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Blue Valley Ranch offers limited, permit-only raft launch as BLM closes nearby access
Summary
Blue Valley Ranch representatives told the Grand County Board of County Commissioners they can provide a controlled, permit-only put-in for the Blue River below Green Mountain Dam while the Bureau of Reclamation/BLM restrict public launches; the plan would limit users to preserve a high-quality fishery and is contingent on federal approval.
Rob Firth of Blue Valley Ranch told the Grand County Board of County Commissioners on July 8 that the ranch could offer a trial, permit-only public launch for rafts and kayaks on private land adjacent to the ranch's hatchery if federal partners and land managers approve.
Firth said the Bureau of Land Management plans to close an existing informal launch below Green Mountain Dam because of habitat degradation and a sloughing hillside that presents erosion and public-safety concerns. "We put forth an idea to do a very limited, permit-only, and very well-watched launch site for public craft," Firth said, describing the site near Spring Creek Road and a permanent take-out across the bridge.
Why it matters: the Blue River below Green Mountain Dam contains a high-quality fishery that ranch officials say can be harmed by too much recreational use. Firth and other participants said a managed program could preserve the fishery while providing controlled public access when river flows allow. "The number of rafts the fishery can sustain to maintain the high quality both for fishermen access and for the catch return rate is about 10 to 12 boats per day," Firth said, noting Blue Valley Ranch initially would offer just a "minimum of 3 to 4 boats" for a trial.
The ranch proposed that Friends of the Lower Blue administer permitting and that law-enforcement partners (BLM, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and county deputies) provide oversight and enforcement. Firth said the ranch has invested in habitat improvements and a hatchery and that the suggested permitting approach would be free from the ranch's perspective; adjacent private homeowners' associations may still charge fees for their private access.
County response and next steps: commissioners treated the presentation as informational. Manager Moyer and county staff said the county has no immediate regulatory action to take but asked that the ranch keep the county informed while they await a Bureau of Reclamation decision. "Some access is better than none, and having it controlled is a good thing," one commissioner said during the discussion.
Flows and safety: presenters noted current releases from Green Mountain were low (about 100 cubic feet per second), with craft generally able to run when flows reach roughly 250 CFS and the fishery functioning best in the 300–400 CFS range. Officials emphasized the steep bank at the BLM site and erosion hazards that prompted closure and said BLM's decision on whether to reopen or permit kayak-only access was still pending.
The board requested follow-up when the Bureau of Reclamation, BLM and Summit County (which has been informed) reach formal decisions. The proposal remains contingent on federal approvals, law-enforcement coordination and the outcome of the Bureau of Reclamation's assessment.
