The trite but true aphorism, "Whiskey’s for drinking, water’s for fighting," says a lot about the politics of river protection in our basin. Since 1986, HCCA has helped lead the fight against proposals that would take Gunnison River water to thirsty lawns in Front Range suburbs. HCCA has a state-wide water policy reform program that seeks to keep rivers filled with cool, clear water. We promote water conservation, water quality regulation, and collaborative initiatives to improve the benefits of water for everyone.

HCCA’s work concerning water issues includes the following:

• Oppose trans-mountain water diversion projects.
  
• Participate in citizen education efforts on the Front Range, so that people there will understand the impacts of their attempts to divert our water and promoting water conservation.
  
• Work collaboratively to protect the current high levels of water quality in the Gunnison River Basin.
  
• Work to restore streams impacted by acid mine drainage from abandoned and inactive mines.
  
• Work to prevent new water quality impacts from proposed mining on Mt. Emmons.
  
• Work for increased recognition by the Colorado legislature of the value of in-stream flows, i.e., leaving water in the streams.
  
• Lead collaborative regional water protection efforts.
  
• Participate in basin-wide water planning efforts.