… The construction of the 445-acre-foot Windy Gap Reservoir in 1985, built near the headwaters of the Colorado River to help divert water to more than a million people in the state’s northern Front Range cities, cut that section of river in two. Its dam constricted high seasonal flows, leading to sediment build up, while the reservoir’s shallow basin increased temperatures downstream. Major food sources for trout vanished. The fish population was decimated. … But things are starting to change, again, this time for the better. A $33 million project now in its final stages is being hailed as a way to reverse the damage and revive the once pristine waters. The Colorado River Connectivity Channel, a roughly mile-long waterway carved along the south side of Windy Gap, reunites the river upstream of the dam near Granby. The connection allows for greater flow levels that will keep sediment moving downriver, balance water temperatures and, officials hope, restore aquatic health. 

Other Colorado River articles:

• Inkstain: Reservoir drawdown in 2024: Are we on track to recover storage?
• KVUE: Watch: Lower Colorado River Authority approves water rate increase
• Sky-Hi News: Granby conservation easement resolution passes, awaits approval from Colorado Parks and Wildlife
• Post Independent: Presentations at Rifle City Council meeting from Mind Springs and Middle Colorado Watershed Council
• The Daily Sentinel: Officials highlight importance of water funds for efforts like buying power plant’s flow rights
• Vail Daily: Opinion: Trust our land: Land & rivers fund protects local habitat and waterways