RMRC Rows for Rivers
Rocky Mountain Rowing Club joins Run Blue to Promote Water Stewardship and Healthy Watersheds
The Rocky Mountain Rowing Club has led on water stewardship and community engagement over the past several years and is committed to building and restoring healthy watersheds. The RMRC has board members who lead the strategy and engagement on these critical issues. As part of its commitment, RMRC has engaged local schools and other stakeholders adjacent to the Cherry Creek Reservoir in Denver, Colorado.
As part of RMRC’s strategy and commitment, the rowing club has collaborated with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and its partnership with World Rowing.
Most recently, RMRC mobilized to support Mina Guli in her Run Blue campaign to raise awareness of the need to build healthy rivers and watersheds. During Mina’s run of the length of the Seine before the Olympics, the members of the RMRC rowed, on the water and ergs, seven lengths of the Seine for a total of 5,400 kilometers! This collective effort built community and competition within the rowing club and raised awareness and money to support Mina and Run Blue.
RMRC was excited to be part of Run Blue’s campaign and is committed to supporting Mina in her 2025 and 2026 runs. The rowing club is committed to being a catalyst to mobilize US rowing clubs to support Run Blue, starting with rowing at the length of the Colorado River Basin. RMRC is uniquely positioned to drive water stewardship efforts due to its location in a land-locked state, with an overflowing amount of conversations about water scarcity, access, and conservation.
The Colorado River Basin is an iconic watershed in the Western US that is impacted by the effects of climate change. The Colorado is estimated to support $1.4 trillion in annual economic activity and 16 million jobs in the Western United States. The Colorado River provides drinking water to nearly 40 million people and irrigates about 5.5 million acres of land. It also supplies water for hydroelectricity generation and recreation. The Colorado River supports the habitats of about 65% of the species in the West, including many endangered species. It also flows through nine national parks. The Colorado River is a treasured spiritual and recreational resource for many Native American tribes.
However, the Colorado River is threatened by climate change, causing rising temperatures and drought. The river's water supply is also strained by increasing water demand due to population growth.
RMRC looks forward to continued support of Run Blue and a positive impact on critical watersheds and ecosystems, preserving the watershed and the sport of rowing in the Western United States for generations to come.
