Friends of the Yampa

Support Friends of the Yampa! We are working to protect the river and it's tributaries to inspire respect for a healthy system with a vision of achieving national recognition of the Yampa River as a model of a healthy river that achieves harmony between human use and the environment

Testimonials

Today, the Yampa River and its tributaries remain a model of a healthy river system, not only in Northwest Colorado but in the entire Colorado River Basin and the Western U.S. In a world where most rivers have been dammed, diverted and dewatered, the Yampa River still remains intact, supporting a diverse riverine and terrestrial environment while allowing for multiple recreational and consumptive uses.

Due to the fact that there are very small reservoirs in its headwaters and a lack of major diversions taking water out of the system, the Yampa River remains the wildest river in the entire Colorado River System. Some say it's the last free-flowing river in the Colorado River System. Even with small reservoirs and diversions, the Yampa River retains a natural hydrograph that mimics what it was before humans entered Northwest Colorado. The river still annually floods its banks, scours its cobble and creates habitats that support endangered habitats and species. This is rare in today's world and thus motivates the Friends of the Yampa to work hard at keeping the Yampa wild as threats to the river persist.