Write your Wild Horse comment

Our cameras keep recording wildlife across Homestake's valley floor, including habitat that one or more studied Whitney reservoir options would flood. If you have seen wildlife here, tell decision makers what that experience meant to you.

A place to start: I want Homestake's wildlife habitat protected because ____.

Fish depend on seasonal flows that sustain pools, connect habitat and carry their food. Damming Homestake Creek and exporting more water would reduce water continuing downstream, adding pressure to aquatic habitat and the fishing opportunities it supports. If you fish here, share what brings you back and why you want this creek protected.

A place to start: Tell decision makers what fishing Homestake Creek means to you.

Homestake Creek feeds the Eagle River, carrying water from this valley into the river used by anglers, rafters and local businesses. Healthy flows support guide bookings, recreation visits and spending in nearby towns. The Upper and Lower Eagle supported an estimated $1.51 million in direct commercial rafting expenditures in 2024. Tell decision makers how your work, business or visits connect to Homestake and the river.

A place to start: My livelihood or spending supports this community through ____. I want the review to account for lost recreation days, visitor spending and local work.

Forest Road 703 provides access to Holy Cross Wilderness trailheads.

A place to start: Ask how construction, access changes, and closures would affect this public route.

The valley road serves Gold Park Campground and recreation along Homestake Creek. The 2021 authorization covered temporary drilling access only; a permanent reservoir road would require a separate public review.

A place to start: What experience would you want future visitors to have? Ask about construction access and recreation impacts.

Whitney threatens Homestake’s fens and connected wetlands. The four studied dam alignments, labeled A–D, would flood different portions of the valley. Every campaign-modeled option overlaps mapped wetlands and areas classified “Potential Fen” in the source inventory. Flooding would destroy habitat at the reservoir site; exporting more water would also reduce the water continuing to downstream wetlands and wildlife. A Western Slope-to-Front Range export is 100% consumptive to the basin of origin, so none of the diverted water returns to this watershed as return flow. Ask decision makers to protect Homestake’s fens, connected wetlands and living water.

A place to start: Tell them why Homestake’s wetlands and creek matter to you.

Homestake belongs to a wider cultural landscape with enduring Ute connections and the mountain-training legacy of nearby Camp Hale. Ute people traveled seasonally through the Pando and Eagle River country; Camp Hale later trained soldiers for mountain warfare. Preserving these places protects the settings that carry those relationships and memories.

A place to start: Ask how cultural resources and Tribal consultation will be included. Keep sensitive locations private. Because former military training areas can contain unexploded ammunition, never approach or disturb a suspicious object.