Watershed Management
Colorado’s headwaters play a crucial role in meeting our nation’s need for fresh water. Our state and 18 others derive their water supply from Colorado’s high-country watersheds.
What is a Watershed?
Water is an essential element for sustaining life. Rivers, streams and lakes are the “lifeblood” of our environment. An adequate supply of clean water and the biological diversity that our watersheds support are essential to a future that is balanced both socially and ecologically.
Water is the key component of the environment, and the land that surrounds that water is the structure around that environment. Together, land and water make a watershed a whole system.
A “watershed” is the term used to describe an area of land united by the flow of water, nutrients, pollutants and sediments, moving downslope to the lowest point, through a network of drainage pathways that may be underground or on the surface.
We all live in a watershed and everything we do on our property can have an impact. The land drains into tributaries and these streams or creeks flow into bigger rivers. As this water flows downhill, it moves over the soil. Along the way, the water picks up debris (leaves or soil particles); sediments that can impact water quality.
Forests receive precipitation, utilize it for their sustenance and growth, and influence its storage and/or passage to other parts of the environment.
Colorado’s River System Provides Water to 19 States
Four major river systems – the Platte, Colorado, Arkansas and Rio Grande – originate in Colorado’s mountains and fully drain into one-third of the landmass of the lower 48 states.
Colorado’s headwaters play a crucial role in meeting our nation’s need for fresh water. Our state and 18 others derive their water supply from Colorado’s high-country watersheds.
Mountain snows supply 75 percent of the water to these river systems. Approximately 40 percent of the water comes from the highest 20 percent of the land, most of which lies in national forests.
National forests yield large portions of the total water in these river systems. The potential is great for forests to positively and negatively influence the transport of water such immense distances.
Resources
- American Forest Foundation Watershed Protection Guide
- Collaborative Water Assessment — A Profile of the Upper South Platte Partnership
- Denver Water
- JW Associates
- Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
- WWPG Situation Assessment & Final Report: Spring 2016
Watershed Assessment Map
- Map displays watersheds that have been through the assessment process
- Additional watersheds are in the first phase of assessment as part of the Bark Beetle Incident Watershed Project
Watershed Wildfire Protection Group
About the WWPG
The Watershed Wildfire Protection Group formed to identify hazards to water supplies from wildfires in Colorado.History
The Watershed Wildfire Protection Group (WWPG) began as part of the Front Range Roundtable, and was formed to identify hazards to water supplies from wildfires in Colorado. JW Associates facilitated the WWPG during the development of a watershed prioritization process. The WWPG is a diverse group of watershed stakeholders, including the major water providers in the Front Range, and state and federal land management agencies.Key Background Reports
Aug 1999
- Landscape Assessment: Upper South Platte Watershed (1.8 MB PDF)
Aug 2007
Feb 2009
Aug 2009
Mission
We promote healthy watersheds by facilitating education and awareness; and facilitating prioritization, implementation and monitoring for people and wildlife.- Fish & Aquatics
- For the West
- Mammals
- Next Generation
- Public
- Recreationists
- Rivers & Streams
Vision
The WWPG’s vision is to protect Colorado water supplies and critical infrastructure from catastrophic wildfire and other threats by maintaining healthy, resilient watersheds through collaboration, implementation, leveraging and education.Primary Goals
- Connect Implementers with Funders
- Provide Education & Outreach
- Maintain a Statewide Focus