A portion of the proceeds from each year's Dolores River Festival are allocated to fund river enhancement and conservation projects.

This year's proceeds will be put toward development of a river launch site near the confluence of the West Fork and Upper Dolores River.  Community members are researching possiblilities of land aquisition, lease, or partnering with a conservation group for a recreational easement while maintaining open space.

Ongoing projects include: 

• Maintaining a river gauge station on the Dolores River near Slickrock:  In partnership with the Dolores Water Conservancy District and the San Juan Citizens Alliance (part of the Dolores River Coalition), we have helped with continued funding of the operation of a U.S.G.S water gauge station . This station provides real-time data of the river's flow and temperature, which provides critical information to scientists, recreational users, and managers. Follow the Lower Dolores River Flows for recreational releases from McPhee Dam.
  
• Hazardous metal removal to benefit safe river recreation, fish habitat, and restore natural beauty:  In 2008, a volunteer used GPS equipment to map the location of nearly 50 metal hazard sites on the upper Dolores River, for several miles upstream of Town. A year later, GDA sought permission from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the Army Corps of Engineers, and local property owners to begin removing metal hazards in and along the river. In October 2009, a team of volunteers, worked with a local contractor to remove over 12.5 tons of hazardous material from the river. 
• Educational signs along the Dolores River Trail in town:  Currently, our group is working with the nationally recognized environmental organization, Leave No Trace, to develop signs for the Dolores River Trail. Signs are designed to increase public awareness and understanding about stewardship practices, and to enhance the responsible enjoyment of the river corridor.