Water uses in our community are diverse. Irrigators have been diverting water for agriculture since the 1870s, primarily for stock grazing and hay production. A small percentage of water in our basin is used for domestic and municipal uses, including drinking water for our communities, water for fire safety, landscaping and parks. We also have a ski industry that relies on water for snowmaking. These agricultural, municipal, industrial and domestic uses are typically considered “consumptive” uses because a portion of that water does not return to the stream system.

Our basin also hosts a range of “non-consumptive” uses- uses where water can be left in the stream or returns in its full quantity to the stream. These uses include environmental and recreational uses.  Across our basin we have instream flow protections that provide minimum flows for fisheries. In addition to environmental flow needs, we also have recreational use needs for users that float and fish on our creeks and rivers (both recreational and commercial guiding outfitters). The Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District holds a water right for the Gunnison River Whitewater Park. This recreational in channel diversion right is junior to many other rights in the basin, but does protect flows for boating in priority.

Our community has united to face many past water resource challenges. We’ve successfully advocated against trans-basin diversions to keep water on the Western Slope. Community coalitions have worked together in water quality hearings to advocate for molybdenum standards that protect our ranching community and to establish stream temperature and heavy metal standards that are protective of our aquatic communities. We’ve secured water rights for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and have initiated a watershed management planning process to address future water needs.

Presently, we’re facing hydrologic changes in our basin that will alter the way that we use water resources. Climate change will impact our basin by changing the timing of runoff, reducing overall precipitation, and increasing evaporative loss with warmer temperatures. We can expect to see more sublimation where snowfall never makes it to the river because wind and solar affects turn to a gas state. As we face these new challenges, we will need to work together creatively to protect our existing water uses and watershed health in the Upper Gunnison Basin.