For too long, decisions impacting the Upper Colorado River Basin have been made without the voice of the people who live here. At UCRA, we believe in local stewardship over distant mandates, long-term ecological planning over short-term profit, and water policies that uplift communities—rather than drain them.
In a landmark achievement for the Upper Colorado, the Windy Gap Reservoir has been reimagined. Its footprint has been reduced by nearly half, opening the door to ecological recovery and community-led restoration. At the heart of this transformation is a new Connectivity Channel Diversion Structure, designed to return choice and flexibility to the river's flow.This innovative structure allows water from the Colorado River to either enter the reservoir or bypass it entirely through the newly constructed Colorado Connectivity Channel. The southern portion of the old reservoir was repurposed to host this channel, which now rejoins the Colorado River at two points: just below the existing dam, and again approximately 50 yards downstream.
The project broke ground in the summer of 2022. Throughout 2023, major milestones were met, including the relocation of the reservoir’s southern embankment and the construction of the bypass channel. In October 2023, water officially flowed through the new channel for the first time in nearly 40 years—reconnecting two long-divided segments of the river.
By fall 2024, the project reached completion—celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and strong community turnout.
In May 2025, ecological surveys confirmed the impact:
• 848 brown trout
• 221 rainbow trout
• Juvenile native sculpin—a key indicator of a recovering aquatic ecosystem.
Bud Isaacs’ legacy lives on—not just in the policy shifts he inspired, but in the actions of his family. In honor of his grandfather’s vision, Bud’s grandson is completing his Eagle Scout project on the CRCC site in Granby, Colorado, with efforts that include:
• Planting 30 native trees
• Constructing 2 benches for public use
• Fencing 3 new vegetation zones to support regrowth
This project not only supports the environment—it symbolizes the passing of stewardship values from one generation to the next.
