsuit settlement negotiations, CTUwith legal support from Earthjustice secured suspensionof oil and gas leases on the Roan so that the arearemains protected while legal issues are addressed. Hadthe leases proceeded, 3,000 additional oil and gas wellscould have been added to this sensitive area, includingin watersheds where TU volunteers from the Grand Val-ley Anglers Chapter have invested hundreds of hours innative trout conservation projects.

In 2009, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)proposed oil and gas leases in many drainagesthroughout Colorado that contain important populationsof native cutthroat trout or are suitable for speciesrecovery efforts. CTU, in coordination with TU'sSportsmen’s Conservation Project, protested 89 leasesthat lacked adequate protections for these importantstreams. The BLM deferred 39 of those leases forfurther study and is considering stronger protections fornative trout fisheries. TU remains engaged in efforts toidentify where oil and gas development is appropriate,and where protecting sensitive habitat deserves a higherpriority.

•

•

Over the past century, traditional oil, gas, andcoal extraction has taken a toll on Colorado’srivers, wildlife, and landscapes. Today, withone of the largest oil shale reserves in theworld, Colorado remains a hotbed for oil andgas exploration and development. Even as ourstate moves toward more renewable sources ofenergy like wind, solar, hydropower, andgeothermal, threats to native trout ecosystemsremain. CTU, in partnership with TU’sSportsmen’s Conservation Project, works withenergy development companies, state andfederal agencies, elected officials, and localstakeholder groups to advocate for balancedenergy solutions — those that allow Coloradoto meet its energy needs while protecting nativefish, irreplaceable river ecosystems and humanhealth.

• Bureau of Land Management• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Colorado Environmental Coalition• Colorado Wildlife Federation• Earthjustice• Sportsmen for Responsible EnergyDevelopment

NOTES FROM THE FIELDCorey Fisher,Energy Field Coordinator,TU's Sportsmen's Conservation Project“Responsible oil and gas development is aboutstriking the right balance between extractionand protection. There are places like TrapperCreek on the Roan Plateau that are extremelysensitive where drilling is 100% incompatible,but over the vast majority of the IntermountainWest both oil and gas development and greathunting and fishing can coexist. The majorityof my work is not focused on opposing drilling,but rather promoting solutions that allow forboth healthy trout populations and energydevelopment.”

TROUT RESTORATION

10 7

RIVER PROTECTION

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

The Boulder Flycasters Chapter completed anaward-winning stream habitat restoration projectalong a half-mile stretch of Middle Boulder Creek.The combination of over 3,000 volunteer hours,1,000 tons of boulders and cobble, 450 native shrubsand trees, 3,000 native grass plugs, and planning andconstruction by Ecological Resource Consultantsand Tezak Construction made this project a success,winning the 2009 Boulder County Pinnacle Awardfor Stewardship and Sustainability. An additionalsign of success; in December 2009, a park rangerreported the presence of trout along the restoredreach where none had been before.

Also known as the “Greenback Backers,” volunteersfrom the Alpine Angers Chapter partnered with theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National ParkService to monitor trout populations in RockyMountain National Park and to educate visitors oncatch-and-release and the importance of greenbackrecovery through the volunteer Lily Lake Patrol.

Building upon the success of the “GreenbackBackers,” CTU is working with the Alpine Anglersand Rocky Mountain Flycasters to launch alarge-scale restoration project along 40 miles of theCache la Poudre River headwaters, the largest nativetrout restoration effort in Colorado history.

The Five Rivers Chapter partnered with the ColoradoDivision of Wildlife, the City of Durango, AnimasRiverkeepers, and the Animas River Task Force tosuccessfully restore the stretch of the Animas Riverbetween 9th Street and the Highway 160 bridge inDurango. The project was completed in August of2009 with the help of Western Stream Works fromRidgeway. Massive boulders were installed to pushthe current away from the bank. Scour holes wereused to create deep pools and runs. The stream bankwas stabilized by planting and protecting importantcottonwoods within the riparian area. The projectresulted in improved habitat for trout and expandedrecreation opportunities for the Durango community.

CTU contributed thousands of dollars to localchapter projects through the Leo GomolchakConservation Minigrants Program. Recipients ofthis year’s awards included the Alpine AnglersChapter Greenback Backers Program; CheyenneMountain Chapter’s Shryver Pond Project; and thedesign phase of the Cherry Creek Anglers Chapter’sproject to improve habitat and handicapped accessalong the South Platte River.

CTU staff and chapter volunteer leaders arecurrently working to develop restoration projects forColorado River and Rio Grande cutthroat trout intheir historic habitats.

••

•

•

•

•

Due to a long history of mining, overgrazing,and other activities that have damaged waterquality and habitat, many of Colorado’s riversand lakes are polluted, overdeveloped anddegraded, requiring a range of interventions torestore healthy habitat. Fortunately, CTUpossesses an extraordinary resource: nearly10,000 members across the state who donateover 40,000 volunteer hours annually torestore and improve the streams and rivers intheir backyards.

