From agriculture and energy to recreation and the economy, the Colorado River touches nearly every aspect of life on the Western Slope. Since 2009, the Middle Colorado Watershed Council (MCWC) has worked to protect the health of this critical waterway.

Defiance Rafting Company, one of the countless companies that depend on the health of the Colorado River, is partnering with Rislende Riverside in Silt to host the inaugural Downvalley River Revelers Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) Float on Friday — all in effort to benefit MCWC. 

“Our livelihood depends on healthy rivers, which is why we’re committed to doing our part to preserve the Colorado River for future generations,” Defiance Rafting Company owner Heather Montross-Cowan said. “That’s why we value our partnership with the Middle Colorado Watershed Council. The section of the river we’re highlighting during the fundraiser is a particularly beautiful stretch, rich with vibrant wildlife.”

The unique Friday float will stretch from either West Glenwood Springs or New Castle, depending on flows, and end at the Rislende Riverside Restaurant in Silt. The event includes shuttle service, gourmet food and cold beer. Private boats are available to rent and professional guides will be provided by Defiance as they will help guests get a deeper ecological understanding of the area. 

“We’re really excited to share the unique setting of the middle Colorado River, downstream of Glenwood, with others in the community,” MCWC Board President Doug Winter said. “Rather than have something more focused on our organization, we wanted to open it up and invite others to join us.”

The float won’t be the first time Defiance Rafting and the MCWC have collaborated, but will be the first inception of the event that aims to involve and educate the community that depends on the Colorado River. 

“We’ve been working with Defiance for years on a variety of initiatives and educational opportunities,” Winter said. “It’s a logical partnership. With their expertise on the river and our expertise on what affects the river, we thought it would be good to continue a really strong partnership.”

For Winter, the float is a great opportunity to shed light on the significance the local watershed plays in our daily life, but said the more education that spreads throughout the county, the easier conservation becomes.  

“We all benefit from (having) the Colorado River in our backyards, and we all have an impact on the watershed,” he said. “It’s important that people can feel the river and the connection to the river, because people care about what they know. For people to really feel invested in watershed health they have to feel the water.”

Winter’s passion for the watershed is indicative of all that MCWC works for. They state their mission on midcowatershed.org as “enhancing and protecting the water for all uses and the environment in the watershed from Glenwood Canyon to De Beque.”

Montross-Cowan reiterated Winter’s mantra, and keeps conservation and sustainability at the forefront of her motivations while running Defiance Rafting Company. 

“We strive to support community events whenever possible,” she said. “It’s important to us to give back and stay engaged with the causes that align with our values. The MCWC does incredible work to protect water resources — not just for human use, but also for the health of the environment as a whole.”

She added that not only is the float going to be an amazing way to support a necessary cause, but will be a great way to cap off the work week and kick off another weekend in the sun. 

“When it’s hot outside, I can’t think of a better way to spend a late afternoon than on the river,” Montross-Cowan said. “It’s a peaceful time to be out on the water—the lighting is beautiful, the surroundings are quiet, and if we’re lucky, we’ll spot eagles and other wildlife along the way.”
For more information or to reserve a spot on Friday’s float, visit midcowatershed.org/events.