Our Watershed Facts The Uncompahgre Name: Uncompahgre River Watershed Location: Gunnison Basin, southwestern Colorado Watershed Headwaters: Lake Como at 12,215 feet in the Uncompahgre National Forest and other tributaries that originate as high as 14,158 feet at the peak of Mt. Sneffels and down to 4,915 feet in Delta

Last Saturday of June The annual Ridgway RiverFest is organized by UWP to celebrate our watershed, and bring together our community and visitors for a full day of fun for all ages at the Uncompahgre River in Rollans Park, Ridgway, Colorado. With no entry fee, everyone can enjoy this popular outdoor festival with a wide range of activities from river races and the Junk of the Unc homemade boat competition to live music, Ute cultural presentations, youth entertainment, watershed education, and food and drink. www.ridgwayriverfest.org

The name of the Uncompahgre River comes from the Ute word that means red water, muddy Area: 1,115 square miles over seven counties water or a water that is slow moving. The Utes lived along the river since early times because of Length: approximately 75 miles, flowing northwest the water, plants, and wildlife. Flowing from the past Ouray, Ridgway, Montrose and Olathe, joining headwaters in the San Juan Mountains, the river the Gunnison River in Delta is the artery of a large watershed and one reason Topography: highly varied, ranging from the many people choose to live here in Ouray County. snow-capped San Juan Mountains to the south, Whether enjoying recreation on and around the through the Uncompahgre River Valley with the river and the Ridgway Reservoir or using the Uncompahgre Plateau to the west and the barren valuable natural resource for irrigating agricultural desert lands of the Gunnison uplift and Adobe fields, we rely on the watershed to support our badlands on the east lifestyles. Please Help Protect our Watershed The Uncompahgre Our Projects Abandoned Mine Site Watershed Partnership Remediation Our nonprofit works within a modest budget, supported UWP has many ongoing by many volunteer hours and fundraising activities. Grants (UWP) exists to help protect projects and annual UWP brings together cover a portion of our expenses, but are limited in scope the economic, natural, and activities aimed at experts to remediate and duration and cannot be used to cover many ongoing scenic values of the Upper protecting and restoring environmental damage costs. That's where you can help! Please consider Uncompahgre River Water- the watershed. We from legacy mines. Pro- making a donation or becoming a member. shed. The Partnership, over- engage in community jects have focused on seen by a volunteer board, reducing contamination Name outreach and education works to inform and engage throughout the year, in streams by diverting Address all stakeholders and solicits input from diverse including the Ridgway toxic mine drainage, interests to ensure collaborative restoration efforts RiverFest, field trips into removing waste rock, City, State + Zip in the watershed. the San Juans, and minimizing tailings erosion, and vegetating UWP was created in the spring of 2007, when watershed education in Email affected areas. regional groups and concerned citizens applied for local schools. Phone a watershed-planning grant. Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2013, our goals and objectives Membership Options are to improve water quality, riverine ecosystem Please check member type & other boxes as preferred. function, seasonal low flows, and recreation [ ] Individual $ 36 opportunities, as well as to create a stable [ ] Family $ 55 stakeholder group. To learn more, visit [ ] Business $100 www.uncompahgrewatershed.org and watch And/or a one-time donation = $______https://youtu.be/NSDmqblR9Y8.

Total amount = $______Below: Metal concentrations in Red Mountain Creek come from abandoned mines as well as the natural geology. Next [ ] I'm giving $100 or more and would like a Colorado page: UWP is working on a mine remediation project to income tax credit, so am providing the last four improve water quality flowing from Governor Basin. digits of my tax ID: ______Water Monitoring & San Juan Mining & Please send my receipt by mail [ ] by email [ ]. Riverside Maintenance Reclamation Conference [ ] I give UWP permission to recognize me in UWP samples water publications (online and print). quality at several sites UWP is a coordinating partner for the San Juan [ ] I do not wish to be recognized. through the statewide River Watch program Mining & Reclamation Please enclose this form with your check made and with our project Conference. This annual payable to UWP and send to: partners. We organize event brings together non- Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership annual volunteer work profit leaders, researchers, industry professionals and Mail: P.O. Box 392, Ridgway, CO 81432 days to pick up litter, government representa- Office: 133 N. Lena St. #3, Ridgway, CO 81432 weed, and make riparian tives to discuss current 970-325-3010 ! [email protected] area improvements along the Uncompahgre and future mining and You can also donate and join online at River in Ridgway and water quality issues in www.uncompahgrewatershed.org/membership. Ouray. our mountain region.