BOARD00077 ‎(4)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/13/2006
• Description: Water Supply Planning & finance - Referred Non-reimbursable Investments - Colorado Mountain College - Rocky Mtn. Fen Research Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Non-Reimbursable Application - CWCB Construction Fund

Form Revised June 2006

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5. Explain why you are requesting a grant, instead of a loan. (the Construction Fund exists primarily to
provide low interest loans for the construction or rehabilitation of raw water projects. Non-
reimbursable investments are approved ollly when the project or study is of statewide interest and
benefits a wide range of people and organizations, and/or a large geographical area.

The impetus for the Rocky Mountain Fen Research Project is to determine to what extent fens are mitigable.
A fen is a special type of wetland whose impacts cannot be satisfactorily mitigated according to Army Corp of
Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines. This unmitigable status may be related to the lack
of scientific investigation related to fen mitigation. The occurrence of fens has halted, delayed, relocated,
rerouted, postponed or in some cases totally cancelled projects throughout Colorado. This study will bolster the
scientific knowledge of fen mitigation on many fronts including transplantation, creation and restoration. Many
of the components of the project will be applicable not just to fen impact mitigation, but to wetland mitigation in
general increasing the significance of the project. Fens are located throughout Colorado at elevations above
8,000 feet, which is a significant percentage ofland in Colorado. They are also typically found in valley bottom
locations which tend to be the most desirable for many types of development. Implications of the study could
affect the full spectrum of agencies dealing with projects related to water development, roadways, infrastructure
and recreation to name a few. Many of the agencies are located on the Front Range and plains of Colorado,
although their projects are actually located in areas with elevations above 8,000 feet, thus the study has truly
statewide significance.
Colorado Mountain College is requesting a grant rather than a of a loan due to the statewide significance of
the fen mitigation issue as well as the fact that this is a research project tbat will not generate any revenues that
exceed project costs. As an educational institution, CMC has no means of paying back a loan.

6.

List the names and addresses of any technical or legal consultants retained to represent the applicant or
to conduct investigations for the proposed project or study.

_,I.

Name

- -- .- - -
Address & Phone Number

Diana Humphreys

Johnson Environmental Consulting
1518 W. Oak St. Ft. