Golf For Rivers

Monday, September 26, the Eagle River Watershed Council will be hosting their first ever benefit golf tournament. Join us for a great day at Adam's Mountain Country Club in Eagle for an 11am shotgun start. The Cocktails as well as fishing and golf contests follow the round. Many prizes will be given out to participants as well as a hole in one contest for a chance at $10,000.
The cost for the event is $275 per person or $1100 per foursome. The day promises to be a fun event at one of Colorado's top private facilities.
To sign up call 970-827-5406 or click here to sign up online.

The Eagle River Watershed Council advocates for the health and conservation of the Upper Colorado and Eagle River basins through research, education, and projects. We provide a forum where everyone can gain a greater understanding of the Eagle River environment. Said another way, our mission is "Preserving our quality of life by protecting the Eagle and Colorado Rivers in Eagle County."

River Restoration

 As a member of the Eagle River Watershed Council I make a point to volunteer for many of their projects each year. More importantly I learn something new each time and meet some great people in this valley.


Yesterday a team of seven planted willow cuttings along the Eagle River in Edwards. Over the past couple of years, The Council has taken the lead with numerous sponsors and donors to restore eroded banks of the Eagle River.

Improvements include restoring river banks, creating boat ramps, assisting with the speed of flows in the creek and overall providing a better habitat for fish and riparian wildlife.

The banks in this area looked more like cliffs and the creek was getting wider from erosion. That type of destruction does not allow plants to thrive or create healthy waters for fish and boating. Plants help stabilize banks, shades water to prevent temperatures from getting to high and can also provide food and shelter for riparian critters.

Today, Thanks to B&B Excavating the banks are graded out and seeded. The Watershed Council has gathered willow cuttings and over the past few weeks have been propagating them into the river bank. Thousands of cuttings have been planted. Willows are excellent species for creek banks, they are very hardy plants that thrive on wet soils. The success rate of all these cuttings is about 70%.

The project is nearing completion. You can get a better look at everything that has been done or yet to be done in Edwards this coming week. Visit http://www.erwc.org/ to sign up for out River Float this Friday afternoon. River guides are from the US Women's and Men's White Water Rafting Teams!

As we develop our river restoration plan on the Gore through Vail Golf Club, I see us doing some of the same practices. It is a cheap and very effective way of restoring a natural habitat.

Highway Clean Up

Twelfth Annual Community Pride Highway Cleanup

Presented by Vail Resorts Echo

■Saturday, May 7th, 2011, from 9 AM- 12 PM
■Volunteer Thank You BBQ will be at the Broken Arrow at the base of Arrowhead Mountain
■Largest highway clean up in Colorado with over 121 miles cleaned
■Over 650 people volunteer
■Don't forget to attend the great, free, Volunteer Thank You BBQ
*** To sign up or take part in any Watershed Council Events call 970-827-5406 or visit http://www.erwc.org/***

The Eagle River Watershed Council and Vail Resorts Echo will host the 12th Annual Community Pride Highway Clean Up on Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Volunteers are needed to remove trash in teams from the 121 miles of the valley’s main roads. In 2010, nearly 800 individuals collected more than 44,000 pounds of waste.

“There is a strong sense of camaraderie and accomplishment when everyone sees those orange bags along the road,” said Joe Macy, ERWC Board Emeritus. “It sounds corny, but it’s fun to be part of something so big and so badly needed.”

Volunteers will bag trash from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and join an after-party hosted by Vail Resorts Echo and the Arrowhead Alpine Club at Broken Arrow Restaurant. The after-party will include live music, beer and BBQ.

Volunteers are needed to assemble or join teams from Vail Pass and Red Cliff to Dotsero. Teams can request an assignment in a general area, but many teams “own” their section of the highway, having cleaned it for ten or more years. To receive a section of a highway, team leaders must sign up in advance.

“Volunteer teams are the heart of our success,” explains Sue Mott, the event’s volunteer coordinator. “They enlist friends, family and co-workers for their groups.”

The Community Pride Highway Clean Up is supported by presenting sponsor Vail Resorts Echo, as well as the El Pomar Foundation, The Eagle River Foundation, Slifer, Smith & Frampton, FirstBank, Loaded Joe’s Coffeehouse, Moe’s Original BBQ, Vail Rotary, Vail Honeywagon, Waste Management, CDOT, Eagle County, the towns of Vail, Eagle and Gypsum and our local media partners, the Vail Daily, TV 8, KZYR and NRC Broadcasting.

Eagle River Watershed Council | Blog - What's Bugging Gore Creek?

Eagle River Watershed Council Blog - What's Bugging Gore Creek?:
What's Bugging Gore Creek? Scientists are telling us that something is bugging Gore Creek. But actually, it's what is not bugging the creek that's the problem. Join ERWC to learn about problems in Gore Creek - signaled by the lack of a robust colony of bugs (macroinvertebrates) starting in the East Vail area. These bugs are food for the creek's fish. Do missing bugs mean missing fish? Do missing bugs mean that the creek is unhealthy?
Chris Maines from the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District will talk about what studies are telling us. Kirby Wynn, head of ERWC's Water Quality Program, will join Chris as they discuss possible causes for the problem - and the community partnership that's taking shape to help solve this mystery. A healthy Gore Creek is essential to the economy of Vail and of Eagle County. Public input is invited as we work together to develop a Water Quality Improvement Plan to cure Gore Creek.
When: Wednesday, April 20th, 5:30 p.m.
Where: The Bearfish Bar and Grill in Vail
So bug-out after work to the Bearfish for refreshments, cocktails, and some quality brain food!

Keeping It Local

While we are still in tax season I wanted to mention a couple of organizations that I have been involved with professionally that benefit Vail Golf Club and the local community.

The first organization is the Eagle River Watershed Council. I have been active with this group for over a year now and have really enjoyed learning everything they do for the local watershed. Local golf courses have started to become more involved in this group lately with a Water Wise Wednesday presentation last year and currently we are looking at starting a golf/fish challenge fundraising event slated to happen this fall.
The mission of the Eagle River Watershed Council advocates for the health and conservation of the Upper Colorado and Eagle River basins through research, education, and projects. They provide a forum where everyone can gain a greater understanding of the Eagle River environment. Said another way, the mission is "Preserving our quality of life by protecting the Eagle and Colorado Rivers in Eagle County." Visit http://www.erwc.org/ to learn more about the educational outlets, yearly projects, fundraising events and opportunities.

The second group I am involved with is more focused on golf in particular. The Golf Foundation of Colorado is a philanthropic arm of the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association.

Started by Colorado golf course superintendents, the foundation unities people to support golf and enhance the environment where the game is played. Its purpose is to raise monies for the support of education and research in turfgrass and related golf course amenities, scholarships for individuals pursuing or interested in a career in golf course management or other academic fields, for charitable and philanthropic activities that support golf course management professionals and their families, and for other non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. Click here to learn more about the Golf Foundation of Colorado.

WWW 4-28-10

This Wednesday at the Edwards Ambulance District at 5pm, join me and other local Superintendents as we discuss various methods of managing water on golf courses today in the Vail Valley. Click here for more information.

Highway Cleanup

Saturday, May 1st is Highway Cleanup Day, brought to us by the Eagle River Watershed Council. This is a fabulous program to help clean the valley from all of the debris along the roadsides. Volunteers are needed. You can help anywhere from Vail to Dotsero on highways; I-70, 6, 24 and 131. Litter pick up is from 9am-noon followed by a BBQ with music and prizes at 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott from noon-2pm.
To sign up please call 970-926-3956 or email volunteer@erwsc.org.