Skip to main content

White River Integrated Water Initiative

Mission Statement

Community based initiative to identify actions promoting a healthy river than ensures a vibrant economic community capable of securing the future vitality of agriculture, fisheries, recreation, municipalities, and industry while protecting water rights, quantity, and quality with respect for the local customs, cultures, and property rights. 

Overall River Goals for Current and Future Generations

1) Protect and preserve existing water rights and other beneficial water uses

2) Protect and enhance water quantity and quality through promoting best management practices for:
      a. Agriculture Enhancements
      b. Favorable Conditions of Streamflow
      c. Forest Health
      d. Rangeland Health
      e. Riparian Health

3) Identify opportunities for creation or improvement of infrastructure to support efficient
consumptive and non-consumptive uses

4) Support the development and maintenance of efficient and necessary long term storage solutions
that will improve, enhance and ensure irrigation, river health, water quantity, water quality, and
native and recreational fisheries

Who Is Involved?

Coordinator Contacts 

PAC Coordinator:
Liz Chandler 
liz.districts@gmail.com

Project Coordinator:
Kari Brennan
kari.districts@gmail.com

Forestry Project Coordinator:
Vanessa Trout
forestry.districts@gmail.com

PAC Members 
  1. Colorado Parks and Wildlife – Tory Eyre
  2. Douglas Creek Conservation District - Ron Reich, Rosaly Coombs
  3. Fishing Rep - Colton Brown, Brett Harvey
  4. Irrigation Rep - Stu Massey
  5. Rio Blanco County Farm Bureau - Forrest Nelson, Albert Krueger
  6. Rio Blanco Stockgrowers - Jerry Oldland
  7. Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District - Alden Vanden Brink/ Vince Wilczek
  8. River's Edge West - John Leary/Rusty Lloyd
  9. Town of Meeker - Travis Day
  10. Town of Rangely - Don Reed, Mike Dillon 
  11. Trout Unlimited – Ian Wilson, Brian Hodge
  12. White River Alliance -  Shawn Welder
  13. White River Conservation District - Chris Collins, Neil Brennan
  14. Yellow Jacket Water Conservancy District - Walt Proctor
Technical Advisors to the PAC 
  1. United States Forest Service – Curtis Keetch
  2. Bureau of Land Management – James Roberts
  3. Colorado State University Extension Service – Linda Masters
  4. Colorado Northwest Community College – Mario Sullivan
Forest Work Group 

1. USFS (Curtis Keetch)
2. CSFS (Matt Schiltz)
3. BLM (Shane Pfeiffer)
4. Fire Protection District (Luke Pelloni)
5. White River Fishing Representative (Brett Harvey)
6. RBC Stockgrowers (Jerry Oldland) 
7. White River Conservation Districts (Chris Collins)
8. White River Integrated Water Initiative (Liz Chandler) 
9. Rio Blanco County (Representative)