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Lake News Articles Fate of "high hazard" dam in Rocky Mountain National Park weighed Fate of "high hazard" dam in Rocky Mountain National Park weighed February 1, 2012 Two long-term plans are being considered to deal with Lily Lake Dam in Rocky Mountain National Park, both of which are needed to head off potential flood dangers posed by the weakened dam. Lily Lake Dam is rated a "high hazard" dam by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. While its failure is not imminent, it must be either repaired or removed, park officials say. Meanwhile, the dam will be regularly inspected and monitored, and a pump has been purchased to lower the lake level in case of a significant rainfall or other weather event, said Kyle Patterson, spokeswoman for the park. Lily Lake Dam is at the headwaters of Fish Creek, which flows into Lake Estes in Estes Park. The water is part of the Colorado Big Thompson Project, which feeds the water needs of several Colorado cities and communities, said Larry Gamble, the park's chief of planning and compliance. Fish Creek is about 5 miles in length, and the elevation difference between Lily Lake and Lake Estes is about 1,500 feet, say officials. If the dam does fail, floodwaters could claim lives and property along Fish Creek, Patterson said. Lily Lake, located along Colorado 7, also is a popular recreational area. It is accessible to nearby trails and provides plenty of fishing. The lake is stocked with greenback cutthroat trout, a federally listed threatened species. Park staffers say they want the public to comment on two long-term alternatives for the dam. Repairing the dam could cost about $1.4 million, with additional annual costs for maintenance and monitoring. Removing the dam would be about $150,000, and the resulting lake would be about 14 acres in surface area and would contain about 39 acre-feet of water. If the dam remains in place, the lake would be about 17 acres in surface area and contain about 75 acre-feet of water. The National Park Service will seek public comment on the two alternatives - in writing --- until the end of the business day Feb. 29. No deadline has been set for a final decision on the dam, Gamble said. "We are a lot of ways off before we know what to do with the dam," he said. Running out of space in quest to store water January 31, 2012 Whether it's through building new dams, water conservation, a combination of the two or another way altogether, Northern Colorado water managers say options for finding more water for growing cities and towns are running thin. And a tepid snowpack this year, with abnormally dry or drought conditions creeping ever closer to the Northern Front Range, serves as a reminder of the urgency for looking for long-term sources of water. "Tell me when the next big drought comes, and you're going to see people screaming about storage," said Brian Werner, spokesman for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District in Berthoud. "Their willingness (to consider building new reservoirs) ebbs and flows based on when your last drought was." The uncertainty about the mountain snowpack, which fluctuates every year, is the primary argument for building new reservoirs in the West, said Reagan Waskom, director of the Colorado Water Institute at Colorado State University. "The amazing thing is, it comes down to three or four big storms every year, whether they get them, or they bypass us," he said. Last year, Larimer County got all the storms it needed to ensure a blockbuster snowpack. At the end of the 2011 water year in September, Werner sent a news release reminding the public that much of the extra water that ran furiously down the Poudre River during last year's near-record spring runoff season could be stored for future use in the proposed Glade Reservoir. He said the Poudre's sustained high flows would have easily filled the reservoirs that are part of the controversial Northern Integrated Supply Project, which would provide additional water supplies to 15 cities and water districts north of Denver. Environmental groups, including Save the Poudre, warn that siphoning so much water from the river during spring runoff will reduce the Poudre River's flows through Fort Collins, severely harming its water quality and recreation on the river. And, they question whether NISP water could be used for oil and gas development in the area. One of five major proposed water storage projects in Larimer County that are in various stages of planning, NISP calls for storing about 170,000 acre-feet of Poudre River water in the proposed Glade Reservoir north of Ted's Place. A final decision could come sometime in 2013 or 2014. "We're in the hurry-up-and- wait mode," Werner said. "We're stuck in the process." A supplement to a draft environmental review for NISP and Glade Reservoir being prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected later this year. "There are very serious questions that need to be addressed, including how and if the water will be used for (hydraulic) fracking, what the impact will be on wetlands along the river, and, three, the real scientifically determined impact on farms and agriculture," said Save the Poudre Executive Director Gary Wockner. "Those are the three big ones we're going to be looking for." The other four proposed projects include expansions to Fort Collins' Halligan Reservoir and Greeley's Seaman Reservoir, the Chimney Hollow Reservoir west of Carter Lake and the more uncertain Cactus Hill Reservoir proposed for a site on the Weld County line between Wellington and Nunn. If those projects are built, Waskom said, it's hard to conceive of other such large projects being built in Northern Colorado regardless of the need because there are few other places to build them, at least in Larimer County. "Unless we can get Aaron Million's project or a West Slope diversion built, we don't have any more water left," he said. Now, he said, it's time to start considering new ways to find and store water, including figuring out how to store water underground, implementing greater water conservation measures and striking water diversion agreements with water districts on Colorado's Western Slope. "We're going to need every single one of those tools in the box to get to where we need to go," Waskom said. But those tools may not include major new reservoir projects for this region beyond the ones already on the table, he said. "All the easy projects have been built," he said. "Now we're dealing with the hard projects. What comes after the projects, that's the question, right? Where's the water and reservoir sites, and where's the political will to build projects?" NEW PLACES TO STORE WATER IN LARIMER COUNTY Glade Reservoir What is it? A proposed reservoir between two hogback ridges north of Ted's Place. Part of the Northern Integrated Supply Project, or NISP, the reservoir would siphon water from the Cache la Poudre River and provide for the future water needs of 15 towns and water districts in Northern Colorado, including Windsor, Eaton, Erie, Severance and others.
Cactus Hill Reservoir What is it? A proposed reservoir east of Fort Collins that could serve as an alternative to Glade Reservoir if it is determined that the environmental impacts of Glade may be too severe to justify construction. Cactus Hill is also mentioned in Fort Collins entrepreneur Aaron Million's proposed Regional Watershed Supply Project, a proposed 501-mile water pipeline from southwest Wyoming to Pueblo via Fort Collins, as a possible location for water storage.
Money available for fishing, boating use improvements January 31, 2012 Local governments and community organizations have an opportunity to obtain some of the $1.7 million in Colorado Parks and Wildlife Division grant money for public shooting range site, fishing facilities and boating use area improvements. The funds represent a combination of state money and federal excise taxes on the sale of boating, hunting and fishing equipment. Rick Cables, director of CPW, urges communities to apply for funds because "outdoor recreation is a powerful driver for local economies and jointly building these projects is a win-win for everyone." A 2008 CPW research study found that hunting and fishing recreation contribute $1.8 billion annually to Colorado's economy. Nine hundred thousand dollars are available for local fishing facility improvements, such as fishing docks. Three hundred thousand is set aside for boating ammenities including boat ramps, docks, access roads and aquatic nuisance species (zebra mussel infections) cleaning facilities. A half-million dollars will go to shooting range uses for such improvements as berms, backstops, fencing and signage or parking. Fishing grant applications are due March 1; boating requests are due March 2; and shooting range applications Feb. 1. Additional information is on the parks and wildlife division website or by calling 303-297-1192. Those with creative art talent can compete for a $3,500 first prize in the CPW's 2012 waterfowl stamp art contest. The state waterfowl stamp program started in 1990 and has involved Colorado artist in the annual competition. Artists who enter the competition must submit a 13-inch high by 18-inch wide, full-color original art work with a $50 fee. A full application packet is available HERE. Two other outdoor applications of interest are the Colorado spring turkey licenses (due Feb. 9; the season opener is April 14) and the city of Westminster Standley Lake 2012 boating permits. Call 303-425-1097. Applications are due Feb. 5. The first day of boating is May 1. Effects of Chimney Hollow Reservoir would ripple far and wide January 7, 2012 Larimer County's landscape and water supplies would change in the coming years if and when the long-sought Chimney Hollow Reservoir comes on line. And the project's ripple effects, including its environmental impact on the distant Colorado River, could be felt across the state. The reservoir, which would sit southwest of Loveland, is intended to shore up the water supplies of a dozen Front