• Boulder County Open Space• Bureau of Land Management• Colorado Division of Wildlife• National Park Service• Trout and Salmon Foundation• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service• U.S. Forest Service

Boulder Flycasters volunteers restore Middle Boulder Creek

Bob Bush Photo

•

•

NOTES FROM THE FIELDKirk Klancke, Colorado River Headwaters Chapter President

“I have lived almost my entire life in GrandCounty at the headwaters of the Upper Colorado River along the Fraser River. It hasbeen a lifetime of intimate contact with theriver and the environment that it sustains. Iwant my grandchildren to feel this same connection. To me there is nothing more important.”

Through the efforts of TU’s Western Water Project, the Colorado Supreme Court decided infavor of keeping more water in the San JuanRiver, striking down an attempt by PagosaSprings to remove more water than was necessary for the city’s future needs through itsDry Gulch project. TU’s groundbreaking litigation challenging this speculative reservoirproject secured new, restrictive standards for public utilities seeking water rights to serve future growth, preventing potentially harmful, excessive diversion projects from moving forward. The ruling is the second time Trout Unlimited has challenged the district watercourt’s decrees in the so-called Dry Gulch case — and the second time it has won.

Thanks to advocacy by Trout Unlimited at national, state and local levels, the Gunnison River experienced its first flushing flows in more than a decade, reducing heavy loads of accumulated sediment and algae throughout the Gunnison Gorge. Such flushes will become more common in the future thanks to a legal settlement negotiated byTU and its allies to secure meaningful water rights for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

TU works to protect the Arkansas River — Mark Lance Photo

Black Canyon of the Gunnison River — Mark Lance Photo

RIVER PROTECTION

6 11

PUBLIC LANDS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

The proposed expansion of the Moffat Tunneland Windy Gap water diversion projectsthreatens to leave the Upper Colorado River andFraser River with only 25% of their native flows.Through grassroots advocacy and organizingduring the projects’ permitting processes, CTUand its local chapters successfully mobilizedover 3,000 citizens who voiced their concernsover the potential impacts of these projects onfish, wildlife, and local recreation-basedeconomies. The Colorado River HeadwatersChapter has generated widespread communityinvolvement in protecting their “home waters”—from educational public meetings to informresidents about the projects and their impacts, toa “RiverStock” music festival in Fraser to raisecommunity awareness and engagement. Withsupport and expertise from TU’s Western WaterProject, CTU and the chapter will continue toplay a part in negotiating and advocatingprotections for these rivers as the Army Corpsof Engineers and other state and federalagencies evaluate the proposed projectsthroughout 2010.

Trout Unlimited has been actively engaged inthe Southern Delivery System (SDS) proposal tobuild a large pipeline 43 miles north fromPueblo Dam to serve Colorado Springs, Securityand Fountain. TU’s Western Water Projectpressured the Bureau of Reclamation toacknowledge the impacts of the proposedproject on fish in the Arkansas River, and helpsecure adequate mitigation and managementoptions to maintain higher flows and waterquality throughout the basin.

•

•

In Colorado, water is our most precious naturalresource. Water sustains fish, wildlife, and ruraland urban communities through healthy lakes andfree-flowing rivers, and provides manyopportunities for recreation and a sense of placefor all Coloradans.Unfortunately, due in part to outdated policiesand rules that govern the use and management ofour water resources, many rivers and streams inColorado are heavily depleted and lack the flowsnecessary to sustain healthy populations of fishand wildlife. Colorado Trout Unlimited believeswe can both meet our water needs and sustainhealthy river ecosystems, but to do so we muststrike a balance between development andprotection. To this end, CTU and National TU’sWestern Water Project advocate for sensiblepolicies that keep water in Colorado’s rivers,while ensuring a reliable water supply to farms,ranches, homes, and businesses across our state.

• Colorado EnvironmentalCoalition

• Colorado River WaterConservation District

• Educational Foundationof America

• Grand County• Hewlett Foundation

• High Country CitizensAlliance

• Northwest ColoradoCouncil of Governments

• San Juan CitizensAlliance

• Western ResourceAdvocates

Moffat Diversion dewaters Jim Creek — Kirk Klancke Photo

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Headwater streams and intact wildernessareas on public lands are quite literally the lastrefuges for many native trout populations.They sustain rare fish populations, while pro-viding a reliable source of cold, clean water toimprove conditions throughout our rivers, afunction that becomes even more importantduring periods of warming. CTU and localchapters work together with TU’s Sportsmen’sConservation Project and other partners tomaintain protection for Colorado’s valuablenetwork of public forests, wilderness, andparks — places that provide some of the besthunting, fishing, hiking and camping inthe country.

