Our Work
Our Work Across Four Focus Areas
MCWC's work falls into four interconnected focus areas: Wildfire resilience, water quality and quantity, aquatic and riparian habitat and river recreation. The challenges don't exist in isolation and neither does the work.
Wildfire Resilience
Coordinated Wildfire Resilience
Wildfire destabilizes headwater sources, degrades water quality and strains the communities downstream. Getting ahead of that risk requires coordinated, cross- boundary planning that no single agency can manage alone.
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Through the Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative, MCWC brings together 40+ agencies, fire districts, municipalities and landowners to plan and execute fuels reduction, community preparedness and post-fire recovery work across Garfield and Mesa Counties.
Water Quality & Quantity
Protecting the Water That Powers Western Colorado
The Middle Colorado watershed supplies drinking water, supports working agricultural lands and sustains native ecosystems. Keeping it clean and available for every use requires ongoing monitoring, smart infrastructure and cross-boundary coordination.
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MCWC monitors water quality through sensor networks and citizen science programs, supports agricultural infrastructure upgrades that improve efficiency and reduce waste, and supports coordinated flow management that keeps water available as the region grows and the climate shifts.
Aquatic & Riparian Habitat
Restoring the River Corridors Native Species Depend on
Native fish populations in the Middle Colorado are indicators of watershed health. When they thrive, the system is working. Their decline signals something larger is out of balance.
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MCWC removes barriers to fish passage, controls invasive species like tamarisk and Russian olive and restores the channels and riparian corridors that native fish and wildlife have depended on for thousands of years.
Keeping the River Accessible for the People Who Love It
River Recreation
The people who fish, float and hike along the Middle Colorado are some of its most important stewards. MCWC works to keep the river accessible and to make sure their voice is at the table when flow management decisions get made.
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MCWC improves launch facilities, expands trail connections between communities, and participates in the flow management decisions that shape the river experience for everyone who uses it.
Our Projects
Where the Work Gets Done
From fuels reduction to fish passage, every project moves the watershed toward better health.
The Watershed Needs Partners Like You
MCWC brings the relationships, funding access and coordination capacity to get cross-boundary work across the finish line. Let's connect.