Matt Rice
Director, Colorado Conservation
Department: Conservation
Area of Focus: Matt works to engage communities in the Colorado area to protect river health by reconnecting people to their local rivers through blue trails. He also works to improve recreation, fisheries, water quality, and safety on hydropower dams through Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) dam re-licensings.
Background: Matt joined American Rivers in 2007. Prior to that he served with the Peace Corps for four years in Zambia, working on an aquaculture program and then as a provincial coordinator. Matt has also worked as a fly fishing guide, videographer, fly shop manager, and fly casting instructor.
Education: B.A. from Montana State University, and M.A. in International Relations with a concentration in Environmental Policy and Water Resources from the University of Denver
Favorite River: Too many to pick just one
Blog Posts By This Author
The Last Wild River
March 20, 2013 | Wild and Scenic Rivers
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to fly in a helicopter over the Yampa River, the last wild river in the Colorado River Basin courtesy of LightHawk; a fantastic organization that works with volunteer pilots to fly over priority conservation areas.
The Yampa River rises in the Flat Top Mountains near Steamboat, Colorado and flows through some of the most beautiful, rugged and barren country anywhere in America. The Yampa meets the Green River at Echo Park in Dinosaur National Monument.
Don't Suck the Fraser River Dry
February 12, 2013 | Climate Change, Water Supply
Denver Water already sucks 60% of the annual flows from the Fraser River, and they now want to take more: another 15%. Sign the Defend the Colorado petition today and tell Denver that before they take more water, they need to protect the Fraser River. Tell Denver Water: Don’t Suck the Fraser River Dry!
Read more »Communities Evaluate Wild and Scenic as Tool to Protect the Crystal River
January 10, 2013 | Wild and Scenic Rivers, Most Endangered Rivers
A couple of months ago communities along the Crystal River in Colorado gathered in Redstone, CO and Carbondale, CO to discuss the appropriateness of a Wild Scenic Designation to protect the river from new dam and trans-basin diversion projects. Four panelists with experience working to designate Wild and Scenic Rivers in Colorado and throughout the country spoke about various aspects of the law, challenges faced in designation, and recreational, ecological, economic benefits of designation.
Read more »Fishing the Green River in Colorado
August 22, 2012 | Water Pollution, Dams & Dam Removal, Climate Change, Most Endangered Rivers, Water Supply
A couple weeks ago I joined Scott Willoughby of the Denver Post on a float fishing trip on the Green River in the remote Norhtwest corner of Colorado. Few people know about or have much less fished this section of one of the west’s most iconic trout rivers. We were drawn there because of rumors of big trout, beautiful scenery, and solitude. We found all three.
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