• Animas River Stakeholder’s Group• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Colorado’s Third Congressional District staff• Colorado Water Conservation Board• Southwestern Water Conservation District• Grazing permittees• La Plata Board of County Commissioners• Motorized and mechanized advocates• Recreation advocates• San Juan Citizen’s Alliance• The Nature Conservancy• The Wilderness Society• U.S. Forest Service

Results

CTU, as part of a coalition of partners, workedwith Congress to pass legislation establishingprotected areas and wilderness for Dominguez-Escalante and Rocky Mountain National Park.With the strong backing of CTU and partners,Rep. John Salazar introduced the San JuanMountains Wilderness proposal to the U.S. Houseof Representatives.The best fish and game habitat in the West isfound on land that hasn’t been developed ordegraded by human activity. Classified as“roadless” areas, these large backcountry tractsremain some of the best to hunt and fish. CTUmobilized citizens through a public commentprocess and meetings with resource managers andelected representatives to help secure majorimprovements in the proposed ColoradoRoadless Rule. The new proposal strikes a moreappropriate balance in protecting backcountryhabitat while allowing roads and timber removalto reduce wildfire risks near communities.Unfortunately, the proposal still falls short ofadequately protecting some of the best cutthroattrout and big game habitats in Colorado’sroadless areas. CTU continues to work with theState and the U.S. Forest Service to seek astronger rule.

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NOTES FROM THE FIELDTy Churchwell,Backcountry Coordinator, TU’s Sportsmen’sConservation Project

"Management of our public lands for multipleuses is a daunting task. As part of TU'sSportsmen's Conservation Project, I work withagencies and other stakeholder groups with aneye toward preserving important trout andwildlife habitat and recreation opportunitiesin the backcountry. Simply, it's an obligationI feel as a Colorado native and a troutconservationist."

WATER QUALITY

12 5

COLORADO TU CHAPTERS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

Results

The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission is responsible for establishing waterquality standards for waters around the state. While the work of the Commission is of criticalimportance to protecting Colorado’s water, CTUhas been the only consistent conservation participant in the Commission’s basin hearings.Represented by a former Division of Wildlifewater quality expert, Dr. John Woodling, CTU hasparticipated as an official “party” each year inthese important public policy hearings, helping tobring a much-needed counterbalance against proposals from powerful polluters.

Through RiverWatch, a collaborative effort between the Colorado Watershed Network and theColorado Division of Wildlife, members fromfive Trout Unlimited chapters help collect base-line data on streams and rivers across the state.The Five Rivers Chapter, Cheyenne Mountain Chapter, Collegiate Peaks Chapter, CutthroatChapter, and West Denver Chapter all participatein this program, logging hundreds of volunteerhours monitoring their home waters. RiverWatchis designed to provide policy-makers and agencieswith high quality water ecosystem data to guideinformed decisions.

West Denver RiverWatch volunteers collectedsamples on numerous streams in the Clear Creek watershed, helping the U.S. Forest Service determine sites with the potential to support native trout restoration.

••

•

Water quality is one of the most basic indicatorsof watershed health. The availability of cold,clean water is essential for trout, wildlife, andhuman health. Unfortunately, water quality inmany of Colorado’s river basins has declineddue to widespread development — from water diversion projects that reduce flows, to streamside mining and urban runoff. CTUworks to improve water quality in Colorado’srivers and streams by advocating for waterquality standards that sustain diverse aquaticlife in the Arkansas, Rio Grande, Colorado,Yampa, Platte, Gunnison, and San Juan basins.

In order to ensure water quality standards arebeing met, CTU and local chapters also investhundreds of on-the-ground volunteer hours tomonitoring their home waters, yielding valuable data used by state agencies to informongoing management of those rivers andstreams.

• Colorado Division of Wildlife• Colorado Watershed Network• High Country Citizens Alliance• Kenney Brothers Foundation• San Juan Citizens Alliance• U.S. Forest Service

NOTES FROM THE FIELDGil Hassinger, RiverWatch Committee Chair“We often discuss the quality of Colorado’s rivers andstreams, but the RiverWatch Program gives us the opportunity to do something about it. RiverWatch watersampling provides resource managers with useful waterquality data from sites throughout the state. In fact, thedata from our chapter’s RiverWatch sampling programwas instrumental in efforts to restore Greenback Cutthroat trout in Clear Creek. I would like to see allColorado TU chapters get involved in RiverWatch andsupport the program any way they can.”