Range communities and water districts as well as Platte River Power Authority. An initial decision on its future is expected this year, possibly by summer. The reservoir also would provide access to nonmotorized boating and miles of trails expected to be built on 1,800 acres of adjacent Chimney Hollow Open Space managed by the Larimer County Natural Resources Department. The open space is part of the larger Blue Mountain Conservation Area. Chimney Hollow Reservoir would sit directly west of Carter Lake on the other side of a towering hogback formation. With the two reservoirs about a half-mile apart, the area is expected to attract a variety of recreation enthusiasts, said Kerri Rollins, manager of the county's open lands program. "You'll have the whole spectrum of outdoor activity from active boating, water skiing and heavy camping at Carter Lake to passive boating and trails on the open space," she said. "It really would be a recreation hub for the entire Blue Mountain area." The reservoir is the main feature of the broader Windy Gap Firming Project, which has been under discussion for nearly 10 years. Its main purpose is to provide water storage for its participating entities, said Dana Strongin, communications specialist with the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, or Northern Water, which would build the project. The participants already own rights to the water, which would be drawn from the Colorado River and conveyed to the Front Range through existing facilities of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. But they have no way to store the water for use during dry years. The need for the project - to "firm up" the reliability of water supplies - is "great," Strongin said. Larimer County's landscape and water supplies would change in the coming years if and when the long-sought Chimney Hollow Reservoir comes on line. And the project's ripple effects, including its environmental impact on the distant Colorado River, could be felt across the state. The reservoir, which would sit southwest of Loveland, is intended to shore up the water supplies of a dozen Front Range communities and water districts as well as Platte River Power Authority. An initial decision on its future is expected this year, possibly by summer. The reservoir also would provide access to nonmotorized boating and miles of trails expected to be built on 1,800 acres of adjacent Chimney Hollow Open Space managed by the Larimer County Natural Resources Department. The open space is part of the larger Blue Mountain Conservation Area. Chimney Hollow Reservoir would sit directly west of Carter Lake on the other side of a towering hogback formation. With the two reservoirs about a half-mile apart, the area is expected to attract a variety of recreation enthusiasts, said Kerri Rollins, manager of the county's open lands program. "You'll have the whole spectrum of outdoor activity from active boating, water skiing and heavy camping at Carter Lake to passive boating and trails on the open space," she said. "It really would be a recreation hub for the entire Blue Mountain area." The reservoir is the main feature of the broader Windy Gap Firming Project, which has been under discussion for nearly 10 years. Its main purpose is to provide water storage for its participating entities, said Dana Strongin, communications specialist with the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, or Northern Water, which would build the project. The participants already own rights to the water, which would be drawn from the Colorado River and conveyed to the Front Range through existing facilities of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. But they have no way to store the water for use during dry years. The need for the project - to "firm up" the reliability of water supplies - is "great," Strongin said. "We have 13 water providers who are looking at doubling their populations in the next few decades compared to what they had in 2005," she said. "This supply is using an already existing project and adding a storage reservoir to help make it possible for them to meet their growing demand." A long process Much has to happen on both sides of the Continental Divide before the reservoir can become a reality. The "firming" element of the project ties to Windy Gap Reservoir west of Lake Granby in Grand County. Windy Gap has been delivering water since 1985. An additional reservoir to store water was expected to be part of the project, Strongin said. Northern Water started the federal process of building storage facility in 2003. After years of studies and public debate required by the National Environmental Policy Act, the federal Bureau of Reclamation late last year released a final environmental impact statement for the project that looks at various options. A record of decision, which would designate the preferred option and the steps that must be taken for it to be approved - such as mitigating its impact on wildlife - is expected later this year. The decision could come by summer, Strongin said. The