Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project

05/06/2026

Shop local at Narrow Gauge Book Cooperative, and donate to us upon checkout! 📚 We are so grateful they chose to support us for the month of May. Funds will go to support the Alamosa Riverfront Project, an upcoming project that will improve river access and health on the Rio Grande at Cole Park.

Each month, we feature a local nonprofit that serves the San Luis Valley. This month, you can support the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project (RGHRP).

Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project was formed as a response to a study completed in 2001 on the Rio Grande when local stakeholders realized that there was a decline in the historical functions of the Rio Grande, which included the provision of high quality water, healthy riparian areas, fish and wildlife habitat, and a functioning floodplain. Since the establishment of RGHRP, their mission is to restore and conserve the historical functions and vitality of the Rio Grande Basin in Colorado for improved water quality, agricultural water use, riparian health, wildlife and aquatic species habitat, recreation and community safety while meeting the Rio Grande Compact.

The RGHRP has several projects, but they are particularly excited about the Alamosa Riverfront project, which will transform the Rio Grande into a healthier, more resilient river, offering Alamosa residents and visitors alike safe access to river recreation opportunities and ensuring agricultural users can efficiently access their water rights.

To learn more about the RGHRP and their projects, check out their page, Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project

And, take a look at their recommended books below:

- Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River by David Owen
- The Emerald Mile, Kevin Fedarko
- Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, by Ben Goldfarb
- Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- What is a River? by Monika Vaicenavičienė

04/23/2026

🌎 Happy Earth Day from all of us at RGHRP! This Earth Day, we’re reflecting on the challenges and opportunities facing our communities along the Rio Grande. 2026 is shaping up to be another difficult drought year for fish, wildlife, farmers, and families who depend on the river.
Even in the face of drought, we need to keep showing up - to support one another, keep partnerships strong, and stay committed to the projects that build a healthier, more resilient river now and into the future.

12/25/2025

Happy Holidays to you and yours from the RGHRP! 🎄✨

12/10/2025

We’re closing in on the final hours of Colorado Gives Day!
Your support has fueled many years of impactful work, and we’re excited for what’s next. Help us close the gap and bring these projects to life. 🌱

💡DID YOU KNOW? You can enter to win a river surfboard in our Colorado Gives Day Instagram giveaway! Head to the pinned post on our profile and follow the instructions to enter by 11:59pm MST TONIGHT. We’ll announce the winner tomorrow.

After you’ve entered on Instagram, make a donation on Colorado Gives to boost your chances of winning!

Link in bio.

12/09/2025

Look at the good we can create when we do it together! Proof right here that team work makes the stream work. 🤝💧 Every project and every success is a reflection of the people who love this watershed and show up for it again and again. Show up tomorrow for Colorado Gives Day, and let’s keep the impact growing!

💡 DID YOU KNOW? We kind of have two names…you may know us as the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project, but you can find us on ColoradoGives.org as the Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation. Confusing, we know.

ColoradoGives.org/ColoradoRioGrandeRestorationFoundation

12/05/2025

This year, we’ve cared for San Luis Valley rivers, streams, and lands, created places where wildlife thrives, helped farmers and ranchers secure the water that feeds us, and kept our rivers ready for a day on the water. 🌊🪺🌾🛶

Watch our full 2025 Projects Showcase video on YouTube to see what YOUR support makes possible. Join us on Colorado Gives to help push these projects even further in 2026!

💡 DID YOU KNOW? Colorado Gives Day is December 9th. But you can donate now…rivers don’t have calendars. 📆

ColoradoGives.org/ColoradoRioGrandeRestorationFoundation

A 2025 Year-In-Review of the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project's work!

12/03/2025

We’re feeling the flow of gratitude this Giving Tuesday! 🌊💙 Protect the waters you love by supporting our work through Colorado Gives. Every penny goes to restoring our watershed and supporting our communities - people like you. Link in bio!

11/28/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from the RGHRP team! We’re feeling extra grateful for this land, our rivers, and incredible folks like you. 💙

11/19/2025

We want to send a huge thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s Rio Reels Film Festival! 🎥 Whether you attended, bid on auction items, or made a donation, your support made the night something truly special. Friends and neighbors filled the room with the kind of uplifting energy that reminds us why this community is so incredible, and left us inspired for the work ahead.

The evening was such a success (so good we forgot to take any photos 🫣) and together we raised nearly $29,000 to support our work restoring and protecting the Rio Grande and its tributaries!!!!

We couldn’t do this without you. Your generosity fuels real, on the ground impact for our rivers and communities. Thank you for showing up, believing in us, and helping keep this work going. We still have much to do. 💙

11/07/2025

🎟️ “Rio Reels is calling and I must go,” or something like that. Purchase your tickets online by 12pm today and SAVE! Tickets will be available at the door for an additional $10. Don’t miss your chance to support our headwaters!