(1) Alpine Anglers, Estes Park(2) Boulder Flycasters, Boulder(3) Cherry Creek Anglers, Aurora

(4) Cheyenne Mountain,Colorado Springs

(5) Collegiate Peaks Anglers, Salida/Buena Vista

(6) Colorado River Headwaters, Grand County(7) Cutthroat, Littleton

(8) Denver, Denver

(9) Eagle Valley, Eagle

(10) Evergreen, Evergreen

(11) Ferdinand Hayden, Aspen/Glenwood Springs

(12) Five Rivers Durango/Cortez(13) Gore Range, Summit County

(14) Grand Valley Anglers, Grand Junction

(15) Gunnison Angling Society, Gunnison(16) Gunnison Gorge Anglers, Delta/Montrose(17) Purgatoire RiverAnglers, Trinidad

(18) Rocky Mountain Flycasters, Ft. Collins/Greeley

(19) San Luis Valley, Alamosa(20) Southern Colorado Greenbacks, Pueblo(21) St. Vrain Anglers,Longmont

(22) West Denver, Golden

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Colorado TU chapters provide avoice for rivers and watershedsacross the state.

Cartography by David Stillwell

OUR STRATEGY

4 13

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

A Strategic Approach to Fish andRiver Conservation

CTU works to:• Protect high quality habitat for native and wildcoldwater fish and to maintain free flowing rivers;

• Reconnect fragmented fish populations and habitatsby restoring flows to dewatered rivers and re-openingfish passage;

• Restore watersheds by working in collaboration withother conservation and governmental organizations, aswell as private landowners, to preserve and improvethe quality of habitats that support coldwater fish;

• Sustain the efforts of our volunteers and supporters byinspiring a strong conservation ethic in the nextgeneration of river stewards.

Founded in 1969, CTU is Colorado'sleading non-profit, non-partisanorganization providing a voice forColorado's rivers. As the financiallyself-sustaining, grassroots, Colorado-basedarm of the national organization TroutUnlimited, CTU is independentlygoverned by a 37 member volunteerboard.

Colorado Trout Unlimited leverages thepower of its 10,000 members from 22chapters across Colorado whocontribute approximately 44,000volunteer hours annually to restoration,education, and other local conservationprojects, equivalent to the power of 22full-time employees.

Our vision is simple — by the nextgeneration, CTU will ensure that robustpopulations of native and wild coldwaterfish once again thrive within their originalColorado range, so that our children canenjoy healthy fisheries in their homewaters.

CTU’s Strategies:• Grassroots engagement;• Support for on-the-ground community-led projectsand initiatives;

• Advocacy at the national, state and local levels;• Collaboration and partnerships with privatelandowners, state, federal, and local agencies, andother key stakeholders;

• Use of local knowledge as well as science-based toolslike TU’s Conservation Success Index to help develop,prioritize and initiate conservation efforts and advocacy;

• Leverage resources committed by donors and increasecapacity through the efforts of our volunteers;

• Education and outreach to Colorado’s young people,providing hands-on, field-based opportunities thatfoster awareness for the connections betweenColorado's trout, water resources, the environment,and themselves.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Key Partners

While the State Capitol may not be the first placethat comes to mind when you think about riverconservation, the legislature is a critical forumwhere laws are made that affect our rivers.Colorado Trout Unlimited works to conserve,protect and restore watersheds throughout thestate, and a single bad law can counter thebenefits of dozens of on-the-ground efforts.Similarly, a good law can open countless doors ofopportunity for river conservation.Colorado Trout Unlimited is one of the fewconservation organizations that maintains alegislative advocate at the Capitol full-time duringthe General Assembly. Combined with the powerof our grassroots membership — activists whocontact their legislators on critical issues — CTUprovides a respected and effective voice for riverand watershed protection at the legislature. In2009, key legislative priorities included securingpassage of rules to enhance water and wildlifeconservation in oil and gas development,renewing Colorado’s “habitat stamp” as a meansof funding habitat acquisition and conservation,and establishing a tax credit for donations ofwater rights to instream flows.

• Alliance for SustainableColorado

• Audubon SocietyColorado

• Colorado BowhuntersAssociation

• Colorado EnvironmentalCoalition

• Colorado WildlifeFederation

• Environmental Defense• Northwest ColoradoCouncil of Governments

• Rocky MountainFarmers Union

• Western ResourceAdvocates

Results

CTU and our conservation allies scoredimportant victories on our top legislativepriorities, making 2009 a highly successfulsession for river and watershedconservation.

Oil & gas issues. The Colorado Oil and GasConservation Commission (COGCC) adoptednew rules to help protect wildlife and water asoil and gas development takes place in Colorado.The rules required approval by the StateLegislature and became one of the signaturebattles of the 2009 session. The “rules review”bill (HB 09-1292)— approving the COGCC(and other agency) rules— was opposed by oiland gas lobbyists and spawned a series of billsdesigned to roll back protections for wildlife.CTU and our allies successfully blockedmultiple bills that would have gutted the newrules and then secured passage of the rules re-view bill. These efforts concluded a nearlythree-year effort to promote responsible oil andgas development with appropriatesafeguards for water and wildlife. While someissues remain, the rules represent a major stepforward in establishing an appropriate balancethat allows energy development to proceed whileprotecting Colorado’s fish and wildlife heritage.

