For years, the Dolores River has served as a safe haven for three of Colorado’s most colorfully named native fish – the flannelmouth sucker, the bluehead sucker and the roundtail chub. Fishermen and river enthusiasts enjoy the water’s unique recreational opportunities year round – and birds, frogs and salamanders make their homes along the southwestern waterway. But drought and overuse are draining parts of the river to dangerously low levels, threatening the natural and recreational vitality of the Dolores and the surrounding Red Rock Country.

With support from the Walton Family Foundation, Western Resource Advocates (WRA) and its partners spent years fighting to secure water for fish and wildlife on a 20-mile stretch of the river between the Colorado cities Gateway and Uravan. In September 2015, the Colorado Water Conservation Board voted unanimously to ask the state water court for a water right that would do just that – a win not only for the fish, but also for the people who enjoy and rely on the river. “Healthy rivers are important for wildlife and recreation,” Rob Harris, lead advocate for WRA, explained after the vote. “Fishermen, boaters and wildlife lovers can celebrate this decision that will help keep water flowing in the Dolores for generations to come.”

After years of advocating for a healthy, flowing river, WRA and its partners will soon be 20 miles closer to keeping it a reality. And according to Jimbo Buickerood of WRA’s partner organization San Juan Citizens Alliance, the victory on the Dolores could reach even further than its targeted stretch. “This decision not only protects the beautiful Dolores River,” he said. “It affirms the use of [water rights and the water market] to leave a legacy of healthy rivers throughout Colorado.”