By J. Webb.

There you sit, relaxing in the cool yet warm gaze of the autumn sun. You’re aimlessly looking out at the changing leaves of the matured cottonwood trees. The smell of fresh mountain air mixing with cowboy coffee and campfire smoke fills your campsite. In the background you hear children giggling as they attempt to skip stones across the river. As the previous week’s stress subsides, one ponders things of enjoyment, like:

Should I take the RV to another secluded location where the ATV’s and motorcycles will be closer to a trail head? Or should we enjoy a light day of jeeping amongst the abundance of tress blanketing the hillsides? Maybe the plan to just get lost in the serene glisten of the sun dancing off the early morning faces of the water sounds best. You wonder will a perfect loop present a fly in a delicate enough manner that a rainbow or big brown trout will take the trap.

This is the life, you think. This is why I come to this place that magically erases my stress you express to yourself.

Water is at the bases of each of these recreational thoughts that crosses one’s mind: rafting, jeeping, skiing, ATVing, hiking, fishing, snowmobiling and hunting.

All these recreational activities depend on the water situation of the day, week, month, season or year.

Unknown my most, all this is possible because water is carefully distributed and managed by the ultimate lovers of the land.

For more than 150 years, ranchers and farmers of the high Rockies have been helping to create and maintain nature’s glory through the selfless and painstaking efforts of irrigation in the purpose to supply land and animals with the lifeblood of beauty.

Water has been managed for thousands of years. Water was the first currency to help cultures prosper globally. People, animals and all living things gravitate to water for life, security and recreation.

Every year the Upper Rio Grande region experiences the enthusiasm of nearly:

  • 120,000 skiers
  • 60,000 RV’ers
  • 110,000 ATV riders
  • 25,000 motorcycle riders
  • 10,000 Jeepers
  • 38,000 fishermen
  • and a multitude of hikers and hunters

Without the proper irrigation and water management of farmers and ranchers, these types of activities will cease to exist in many of these areas.

People and wildlife simply don’t choose to visit and recreate in dead and dry lands owned privately by municipalities and special interest groups.

Unfortunately, mass water consumption is being spent in areas that are naturally uninhabitable. Such areas are being developed by greedy groups of corporate farmers and land developers. These special interest groups are after only one thing: the profits from the subdivisions and farms. Upsettingly enough, they are thoroughly uninterested in the beautification or conservation of nature’s gift.

Senior water owners and managers simply want to use nature’s gift for natural purposes.

Help support the natural use of surface water.

Support your senior water owners and managers, and they will continue to support your outdoor activities for generations to come.