Ninth annual Yampa Basin Rendezvous focuses on watershed health and working lands

CMC Steamboat-hosted gathering includes workshops and field trips

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — A multidisciplinary conference aimed at improving the health of the Yampa watershed in an era of wildfires and unpredictable weather returns to Steamboat Springs in May.

The ninth annual Yampa Basin Rendezvous, a free event hosted by Colorado Mountain College, takes place in the Allbright Family Auditorium at CMC’s Steamboat campus at 1275 Crawford Ave., with all-day sessions held May 27-28. The rendezvous offers a mixture of expert panelists and in-the-field learning experiences.

This year’s gathering, entitled “Soil, Fire and Water: A Holistic Investigation of Watershed Health for Working Lands,” represents the collective work of more than a dozen local government, conservation, preservation and agricultural groups.

It includes a wide array of panelists and practitioners, with scientists, land managers, educators and policymakers on hand to help provide shared solutions to climate and water issues.

Participants can also register to take part in informative field trips that are scheduled to Legacy Ranch and CMC’s soil moisture monitoring station, as well as a trip to see the impact of the Muddy Slide Fire on Hideaway Ranch and Stagecoach Reservoir hosted by ranch manager Jim Scrafford.

As well, there will be a community showcase happy hour, held from 5-7 p.m. on May 27 at the Boathouse, at 609 Yampa St., with displays of local projects and initiatives taking place throughout the Yampa and Colorado River basins.

The event offers an opportunity to hear from experts on water flow and quality in the northwest Colorado watershed, how historical practices have influenced soil health in the Yampa Valley, and the before-and-after impacts of wildfire on water quality in the region.

Registration is now open and attendance is free, although organizers ask for a donation of $40 if possible to help offset the cost of food and beverages at the multi-day event. This year, the event will also be capping its field trip groups at 50 attendees, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration is available by visiting https://westernresilience.org/events/yampa-basin-rendezvous/

CMC Steamboat is located at 1275 Crawford Ave. For more media information, contact event co-chair Jeri Wilcox at j1wilcox@ucsd.edu.