Habitat stamp. The Habitat Stamp was establishedin 2005 as an additional stamp for purchase by huntersand anglers, with proceeds dedicated to protectinghabitat and providing access through, among othermeans, purchasing land. CTU’s Collegiate PeaksChapter was involved in the very first Habitat Stampacquisition— securing public access along 1.25 milesof the Arkansas River. In 2009, continuing theprogram required reauthorization by the legislature.In securing passage of the reauthorization, CTUsuccessfully defeated efforts by some big gameinterests to lock in a 60% earmark of funds for biggame projects. The bill also increased the cost of thestamp to make more funds available for conservationand included language (sponsored by Senator Penry)making Habitat Stamp funds available to help to buywater and put it back into our rivers and streams.

Instream flow tax credit.While landowners havelong enjoyed the ability to obtain a tax credit onconservation easements for land protection, there wasno similar tax credit for owners of water rights whodonated water to the State to keep our rivers andstreams flowing. Working with our partners atEnvironmental Defense and bill sponsors Rep. Pommerand Sen. White, we were able to establish a new taxcredit for up to 50% of the value of water donated forinstream flows. While the program had notable limits(including an annual cap of $2 million in total credits),it was a valuable first step in creating tax incentivesto encourage water donations that benefit Colorado’srivers.

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2009 FINANCIALS

14 3

YEAR IN REVIEW

2009 INCOME

2009 EXPENSES

Thank You! Colorado Trout Unlimited wishes to express our deepest appreciation to our supporters, whothrough their continued generosity allow us to conserve, protect, and restore Colorado's rivers and watersheds.River StewardshipCouncilMr. Jerry ArnoldMr. RA BeattieMr. Robert BushMr. Robert CollinsMr. Michael DelaneyMr. Sinjin EberleMr. & Mrs. John &

Denise FrontczakMr. & Mrs. Caleb &

Sidney GatesMr. Bill HankinsonMr. Jay KenneyMrs. Sharon LanceMr. Rick MatsumotoMr. Michael McGoldrickMr. Chuck OhmerMr. & Mrs. Gary &

Ivy ParishMr. James StevensCentury ClubMr. John AaronMr. Ron AceeMr. Scott AllenMr. Smoky AndersonMr. & Mrs Dan &

Mary ArmourMr. Stephen BaileyMr. Byron BairdMr. Todd BaizeMr. David BakerMr. Robert BarberMr. Terry BarrettMr. James BeasleyMr. Eric BeebyMr. Chuck BellockMr. Paul BenedettiMr. Philip BeranatoMr. Richard BirdMr. Willard BissellMr. Maurice BlackmonMr. Jim BlugermanMr. James BoakMr. John BorstMr. & Mrs. G.C. &

A.L. BowenMr. Brendan BowlerMr. Myles BrownMs. Robin Brown

Mr. Dennis BrunerMr. William BuchholzMr. John BullingtonMr. Larry BusseyMr. Joe CannonMr. Charlton CarpenterMr. & Mrs. Patrick and

Susan CarrMr. Mason CarterMr. Carl ChambersMr. Jeff ChandlerMr. L. Shawn CheadleMr. Anthony (Tony)

ChelfMs. Shirley CherryMr. Ty ChurchwellMr. David ClarkMr. Mark ColeMr. & Mrs. Tim &

Anne CollinsMr. Dennis CookMr. David CorkillMr. Steve CraigMr. G. Christian CrosbyMr. Chett CrossMr. Mac CunninghamMr. Paul D'AmatoMr. & Mrs. Bruce &

Donna DickinsonMr. Austin DieckmannMrs. Karen DilsMr. Court DixonMr. John DoningerMr. Richard DoucetteMr. John DoughtyMr. Frank DuncansonMr. & Mrs. Susan &

Ian DuncansonDr. Glen EdwardsMrs. Jackie EdwardsMr. John ElginMr. Michael EnglhardMr. Christopher EriksenMr. Eric EssweinMr Edward EstlowDr. Carol EtheridgeDr. Greg EvansMrs. Jo EvansMs. Sally FantMr. Todd Fehr

Mr. Kenneth Fellin IIMrs. Victoria FinchMr. Kyle FinkMr. Richard FinlonDr. Frederick FraikorDr. Eric France, M.D.Dr. Charles FraserMr. Thaddeus GabreskiMr. John GambleMr. Gerald GavendaMr. Thomas GhidossiDr. Burton GolubMr. Roy GoodwinMr. Robert GrayMr. Hugh GreathouseMr. John GreggMr. Thomas GregoryMr. Darrell GriffinMr. Brian HaanMr. John HammerbeckMr. Jay HarrisMr. William HaskeyMr. Wendell HatfieldDr. John HaunMs. Charlene HeinsDr. Richard HeskyMr. Thomas HextMrs. Joy HilliardMr Bruce HoaglandMr. Ron HoenningerMr David HoffMr Kendall H HolmMr R. T. HowellMr. & Mrs. Marcia &

