Where we focus.
Three priorities. One healthy basin.
It all starts with water.
Understanding the basin we protect.
A watershed is all the land where water drains to a single river or stream. Think of it as a giant funnel — every raindrop, every snowflake that falls in the Arkansas River Basin eventually makes its way to the Arkansas River.
That means what happens on a mountainside in Leadville affects a farm field near La Junta. A wildfire in the upper basin can send sediment and debris downstream for years, threatening water quality and infrastructure hundreds of miles away. A mine that closed a century ago can still leach metals into the headwaters today.
The Arkansas River Basin is the largest in Colorado — 28,000 square miles of mountains, forests, farmland, and communities, stretching from above 14,000 feet to the Kansas border. Over one million people depend on its water. ARWC exists to protect it.
The basin in numbers.
28,000 square miles of landscapes, communities, and water.
the basin's water
farmland
fishing waters
to Kansas border
in the world
projected by 2050
Our strategic priorities.
Grounded in seven years of experience. Focused on the next five.
Wildfire & Forest Resilience
Watershed Restoration
We’re expanding beyond our fire-recovery roots into full watershed restoration — connecting forests, water, and communities through projects that improve stream health, water quality, and ecological function. From cleaning up a century of mining damage in the headwaters to building new partnerships with agricultural communities in the Lower Arkansas, this work spans the full diversity of the basin.
Community Engagement & Education
Lasting watershed health depends on informed, engaged communities. ARWC serves as a technical resource and trusted advisor — partnering with organizations already doing public education while also telling our own story through river reports, community events, volunteer programs, and a growing communications presence across the basin.
The work in numbers.
A snapshot of progress across the basin.
Acres treated for forest health
Landowners supported with mitigation
Community slash collection sites
River Watch monitoring sites
On the ground right now.
Active projects across the basin.
Interlaken Fire: 5 Months After Flame
Four months after an abandoned campfire ring ignited the hillside above Twin Lake Reservoir, I took a chilly pre-sunrise run along the edge of the burn scar in awe. It was so alive. It was mid-September, but the purple flowers of fireweed were pushing up through ashy...
Fluvial Tailings Remediation Project
Using in-situ phytostabilization, using soil amendments and plants to remediate contamination, we will restore 7 acres at Hayden Meadows.
Sherman Mine and Channel Construction Project
CDRMS will install grouted riprap and boulders to stabilize channels, providing a lasting solution to ongoing erosion and downstream sediment deposition.
Dinero Mine Tunnel Investigation Project
Using cutting-edge passive treatment technology, the Dinero Tunnel Project is designed to improve the water quality in the Dinero Mine pool.
Recreating Meanders in the East Fork of the Arkansas River
Restoration of the east fork of the Arkansas River is scheduled for completion in 2024.
Lake County Fuels Mitigation
Lake County recognizes the severe impacts of wildfires and has updated its approach through the Community Wildfire Protection Planning (CWPP) process. This new CWPP uses a data-driven strategy to prioritize areas for fuel treatment and forest health initiatives. Over...
We don’t do this alone.
Built on partnership. Collaborative by design.
ARWC works with federal and state agencies, local governments, conservation districts, water providers, and community organizations across the basin. Our partnerships aren’t just listed on a page — they’re how the work gets done.
