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<br />000674 <br /> <br />CONCLUSIONS AND RECOM~ENDATIONS <br /> <br />In April 1985 Governor RIchard D. Lamm established the MInturn <br />Earthflows Task Force. Its near term charge is to analyze the geology of <br />the area and prepare emergency responses to pending earthflow problems at <br />Dowds Junction near MInturn. Colorado. Of concern were the four slides <br />comprisIng the complex: \lhlskey Creek. Dowds #1. Dowds #2 and Meadow <br />MountaIn. Its long term charge is to develop recommendatIons for state, <br />local and federal government to mItigate the effects of any catastrophIc <br />sllde~ In the area. The Task Force cons'sts of representatIves of the <br />Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the Colorado Department of <br />High....ays and the DivIsIon of Disaster Emergency ServIces. ThIs report <br />contaIns the results of the past 12 months of invest'gation and analysIs <br />by those agencies. <br /> <br />In the spr'ng and summer of 1985, the primary emphasis of the Tas~ <br />Force was the design and Installation of an electronic data monitoring <br />system on the slIde complex. This effort was funded with the $63,000 <br />from the Governor's Emergency Fund. \leekly readings were made and <br />distributed to appropriate government officials by the Colorado <br />Geological Survey. The Survey also conducted a detailed analysis of the <br />slide complex. The Highway Department had crews on-site to maintain U.S. <br />Highway 24 which experienced several roadbed problems due to slide <br />activIty. The Divis'on of Disaster Emergency Services conducted two <br />emergency preparedness exercises testing the short-term and long-term <br />response capabilities of both state and local governments for disasters <br />of varying magnitude. The Colorado Water Conservation Board and the. <br />Division of Water Resources assisted in the design of the exercise and <br />conducted the engineering analysis. <br /> <br />In the fall of 1985 and the winter of 1986, the Colorado Geological <br />Survey and the Colorado \later Conservation Board performed detailed <br />engIneering and geological evaluations of possible options to mitigate <br />the impacts of the slide. Over forty options are presented in response <br />to the range of potential threats posed by the slIdes. The analyses are <br />based on possible geologic and hydrologic consequences 1f major <br />earthflows occur and possible river damming results. This is a big "IF" <br />and in no way is this report intended to imply that such an event wi 11 <br />happen or is imminent. The answers to whether any of these condi tions or <br />events is possible or probable is a question constantly before the <br />geol09istS and engineers on the Tas~ Force. <br /> <br />The options presented in the report fall into four general response <br />categories: No Structural Solutions. Stop the Slide from ,~oving. Don't <br />Let it Flood, and Wait Until the Last Minute. Each recommendation is <br />examined with regard to Its feasibility, timeframe for implementation, <br />responsible party and estimated cost. A summary table of recommendations <br />is included in this section of the report. <br /> <br />cT <br /> <br />Collectively, the State members of the Task Force recor;mend over <br />$150,000 of actions to be taken immediately in 19B6-87 to address the <br />problems posed by the threat. The Colorado Geological Survey and the <br />Depart::lent of Highways have jointly agreed to weekly visual inspections <br />of the slide complex, biweekly readings of water levels on the slide <br />complex and biweekly readings of the inclinometers. The Task Force <br /> <br />- 1\ i- <br />