Myth Vs. Fact: Dolores River National Conservation Area

Dolores River Working Group

January 2026

Summary: Due to recent misinformation being circulated, this document will provide clarification about the Dolores River National Conservation Area proposal and explain its purpose, designations, effect and the history of the local cooperation that built the bill.

What are the main purposes of the Dolores River National Conservation Area proposal?

• Ensure protection of all identified Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs).
• Respect and protect water rights, private property rights, the use of the Dolores Project and its allocations, and other historic uses.
• Develop an alternative to Wild and Scenic River suitability and potential monument designation and provide certainly to future management of the Dolores River corridor.
• Manage the fisheries below McPhee Reservoir to avoid an endangered status for the fish that could result in the diversion of water from agriculture to be used downstream.

Fact sheet from Senator Bennet HERE.

Common myths and facts about what the NCA would do:

Grazing:

Myth: An NCA designation will reduce or prohibit grazing.

Fact: The legislation is very clear that grazing shall continue within the designated area. The bill essentially states that the rules and regulations used by the USFS and BLM for grazing in this area will not change and will be the same as USFS and BLM land located outside of the NCA.

Local Control:

            Myth: The NCA will remove local control by adding an NCA designation.

            Fact: The Dolores River corridor is already federal land. The NCA actually strengthens

local input and control. The bill does this by creating an advisory council to help create

the management plan, as well as formalize the Dolores River Native Fish Monitoring and

Recommendation Team. It also ensures that other designations such as Wild and 

Scenic or a National Monument will not happen in the future. The NCA bill creates

certainty and emphasizes local control.

An NCA is a one-size-fits-all designation:

            Myth: All NCAs are the same.

            Fact: NCA’s are all crafted to meet the needs of the landscape and communities in

question.

Water:

Myth: The federal government can still control Dolores River water rights using other methods besides a federal water right tied to Wild and Scenic.

            Fact: The Dolores NCA language actually strengthens existing water rights against

Uncertainties and mandates the federal government cooperate with the locally-based Dolores River Native Fish Monitoring and Recommendation Team who work to ensure all local voices are heard with the management of the fish downstream of McPhee Reservoir. Without such an entity there is no guarantee the federal government will make decisions with local input.

Lack of local inclusion

Myth: This bill was created only by environmental interests.

            Fact: From the beginning in 2008, this process included county representatives, mining

interests, grazing interests, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and local landowners. It was the 

Lower Dolores River Plan workgroup, that unanimously decided to work to craft an NCA

to replace Wild and Scenic suitability. 

            Private Property:

            Myth: The NCA will impact access to private property.

            Fact: The construction of new roads would be allowed to provide reasonable access to

private property.

Costs:

Myth: Current management: ~$210,000–$420,000 per year and with an NCA:

~$560,000–$1,050,000 per year

Fact: We do not know what the costs of an NCA designation will be. Once BLM land is 

designated as an NCA it is available for additional federal money slated for conservation

lands. The working group believes that additional federal money geared towards the

Dolores River management is a good thing for southwest Colorado. 

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