The Eagle River, its tributaries and streams and the 55 miles of the Colorado River that runs through Eagle County are directly related to our economic wealth. A healthy watershed means a strong tourism economy, the main driver in our area. And it’s not only about the money. The water…

While the West has transformed and evolved greatly since the pioneer days, mining laws remain largely unchanged. Hardrock mining and extraction is, to this day, governed by President Ulysses S. Grant’s General Mining Law of 1872. Five U.S. Senators, including Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, have introduced the Hardrock Mining…

Colorado is made up of many fantastic rivers. Just when you think you’ve found your favorite place to hike or fish or paddle, a new river reveals another secret fishing hole or cascading waterfall. In Colorado, rivers flow from the mountains to the vast plains and through desert canyons. Put…

Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts. Click here to read Part 1. As we all know, Colorado has a rich and fascinating history of mining that dates back to the late 1800s. Between 1991 and 1999, the Colorado Geological Survey inventoried abandoned and inactive mine sites on…

Editor’s note: This is the first of two parts. Click here to read Part 2. On Aug. 5, about 3 million gallons of contaminated water burst out of an abandoned mine above Silverton and sent a plume of cloudy, orange water down Cement Creek to the Animas River, through the…