A new book by award-winning author Eugene Buchanan heralds northwest Colorado’s Yampa River, the last remaining free-flowing tributary to the Colorado River Basin. As with David James Duncan’s “My Story as Told by Water,” the book promises to increase awareness for readers’ own backyard waterways through Buchanan’s 30-year relationship with his beloved Yampa in Steamboat Springs.
From its headwaters a fly cast from the birthplace of the country’s wilderness movement to its confluence with the Green 250 miles later in Dinosaur National Monument, the river supports agriculture, municipalities, a word-class ski resort, industry, endangered fish, unique riparian zones, water rights, recreation and more.
The author of five books (www.eugenebuchanan.com), Buchanan—the former editor of Paddler magazine and founder of Paddling Life whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Outside, Men’s Journal, National Geographic Adventure and more—addresses all of this and more, instilling a sense of waterway preservation in everyone who turns its pages.
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After first seeing it at age 11 on a five-day raft trip with his family, Buchanan has now spent more than half his life along the Yampa where, as well as running Paddler magazine and Paddling life, he’s raised his two daughters and made a career writing about water, including serving on the board of nonprofit Friends of the Yampa for over 20 years. With the Yampa so instrumental in his life, he’s motivated to make a difference in this moving tribute the last free-flowing waterway in the Colorado River Basin.
“Having lived in Steamboat for thirty-odd years, I figured heck, I should do something to help increase awareness for it. It’s the last remaining free-flowing tributary to the Colorado River system that still retains its natural hydrograph which is important in today’s era of climate change, diminishing flows and increased consumption.
“I started to write it about four years ago and quickly realized what a big project it was. It has a lot of ground, or water, to cover, with plenty to talk about. So I sat down in our upstairs guestroom, where, in spring, you could hear its roar out our window, and started writing. Somewhat hesitantly at first but then getting into the flow, just like the river. It kind of morphed organically, and I let it…breaking it into chapters on preservation, agriculture, municipal use, water rights access, fish, wildlife, droughts, floods, riparian habitat, and even how I ended up on its shores.
“Along the way I’ve learned a lot about the river and its various uses as well as myself and how important it is in my own life. I’ve raised my two daughters along its banks, having it dole out as many life lessons as I have. It’s been a passion project the whole time that never really felt like work. So I hope readers like it and that it gets them to think twice about their own waterways in their backyard.”
Support the KickStarter Campaign and Pre-order Here:
The Kickstarter campaign for Eug’s new book, Yampa Yearnings, is officially live. This project celebrates the Yampa River—his hometown lifeline and one of the West’s last remaining free-flowing rivers. Support the campaign by pre-ordering a copy, making a pledge, or helping spread the word!
