The Yampa River Fund is a collaborative community-based organization dedicated to identifying and funding activities that protect the water supply, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities provided to us by the Yampa River.

The River Fund was started in 2019 to help combat the low water flows and high water temperatures that the Yampa River has seen for most of the last decade. Each year, the River Fund aims to sponsor specific projects and activities through sustainable funds to improve the overall aquatic habitat and in turn benefit the agricultural and recreational industries within these communities.

Recognizing the importance of the Yampa River to our community and our resort, in 2020, Steamboat Ski Resort and Corporation pledged a contribution of $100,000 each year for five years to the Yampa River Fund. The donation of $500,000 is one of the largest philanthropic commitments the resort has ever made and emphasizes our commitment to the community and natural environment.

This year, the Yampa River Fund is providing funding for the following projects:

-Voluntary, market-based water leases and releases from reservoirs that will enhance river flows.

-Restoration actions that will improve riparian, in-channel, streambank, and aquatic habitat, with a special focus on addressing temperature issues and reforestation of the greater Steamboat area. You can learn more about all of the projects and how they impact the surrounding areas here.

To provide ongoing funding for the Yampa River Fund, a new program  the Yampa Ripple Effect was created in 2023. With the Yampa Ripple Effect local businesses can allow customers to round up on their purchases and make a small donation to the Yampa River Fund. With more than a dozen local businesses partnering on the Yampa Ripple Effect, community members and vacationers alike can contribute to a cause that is paramount to keeping the Yampa River healthy for current and future generations.

Additionally, if the work of the Yampa River Fund is significant to you, you can support the cause through a donation as well. The Yampa River Fund and the work it supports is a testament to our community’s values and its continued support of the river that is the lifeblood of Northwest Colorado.