The Upper Colorado River is one of the most dynamic ecosystems on earth. It is a vital artery for the American West—providing water, habitat, and life. But in 1985, a dam changed everything.

The construction of the Windy Gap Reservoir disrupted the river's natural flow for the first time in history. Downstream, the once-thriving ecosystem began to die. Stoneflies disappeared. Trout populations collapsed. The current that shaped valleys and sustained life was slowed to a trickle.

But on October 15, 2024, something incredible happened: unity won. A group of unlikely allies—landowners, environmentalists, anglers, scientists, and policymakers—chose to put the river first. The movement to restore the Upper Colorado began years earlier with one man—Bud Isaacs—and continues today through the work of the Upper Colorado River Alliance (UCRA).