Dennis HultMr. James ImparaMr. Michael IngoMr. Richard G IsenbergerMr Ralph H JacobsonMr. Howard JenkinsMr Robert JenkinsMr Robert JohannesMr. Craig JohnsonMr. & Mrs. Sam &

Ann JohnsonMs. Tina JohnsonMr. Alan JonesMr. Donald JonesMs. Elise JonesMr. Kevin Jones

Mr. Tom JonesMr. John KarpanMr. Dikran KashkashianDr. Bruce KautzMr. Anthony KayMr. John KeyserMs. Kimberly KirkendollDr. Michael Kish, DMDMr. Benji KitagawaRev. Randy KittelsonMr. & Mrs. Henry &

Ann KlaimanMr. Kirk KlanckeDr. Richard

KnackendoffelMr. Kurt KoeglerMr. Richard KohlerMr. & Mrs. Walter &

Mary KoozinMr. Nicholas KosmickiMr. Stephen KozakMr. Tom KrolMr. Randall KryszakMr. Richard KuehsterMr. Doug LaihoMr. Christopher LamsonMr. Richard LandonMr. Allan LarsonMr. David LawsMr. Darrell LewisMr. Josh LeyMr. Richard LirtzmanMs. Phyllis LormanDr. Robert Lowe DVMMs. Barbara LuneauMr. Ron MaclachlanMr. Stephen MacyMr. Jay MarksMr. Tim MartinMr. Manuel MartinezMr. Robert MasonisMr. Nick MathersMr. Richard MatteraMr. John McClowMr. John McDermottMr. Douglas McDonaldMr. Donald McIntyreMr. David McMillanMr. Chuck MeederMr. Shawn Merrill

Mr. Jeff MetzgerMr. Robert MillerMr. Gary MintzMs. Jaynanne

MontgomeryMr. Michael MoonanMr. Tom MooneyMr. Gerald MooreMr. Tom MoyerMr. Frank MuellerMr. John MurphyMr. Michael MurphyMr. Steve MurrayMr. & Mrs. Robert &

Marcie MusserMr. Allen NakagawaMr. David NesbitMr. David NewberryMr. Rich NewtonMr. David NickumMr. Daniel NortonMr. David NoslerMr. Ray O'MaraMr. & Mrs. Richard &

Lois OberhelmanMr. Chuck OgilbyMr. John OkadaMr. George OrbanekMr. Craig OrbanoskyMr. Carl OrmistonMr. Steven OsaMr. John OsbornMr. Bruce PapichMr. Richard ParachiniMr. Garry PatrickMr. William PerkinsMr. Drew PeternellMr. Mark PeternellDr. Jerry PetersonMr. Robert Pew IIIMr. Randy PharoMs. Florence PhillipsMr. David PiskeMr. Paul PrentissMr. Craig PuckettMr. Fred RasmussenMr. Alvin RevzinMr. Robert RichMr. Matt RiveraMr. Carl Roberts

Dr. John Roberts Mr. Walter RockwellMs Connie RogersMr. John RogersMr. Kevin RogersMr. Dave RootesMr. Scot RoseMr. Stan RoviraMr. Jack RudolphMr. William RussellMr. Jerry RyanMr. Ray SamuelsonMr. James SawyerMr. Paul SazonickMr. Gary ScholtonMr. & Mrs. Miles

SchulzeMs. Elizabeth SearleMr. Lawrence SeidlMr. & Mrs. Leslie &

Nancy SelzerMr. Daniel SheaDr. Mark SheehanMs. Celia ShenemanMr. Steve ShermanDr. Arnold SilvermanMr. Donald SimonMr. Buck SkillenDr. & Mrs C. John

SnyderMs. Susan SpenceMr. Sean SpillaneMr. Richard SpragueMr. George StarkMr. Rick StephensDr. John StrawMr. Bob StreeterMr. Chris StriebichMr. Thomas SwansonMr. William TanisMr. Dave TaylorMr. Tom ThomasDr. John TrammellMr. Al TraskTrout's Fly FishingMr. Emery UdvariDr. Jeff UpdegraffMr. Dell Van GilderMrs. & Mr Marge &

Paul Vorndam

Contributions44%

Grants26%

Total Income$220,494

Total Expenses$236,005

Membership10%

Chapter/MemberServices17%

Outreach/Education16%

General/Administration

18%

Development7%

Conservation Programs42%

Events18%

Investment /Other

2%

Dear Friends.In Colorado, the health and enjoyment of our natural surroundings are paramount. Most people

who live here cite something about the outdoors as one of the primary reasons they are here – it's agreat place to live. But no natural habitat can exist without clean and plentiful water, and in 2009Colorado Trout Unlimited once again fulfilled the role of being the best sportsman and conservation group focused on protecting and restoring Colorado’s rivers. It's what we know, it's what we are passionate about, and it's what we do.

