Our Watershed

The Thompson Divide spans more than 15 watersheds and provides clean water for agricultural and domestic use. The Thompson Divide supports 8,000 acres of cropland in the North Fork Valley, one of the most productive organic farming regions in the nation and is home to the highest altitude vineyards in the northern hemisphere. The area is also Colorado’s number one apple and cherry producer. The Thompson Divide also provides domestic and agricultural water for operations in the Crystal, Roaring Fork, and Colorado River valleys.  People, fisheries, livestock, and the area's prodigious wildlife populations rely on clear water running out of the Divide for their livelihood.

The Thompson Divide Coalition commissioned the "Thompson Divide Baseline Water Quality Study". This study included intensive surface and ground water testing in the Thompson Divide area, and incorporated several major components: water quality, field data analysis, sediment and aquatic insect analysis. The study, conducted by Roaring Fork Conservancy, provides valuable baseline data for water resources in the area, serving as a "yardstick" against which future water quality changes can be measured.