San Miguel River

Location: Telluride, CO

River Sponsors: Baker Gentry, Rossman Family, Stuart and Joanna Brown

Sampled By: Allie Cunningham, Callie Stein, Telluride Angler

Sampling Since: July 2019

Number of Locations Sampled: 8

Science on the Fly Reports: Link to 2023 Report

Dipping into the Data: Online Discussion Recording

River Bio:
The San Miguel River is one of the last free-flowing freestone rivers, starting around Telluride, Colorado and meeting with the Dolores River in Uravan. The upper river’s streamflow and temperatures are influenced by the snowpack, rain events, and the high-intensity sun. You will find a variety of trout, including Cutthroat, Brook, Brown, and Rainbow from the headwaters to the town of Nucla. Aquatic Insects include but are not limited to: Caddis, Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Midges. The stretches below Wright’s Mesa become more influenced by the region’s water rights and you will see warm-water species such as suckers and chubs.

Sampler Bio: Allie is the Director of Science on the Fly and a Research Assistant for Woodwell Climate Research Center. Allie was working at Telluride Angler when the original Science on the Fly project was started in 2019. While taking the lead of sampling the San Miguel river, she became extrememly passionate about the Science on the Fly program and helped grow it to where it is today. Allie is excited to connect her passion for fly fishing, science and the community when it comes to protecting watersheds and the environment. Allie is originally from Marion, Massachusetts and loves any chance she can be by the water- whether it be fly fishing high alpine creeks or sailing on Buzzards Bay.

“Not all anglers are conservationists, but Science on the Fly gives anglers the ability to become one.”