Protecting, caring for, and managing Colorado’s water is complex and demanding. As a headwaters state, Colorado provides water to 19 other states and multiple millions of people. Colorado’s rivers also supply water to ecosystems, riparian zones, wildlife and wildlife habitat. The importance of maintaining healthy, resilient Colorado river systems cannot be overstated.
In the Arkansas and Gunnison River Basins, we’re lucky to have an impressive array of dedicated watershed-focused groups working to secure the future quality and availability of Colorado’s water – but often with very limited staff and resources. This vital work simply can’t be done without a steady stream of the right people to help.
That’s where Blue Elements comes in. Our mission is to place the right people with the right partners for more powerful watershed protection in Colorado.
Blue Elements’ work grounds itself in community-powered stewardship and locally-driven solutions. The people we recruit help educate others, offer hands-on service and water science, and work to connect communities with their water resources so they can care for them now and for generations to come.
Different groups often tackle the same challenge using different but equally valid tools and approaches. Blue Elements strives to strengthen collaboration between entities so they’re better able to address complex water challenges together in the Arkansas and Gunnison River basins.
Colorado’s water sustains not only humans but all plants and animals that depend on it. We must care for our water intelligently right now, keeping the future in view. When we empower local water groups and provide education to our communities, we increase the resilience we’ll need to respond to inevitable challenges ahead.