2009 was a great year for CTU. We continued the fight to protect native cutthroat trout habitat onthe Roan Plateau, while striving to forge a working model for oil and gas development that can satisfy all interests and protect vital natural places. Collaboration with the Governor’s office tocraft a more desirable Roadless Rule was another important effort, and the results are promising.We also supported on-the-ground stream restoration projects like those on Middle Boulder Creekand the Animas River. Local volunteers are the true strength of CTU and the primary reason we arethe most effective organization for the protection and improvement of Colorado’s streams.

At the State Capitol, with the guidance and diligence of our Legislative Advocate, CTU essentially “batted a thousand” – getting thebills we wanted passed and beating back the threats to Colorado’s rivers that are as common as mosquitoes on a summer night. With increasing budgetary constraints, the ability to effectively advocate for and pass important bills that make a difference is critical. Onceagain, we have proven that a sound conservation strategy that strikes a balance is more effective than one that is out on the fringes.

Our 2009 strategy was so successful that we will continue to use it through 2010, but we’re turning up the heat. We are committed todriving the important river conservation strategy that we all care about – essential when it comes to critical rivers like the Fraser and theUpper Colorado. We will be working harder to protect the Colorado River’s imperiled habitat and demanding the attention and respectthat the state’s namesake river deserves. This effort will require all of us, more than ever, to participate, collaborate, and invest our resources, wherever they are needed.

Nothing in Colorado is more important than water, and Colorado Trout Unlimited is here to ensure that Colorado’s rivers have a fighting chance to thrive. Together we can make it happen! Sincerely,

Sinjin Eberle, President - Colorado Trout Unlimited

Sweat equity stretches every dollar. Through volunteer efforts by CTU's 10,000 members,

every $1 contributed generates $2.81 in value.

COLORADO TROUT UNLIMITED

2 15

YEAR IN REVIEW

A Voice for Colorado’s Rivers

Mission

Colorado TU Officers:Sinjin Eberle, PresidentRick Matsumoto, Vice-PresidentRandy Kittelson, SecretaryMichael McGoldrick, TreasurerKen Neubecker, Past President

Colorado TU Staff & Contractors:David Nickum, Executive DirectorErica Stock, Outreach DirectorJohn Gamble, Administrative AssistantJen Boulton, Legislative LiaisonBob Bush, Graphic Design ConsultantDr. John Woodling, Water Quality Consultant

TUWestern Water Project Staff:Melinda Kassen, Managing DirectorDrew Peternell, Colorado Water Project DirectorMely Whiting, Legal CounselDavid Stillwell, Office ManagerRandy Scholfield, Communications DirectorJohn Gerstle, Technical Advisor

TU Sportsmen’s Conservation Project Staff:Steve Kandell, DirectorCorey Fisher, Energy Field CoordinatorTy Churchwell, Backcountry Coordinator,Alpine Triangle

Greg Moore, Communications Specialist

TUWatershed Restoration Staff:Elizabeth Russell, Mine Restoration Project Manager

Executive Offices1320 Pearl Street

Suite 320Boulder, Colorado 80302

303.440.2937

website: www.cotrout.org

Cover Photo CourtesyMark Lance, Riverlight Images

Design by: Bob BushPrinting by: Silver Star Printing

Boulder, CO 303.442.1825

Colorado Trout Unlimited works to conserve, protect, and restore Colorado’s coldwater fisheriesand their watersheds. As the grassroots arm of our parent organization, Trout Unlimited, we usecooperation, collaboration, advocacy, and education to promote conservation.

Jane Tollett, Executive Director, Grand County Water InformationNetwork (L). Erica Stock, Outreach Director, Colorado TroutUnlimited (R).

Corporate & FoundationAnonymousAspen Community FoundationBank of ColoradoDenver FoundationEcological ResourceConsultants

Educational Foundation ofAmericaHewlett FoundationKenney Brothers FoundationKrogerLands for Wildlife HabitatMathilde U and Albert ElserFoundation

Miller CoorsPark CountyRocky Mountain Angling ClubSierra ClubSilver Trout FoundationStreamside Professional SearchTrout and Salmon FoundationTrout Unlimited –Embrace-a-Stream

TU Chapter ContributorsBoulder Flycasters ChapterCherry Creek Anglers ChapterCheyenne Mountain ChapterCollegiate Peaks ChapterColorado RiverHeadwaters Chapter

Cutthroat ChapterDenver ChapterEvergreen ChapterFerdinand Hayden ChapterFive Rivers ChapterGrand Valley Anglers ChapterGunnison Angling SocietyGunnison Gorge AnglersChapter

Mid-Missouri ChapterRocky MountainFlycasters Chapter

San Luis Valley ChapterSouthern ColoradoGreenbacks Chapter

West Denver Chapter

In-kind/Auction DonorsShawn BrattAustin CondonTom ConninMac CunninghamPat DorseyEd EberleSinjin EberleMike GeorgeMike GerberCarl GriffinTerry GroszEldridge &Ann HardieKent HigginsTimothy JacobsJonathan KeislingBrian KuchynkaMark & Sharon LanceAl MakkaiLandon MayerBud McAllisterMichael McGoldrickJake McKittrickRichard MeadJohn MurphyJim NeibergerDavid & Lisa NickumSusan Pellegrini

