The Current
Macroinvertebrates, like this adult mayfly, are critical to our watershed acting as indicators of overall river health and food for aquatic life, birds and other animals.
Special to the Daily
Bugs.
That word alone can send a spine shivering for some, as they consider all of the creepy crawling insects we encounter on a daily basis like mosquitoes, black flies, ticks (OK, that last one is technically an arachnid, but causes me to run. Fast).
But in the world of water, we love bugs. Benthic macroinvertebrates, or insects lacking a spine and large enough to see with the naked eye that start life in the water, are critical food for fish and help to tell us about the health of a stream. In Eagle County, the most common species of these insects include mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, scuds, snails and midge flies.
Daily file photo
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 22, Eagle River Watershed Council will host educational hikes in the Homestake Valley. Registration is required, as well as becoming a Homestake Sponsor, which is a $25 membership. The event, Hike at Homestake, is part of the Watershed Council’s signature Watershed Immersion series.
Along the 3-mile, round-trip hike, which is moderate, participants will learn from experts about the unique ecology of the area, river hydrology, water rights, dams, transmountain diversions, the importance of wilderness and more. Due to federal regulations regarding wilderness areas, hikes will be staggered and groups will be limited to 15 people. Groups will depart at 9 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. from the Whitney Creek Trailhead. Presenters include Wilderness Workshop, Wright Water Engineers, Colorado Springs Utilities, Aurora Water and Colorado River District. Learn more and register here: ERWC.org/event/homestake/.
Chris Dillmann/cdillmann@vaildaily.com
Despite the recent onset of rain in Eagle County, drought conditions remain at historic levels, ranging from severe to exceptional across the region.
Eagle County, along with almost all of Western Colorado, has been experiencing this drought cycle for over a year now. And conditions across the Western Slope remain dry enough that late last week, Gov. Jared Polis declared a drought emergency for 21 Western Colorado counties
, including Eagle County.
According to Becky Bolinger, the assistant state climatologist at the Colorado Climate Center, these conditions became severe late last summer and early fall due to a lack of monsoon moisture, no precipitation and very hot temperatures. And then, conditions spiraled from there.
Eagle County anglers urged to monitor stream temps vaildaily.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from vaildaily.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Current
School is out, days are long, and the river level has risen all sure signs that summer is here in Eagle County. Additionally, perhaps you notice the change from spring the way we do, with kayaks and rafts on cars as they buzz from boat launch to boat launch, with ditches filling as folks utilize their water rights and with sprinklers coming out of hibernation.
Nonetheless, summer marks the season of increased river usage.
This year, despite predicted lower flows, is expected to be an exceptionally busy one. The pandemic brought an onslaught of new users to rivers and the outdoors in general, and as the world opens up, we expect visitors and new recreationalists to return and enjoy these resources.