Dolores River Boating Advocates

DOLORES RIVER BOATING ADVOCATES PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE RECREATIONAL USE AND BALANCED FLOW MANAGEMENT OF THE DOLORES RIVER, WHILE WORKING TO PROTECT THE WATERSHED FOR THE HEALTH OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE LIVELIHOOD OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.

GENERAL: DOLORES RIVER BOATING ADVOCATES (DRBA) HAS A UNIQUE NICHE AS A LOCAL CONSERVATION AND WHITEWATER BOATING GROUP. WE ARE THE ONLY GROUP SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE DOLORES RIVER LANDSCAPE AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TOWARD LOCALLY GROWN AND LASTING SOLUTIONS. WE HELP BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND COMPLICATED ISSUES FACING THE DOLORES RIVER AND WE SERVE AS A VOICE FOR THE RIVER. WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND PROVIDE VALUABLE RECREATIONAL INFORMATION TO THOSE THAT WANT TO RAFT THE DOLORES RIVER. OUR COLLABORATION WITH OTHER GROUPS IN COLORADO AND OUR LEADERSHIP IN LOCAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE DOLORES RIVER HAS MADE US A STRONG AND RELEVANT ORGANIZATION LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY. ADVOCACY, NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA PROPOSAL: DRBA CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS WITH LOCAL GRASSROOTS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DESIGNATING A NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA THAT WOULD BALANCE LONG-TERM PROTECTION FOR A PORTION OF THE LOWER DOLORES RIVER CORRIDOR WITH PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES. IN THE FALL OF 2021 DRAFT LEGISLATION WAS RELEASED BY SENATOR BENNET FOR FORMAL COMMENT. AFTER COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED, WE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO ADDRESS THEM AND WORK TOWARDS FINAL BILL LANGUAGE IN ANTICIPATION OF FORMAL INTRODUCTION IN 2022. WE ALSO COORDINATED THE DOLORES RIVER COALITION WHICH IS MADE UP OF LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE DOLORES RIVER. STEWARDSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP WORK: OPERATING WITHIN OUR ESTABLISHED MOUS, IN 2021 WE CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH THREE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT FIELD OFFICES SPANNING FOUR COUNTIES TO ENGAGE IN STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES TO BENEFIT THE DOLORES RIVER. SPECIFICALLY, DRBA COORDINATED AND CONDUCTED OUR ANNUAL RIVER CAMPSITE MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING ON THE LOWER DOLORES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) TO IMPROVE CAMPSITE VISIBILITY, QUALITY, AND RECREATIONAL SAFETY. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH RIVERSEDGE WEST AND THE BLM ON A PROJECT IN BEDROCK, COLORADO TO INSTALL A WOODEN BAFFLE TO REDIRECT EPHEMERAL (INTERMITTENT) FLOWS FROM EAST PARADOX CREEK BACK TO IMPORTANT RIPARIAN HABITAT ALONG THE DOLORES RIVER. IN 2015, FOLLOWING HEAVY RAINS, THE STREAM CHANGED COURSE AWAY FROM THE DOLORES, WHICH WAS DEPRIVING A LARGE COTTONWOOD GALLERY OF MUCH NEEDED WATER. SO FAR, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THOSE TWO PROJECTS ENGAGED OVER TWENTY VOLUNTEERS. EDUCATION PROGRAMMING: OUR YOUTH AND FAMILY EDUCATION PROGRAMS CONTINUED TO GROW AND DIVERSIFY IN 2021. WE AGAIN INCREASED THE NUMBER OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES SERVED. OVER 268 YOUTH AND FAMILY MEMBERS WERE ENGAGED WITH OUR PROGRAMMING IN 2021. THIS INCLUDED YOUTH AND FAMILY RIVER TRIPS, SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, IN-CLASS PROGRAMING, AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING. WE ALSO STARTED BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UTE MOUNTAIN UTE TRIBE AND PROVIDED FUN PADDLE EXPERIENCES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TRIBES SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM. IN 2022 WE WILL LAUNCH A NEW WEEK-LONG IMMERSIVE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE YOUTH SO SPENT TIME IN THE PLANNING PHASE OF THAT IN 2021. MUCH OF THIS WORK WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MONTEZUMA INSPIRE COALITION, WHICH HAS A GOAL OF GETTING ALL YOUTH IN MONTEZUMA COUNTY OUTDOORS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE IMPACTING YOUTH IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND INSPIRING FUTURE STEWARDS OF THE RIVER. IN 2021 WE RECEIVED AN INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AWARD FROM THE COLORADO ALLIANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:WE HELD OUR ANNUAL PERMIT PARTY AND SILENT AUCTION EVENT AND FUNDRAISER ONLINE IN JANUARY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. BETWEEN ZOOM AND FACEBOOK LIVE THE EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY OVER FIVE HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS. THE EVENT INCLUDED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION AS WELL AS ENTERTAINMENT AND A SILENT AUCTION. THOUGH WE COULD NOT HOLD THIS EVENT IN PERSON, WE STILL ENGAGED OVER TWENTY VOLUNTEERS TO PRODUCE THE ONLINE CONTENT. DRBA WAS SELECTED AS AN ORGANIZATION TO HIGHLIGHT AS PART OF A BOOK READING BY A LOCAL AUTHOR WHOSE BOOK TAKES PLACE IN THE DOLORES RIVER WATERSHED. WE PRESENTED OUR STEWARDSHIP, YOUTH, AND ADVOCACY WORK TO OVER FIFTY PARTICIPANTS AND SUCCESSFULLY RECRUITED NEW SUPPORTERS.WE HOSTED A RIVER BEACH CLEAN-UP EVENT IN DOLORES, CO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE USFS THAT ENGAGED TEN VOLUNTEERS. WE PRESENTED ON OUR ADVOCACY WORK TO THE AMERICAN RIVERS SOUTHWEST ADVISORY COUNCIL WHICH WAS HOLDING AN ANNUAL GATHERING IN DOLORES, CO. DRBA RELEASED THE NEW OFFICIAL RIVER GUIDE FOR THE DOLORES RIVER IN 2021. SOME OF THE PROCEEDS FROM SELLING THE GUIDE COME BACK TO DRBA AND GO INTO A SEPARATE ACCOUNT THAT WILL BE USED TO PRODUCE THE NEXT VERSION OF THE GUIDE. THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO LIMIT OUR IN-PERSON OUTREACH EFFORTS IN 2021 TO SOME EXTENT.