strongest opposition to the project has come from environmentalists who say it would have a devastating impact on the Colorado River by reducing its flows. Lower water means higher temperatures and increased sediment; that unbalances the river's ecology to the severe detriment of insects that serve as food for fish, said Drew Peternell, Colorado water director for the organization Trout Unlimited. Wildlife mitigation plans proposed by Northern Water and sanctioned by the state's Division of Parks and Wildlife do not adequately address the issues, he said. "What we have currently is not enough," he said. "We believe they can do more to make this a less-damaging project." Substantial springtime flows should be guaranteed, he said, to improve the health of the river. Diverting the river around Windy Gap Reservoir should also be considered. Pipes built for the original Colorado Big Thompson Water Project will supply the water for the proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir. The reservoir is intended to shore up the water supplies of a dozen Front Range communities and water districts as well as Platte River Power Authority. / V. Richard Haro/The Coloradoan How it would work: Water to be stored in Chimney Hollow Reservoir would be diverted from the Colorado River using existing facilities on the Western Slope. It would be conveyed through the underground Bald Mountain Tunnel to an inlet pipe for the reservoir. Water from Chimney Hollow would be sent through pipes to Carter Lake Reservoir for delivery to the south or Flatiron Reservoir for delivery to Horsetooth Reservoir. No Winter Boating Access at Carter Lake and Horsetooth Reservoir January 6, 2012 Due to funding and staffing issues, and requirements for ANS inspections for every vessel entering these waters, there will be no boating access at Carter Lake and Horsetooth Reservoir temporarily, and possibly until March, 2012. The public will be notified of changes. Please check the website for updates on most current hours and information The Larimer County Department of Natural Resources, in order to comply with State of Colorado Aquatic Nuisance Species Regulations, is required to inspect every vessel entering Carter Lake and Horsetooth Reservoir. No boat launching is permitted when ANS inspections cannot be done. For information about requirements at parks managed by Colorado State Parks (Boyd Lake, etc.), please go to here For information about aquatic nuisance species from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, please go to here Aeration system to be installed in Evergreen Lake January 3, 2012 Evergreen Metro District will install a $100,000 custom-designed aeration system in Evergreen Lake this spring to help increase the amount of water-borne oxygen, which helps sustain aquatic life, among other things. Aerating the lake during the summer months is expected to increase dissolved oxygen at the bottom of the lake, help lower the lake's water temperature, produce cooler water going downstream over the dam and help reduce the amount of lakeweed or elodea in the water. "The biggest concern we have is dissolved oxygen at the bottom of the lake," said Gerry Schulte, executive director of the metro district. "If there isn't enough (oxygen), the fish have a hard time, and it results in a process that releases iron and manganese into the water, and that creates a bigger treatment problem," Schulte said. The diffused aeration system is expected to increase dissolved oxygen concentrations. The new system is projected to run 10 hours at night only and recirculate the entire body of water every two days. The only visual effect will be bubbles on the lake. Similar systems are currently at the wastewater plant in Kittredge and the Bear Creek reservoir east of Morrison. The Cherry Creek Water Authority is installing one in the Cherry Creek reservoir as well. Aqua Sierra Inc. of Morrison will provide and install the equipment, which consists of eight underwater diffuser modules placed at an average depth of 20 feet or more. Modules will be placed 100 to 700 feet from the edge of the dam in the deepest part of the lake. In addition to increasing the amount of dissolved oxygen, aeration is expected to counteract the heat-related water quality issues that occur in the summer months by creating a more constant temperature from top to bottom of the lake. So when the sun is out, it heats the top layer of water. The top layer goes over the dam and contributes to higher downstream temperatures. "By mixing the warm and colder water, it will actually cool the body of water and stay cooler throughout," Schulte said. Fish thrive better in cooler water, which holds more microscopic bubbles of oxygen. The warmer the water, the less dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen can be produced from surrounding air, by aeration and as a waste product of photosynthesis. "The state is very interested in measuring oxygen from top to bottom in the reservoirs. If there isn't enough oxygen, you could get the reservoir classified as