The Dolores Watersheds Collaborative is a network of key stakeholders and community members working together to make our community more resilient to wildfires and other natural disaster events in the critical upper Dolores River watershed. DWC emphasizes protection of lives, property, infrastructure and water supplies. Participants identify and capitalize upon tree-thinning and other practical fire-adaptive projects that complement and expand existing efforts within the 667,000 acre river basin. Our group has built a strong local partnership with consistently over 20 stakeholders attending monthly meetings over the last two and a half years. We have land and water managers, all levels of government, timber industry, environmental groups, and residents in addition to FireWise of Southwest Colorado and fire agencies. Our focus is on watershed wildfire protection. We have a completed Highly Valued Resources and Assets assessment of the watershed and an Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment modeling post-fire runoff and erosion.
Key services:
- Collaboratively implement forest management activities, including mapping and analyses, policy discussions, direct treatments, and adaptive management
- Use the best available science to inform community preparedness and land management projects and decisions
- Increase the capacity of the local forest products industry, and integrate them into forest treatment initiatives that reduce risk and enhance resilience
- Better prepare for, respond to, and aid recovery from severe wildfire, post-fire effects, and other disturbances
