Demographics

Method

Segment Coordinators contacted agricultural stakeholders in the four segments from November 2019-November 2020 to explain and answer questions about the IWMP’s goals. They reached out to 110 irrigators representing 209 structures that had direct flow water rights in the project area. The below table shows the number and percent of respondents in each segment. For those that agreed to be interviewed, the Segment Coordinators conducted one-on-one interviews to learn about the stakeholder’s operation and diversion infrastructure, their water and riparian land management-related concerns and available opportunities for improvement.

Number per segment

Almost two-thirds of those contacted across the basin agreed to be interviewed, one-third did not respond to repeated attempts, and a small number declined to participate. Almost all of those who declined to participate were in the Lower basin.

Characteristics

About 2/3 of respondents used flood irrigation on their properties, 20% used pivot, and the rest used gated pipe or other methods. Just over half of respondents used a ditch shared with other property owners. 91% of structures reported having a measuring device and 77% had an operable headgate.

Method

The Stakeholder Sub-Committee identified key stakeholders within Routt and Moffat County’s municipal, industrial and special district water providers. Due to the large number of smaller special district water providers, only larger providers were interviewed. We also identified interests related to municipal and regional land planning, parks and recreation, and economic development that may have an interest in water management or river corridor land use. These key stakeholders were contacted by CAA and FOTY to gather information and document existing conditions and plans via informational telephone or one-on-one meetings.

Number Per Segment

Sixteen M&I water users were interviewed. They included county (1), federal (1), municipal (6), private (3), state (2), and water district (3) entities. All but one (BLM) was upstream of Craig.

Characteristics

Of the 16 respondents, all but two had a measuring device, and more than half do not require headgates to access their water.

Method

Friends of the Yampa (FOTY) developed a list of recreational and environmental stakeholders. FOTY conducted a handful of in-person presentations about the IWMP and asked attendees to take the survey on the spot before COVID-19 altered their approach. FOTY pivoted to phone calls and email outreach asking for survey responses from its targeted list of stakeholders.

Numbers Per Segment

Sixty-six individuals completed the E&R survey. When asked to select all segments they were familiar with, they showed broad familiarity with the basin, though the Upper and Middle Yampa segments were familiar to the most respondents.

Characteristics

More than half the respondents participated in on-river recreation (rafting, SUP, kayaking, tubing) while 25% fished. There is a lot of overlap between Env and Rec stakeholders: 75% considered themselves both Env and Rec stakeholders, while 12% were only Env and 12% were only Recreational. While they are not involved in agriculture, they see its benefits for the basin: ~3/4 had no connection to agriculture, but when asked what benefits they see to agriculture, almost half named benefits such as protected open/undeveloped space, wildlife habitat, preserving heritage/culture and return flows.