impaired," Schulte said. "With more oxygen in the water, we are hoping the elodea won't thrive as much, but the biggest reason is we really need to keep oxygen at the bottom of the lake." The Metro District provides water and sanitation to about 6,000 commercial and residential accounts in the Evergreen area and is responsible for maintaining the lake water quality. Evergreen Metro District draws water from the lake, which is fed by Bear Creek on the western end. Colorado Inspectors Check Over 420,000 Boats for Aquatic Nuisance Species Colorado Parks and Wildlife's boat inspectors, in cooperation with other state-certified partners, checked more than 420,000 boats for aquatic nuisance species (ANS) in 2011. Quagga or zebra mussels were found on eight boats, which were decontaminated by the inspectors prior to entering Colorado waters. None of the eight infested boats had come from Colorado's lakes and reservoirs. The state's ANS program emphasizes educating Colorado boat owners about checking and cleaning their vessels before entering the state's waters. "Colorado boaters should be commended for their diligence in cleaning, draining and drying their boats in between each and every use," said Gene Seagle, ANS Coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Every inspection contact with a boater includes education about ANS and the threat they pose to lakes, reservoirs, public water systems and boating in the state, he said. The boat inspections occurred at 112 sites statewide, including 54 Colorado Parks and Wildlife stations. The inspectors also decontaminated over 6,000 other boats because of suspected ANS or standing water in the boat, which can carry the microscopic young mussels and other invasive species. "The education component is our most effective strategy because boat owners learn to inspect, drain and dry their vessels to ensure that they are not introducing harmful ANS, like zebra or quagga mussels, into Colorado waters," said Elizabeth Brown, Invasive Species Coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "The number of vessels with invasive mussels that have been intercepted has gone down each year indicating that the state's boat owners inspect and clean their vessels before entering the state's waters." In 2009, 19 infested boats were stopped and in 2010, there were 14 boats that were intercepted – compared to only eight in 2011, said Brown. During the 2011 inspections, quagga mussels were found on three boats before they entered Horsetooth Reservoir in Larimer County. The other five infested boats were intercepted at Crawford State Park, Jackson Lake State Park, John Martin State Park, Taylor Park Reservoir and the inspection station at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Offices at 6060 Broadway in Denver. Brown said the vessels came from the Colorado River near the Arizona-California border, Lake Mead, Michigan, Wisconsin and Vermont. The state of origin for two of the infested boats couldn't be determined. Since 2009, Colorado has required boat owners to undergo boat inspections to identify vessels carrying invasive mussels, plants and other pests from other waterways. In addition, all boats that have been launched in other states must pass a state-certified inspection for ANS prior to launching on any Colorado lake, reservoir or river. Seagle and Brown said the state's boat inspections and ANS education program is made possible through funding and other help from the Colorado Legislature and numerous partners, including Denver Water, Pueblo Board of Water Works, Colorado Springs Utilities, Aurora Water, Ruedi Water and Power, Larimer County, City of Lakewood, City of Boulder, City of Westminster, City of Arvada, City of Aurora, City of Windsor, Twin Lakes Canal Company, City of Longmont, Colorado River Conservancy District, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 13 marinas, six private clubs and three private lakes and 24 private inspection sites at marine dealers or service centers. "The Colorado Parks and Wildlife boat inspection and education program are the best methods available to keep the state's lakes, reservoirs and other waterways open and available for boating and other recreation," said Brown. "Those programs would not be possible without our funding partners and the support of the boating public." Boaters are encouraged to have vessels inspected prior to storing boats for the winter. Boaters who successfully complete a fall inspection should request a green seal, which will expedite launching and inspections next spring. Inspections are available at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife at 6060 Broadway, Denver, year-round. There are also other year-round inspection services are available at private industry locations, such as marine dealers. For more information about the state's boat inspection program, please see: http://www.parks.state.co.us/Boating/NewBoatInspection/Pages/BoatInspection.aspx or http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Pages/MandatoryBoatInspections.aspx. |