Eric PettineCheryl PilatzkeRich PilatzkePaul Prentiss & Bob BushBarry ReynoldsAl RittTravis RummelSteve SchweittzerBill SearlesRandy SmithRick TakahashiDavid TaylorJohn VevurkaGordon Wickstrom

Absaraka Fishing Bear CabinsAfrican Eyes TravelAlagnak LodgeAlaska’s Legend LodgeAlmont AnglersAlmont ResortAlpine Tackle SupplyAnglers AddictionAnglers AllAngler’s Book SupplyAnglers RoostArkanglersArkansas River ToursArvada CenterBadgerland Pheasant FarmBass Pro ShopsBattenkill LodgeBlue Quill AnglerBob’s Fly ShopBreckenridge OutfittersBrodin Landin NetsBudweiser Events Center.comBunkhouse Bed & BreakfastCabela'sCherry Creek Shopping CenterChota Outdoor GearClear Creek Co.Colorado History MuseumColorado Symphony OrchestraConejos River Anglers

Confluence CastingCopper Door Coffee RoastersCottonwood CampD’Vine Wine ImportsDenver AnglerDenver Art MuseumDenver Center for thePerforming Arts

Denver Museum of Natureand Science

Denver Zoological FoundationDistant Waters AnglingAdventures in New ZealandDown River Equipment CoDr. Slick CompanyDuranglersDvorak’s Fishing ExpeditionsDyna-KingElkhorn Fly Rod and ReelFishpondFlatiron TroutfittersFlow Tek/Monic Fly LineFlyfishing Services IncFly LogicFrank Amato PublicationsFront Range AnglersGalvan Fly ReelsGander Mountain, AuroraGarfield Estates VineyardGateway Canyons ResortGrand Hyatt DenverGunnison River ExpeditionsGusterman's JewelersHoliday InnRocky Mountain National Park

Island Acres MotelJim Teeny Inc.Kingfisher DriftersKrieger EnterprisesKuhrt RanchLake Carol AnneLandmark Component CoLinehan OutfittersLost Canyon ResortMadison Valley Ranch

Modern BungalowMondo VinoMontana Fly CompanyMontana TroutfittersMountain AnglerMountain PressPublishing Company

New Belgium BreweryNorlanderO. Mustad & SonOdell Brewing CompanyOliviers & Co.Otter ProductsPatagonia, DenverPEAK FishingPesce Fresco BistroPins & Fins LLCProfessor Bodkin Fly FishingProject Healing WatersFly Fishing

Rainbow Trout RanchRedstone InnRedwood LlamasRio Products Intl. Inc.R LWinston Rod CompanyRocky Mountain AdventuresRocky Mountain Angling ClubRoss ReelsSan Miguel Mountain &River Products

Scott Fly RodsSleepy Hollow LodgeSmith Action OpticsSoulwater GallerySportsman’s Warehouse,Loveland

St. Peter’s Fly ShopStackpole BooksStafford Creek LodgeStranahan’s Colorado WhiskeyStreamside Professional SearchStreamworksSylvan Dale RanchTargus Fly & Feather Inc.Taylor Creek Fly Shop

Temple Fork OutfittersThe Wildlife ExperienceT.L. Johnson Rod Co.Trappers Lake Lodge & ResortTroutmapTwo Leggins OutfittersTy-Rite

Wilderness Aware RaftingWildlife by Dan AndrewsWillowfly AnglersWinding River RanchWright & McGill CompanyYellow Dog Fly FishingAdventures

WHY I GIVESharon Lance,National TU Trustee, Cutthroat ChapterPresident and Volunteer

"I am very proud to be a member of TroutUnlimited. I have seen the collective workof thousands of volunteers acrossColorado. They have put in hundreds ofhours in preserving and protecting ourcold water resources and in teaching thenext generation of stewards. I try to giveback with my time and my money."

Mr. Steve WallingfordMr. Andrew WalvoordMr. Robert WeaverMs. Mary WellsDr. Anne WentzMr. Jim WilliamsMr. Larry WilliamsMr. Jonathan WoodcockMr. Stuart WrightMr. Dave ZankeyMr. Jack ZilisMr. Art ZimmerMr. Sanford ZismanMr. Mike Zuendel

Colorado Trout Unlimited1320 Pearl Street, Suite 320Boulder, Colorado 80302

Office 303-440-2937 Fax 303-440-7933 www.cotrout.org

Annual Report2009

100%

Printed on 100% Recycled PaperTrout Unlimited is a 4-star charity as recognized by Charity Navigator

Photo by Mark Lance