[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 68 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE BLUE RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2004

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
coalition that has dedicated years of energy to restoring Colorado's 
Lower Blue River for the community, the economy and the environment.
  One of the most cherished aspects of Colorado life is the access to 
pristine views and the wide variety of outdoor activities. Summit 
County provides both, sitting in the heart of Colorado's mountain 
country. With scenic mountains, majestic forests, and wild rivers, this 
region is world-renowned for its remarkable vistas and outdoor 
activities.
  For decades the Blue River was designated a Gold Medal fishery. 
However, in recent years the Blue River in Summit County has been 
impacted by nearby historic mining activities and other development, as 
well as years of drought. The river became so shallow below the Dillon 
Dam that native fish species were unable to live in this river's 
habitat. This not only damaged the various fish, it also hurt the local 
fishing industry which relies so heavily on vacationing anglers.
  Facing a major environmental and financial problem, a diverse group 
of citizen groups united behind the idea of restoring the Blue River to 
its original state. Among these groups were Trout Unlimited, the Town 
of Silverthorne, the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments, the 
Colorado Division of Wildlife, Summit County, the United States Forest 
Service, and the National Forest Foundation. These groups worked 
together to raise the money to return the river to its natural width, 
thus restoring the riparian habitat. Moreover these enhancements have 
helped bring the community together and have proven to be a model for 
similar restoration projects.
  The restoration has been a tremendous success. Mr. Andy Gentry, 
president of the local Trout Unlimited chapter, received a national 
award recognizing his role in the project. The American Public Works 
Association selected the project as one of the most outstanding 
projects in the nation.
  In addition to the national recognition and appreciation, the most 
rewarding aspect of the restoration project was returning the Blue 
River to its natural beauty. Anglers can now fish for trout in its 
sparkling waters. Hikers can walk the trails adjacent to the river and 
take in the wonderful views.
  Mr. Speaker, the Blue River Restoration Project is a shining example 
of collaborative and successful outdoor public works projects. It is a 
model for future projects and proves that groups of concerned citizens 
can cooperate to improve the environment and enhance the quality of 
life in their communities. This is especially important as hunting and 
fishing activities significantly contribute to the health of Colorado's 
economy--as well as the health of the environment.
  I have attached a newspaper story about this accomplishment.

                  [From the Summit Daily, May 2, 2004]

                 Restoration Named `Exemplary Project'

                         (By Christine McManus)

       Silverthorne.--After receiving a third award for their Blue 
     River restoration efforts, local Trout Unlimited members are 
     looking for other stream beds in the county to improve for 
     fish habitat.
       The most recent accolade for the Blue River project came 
     April 17 when the Colorado Trout Unlimited (TU) honored the 
     local Gore Range Anglers chapter of TU and its partners with 
     the Exemplary Project Award.
       ``The one constant about trout is they like to live in 
     beautiful places. Summit County fits that perfectly,'' said 
     Andy Gentry, president of the local chapter.
       Trout Unlimited and its partners worked together to narrow 
     the channel of the Blue River.
       With declining stream flows during the ongoing drought, and 
     only minimal releases from the Dillon Reservoir Dam, the 120-
     foot wide channel below the dam provided water too shallow 
     for fish to survive.
       The restoration project generally narrowed the channel to 
     30 feet wide.
       The project preserved the Gold Medal status of the fishery, 
     as declared by the Colorado Division of Wildlife on 13 rivers 
     in the state.
       The Exemplary Project Award from Colorado Trout Unlimited 
     recognizes outstanding projects that have a significant 
     impact on coldwater fisheries.
       The award also recognizes successful partnerships between 
     Trout Unlimited and other local and state groups, local 
     governments and/or state and federal agencies.
       Partners who worked on the Blue River restoration included 
     the town of Silverthorne, the Northwest Colorado Council of 
     Governments (NWCCOG), the National Forest Foundation, the 
     Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service and 
     Summit County.
       Gentry said the project would not have been done without 
     all the partners.
       ``The Blue River Restoration Project has made a significant 
     impact on the county and the fishery,'' said Kevin 
     Batchelder, Silverthorne town manager.
       ``This project really showed how many different government 
     entities, nonprofit organizations and local organizations can 
     work together to make a lasting impact on their community.''
       Trout Unlimited and NWCCOG hope to work with other local 
     governments and nonprofit organizations on additional river 
     restoration projects, said Gentry and Liz Finn, NWCCOG 
     assistant executive director.
       The chapter is putting together a list of river restoration 
     projects they would like to explore this summer.
       The Upper Blue River, the Tenmile Creek, Swan River 
     drainage and Lower Blue River are being considered, Gentry 
     said.
       ``Hopefully other Summit County governmental entities and 
     groups find projects for Trout Unlimited to be involved in as 
     well,'' Gentry said.
       In January, the Colorado Chapter of the American Public 
     Works Association selected the project for the Project of the 
     Year Award in the Utility Drainage and Environmental in the 
     Small Communities category.
       In September 2003, Gentry won the National Trout Unlimited 
     Distinguished Service Award for his efforts with the Blue 
     River Restoration Project.

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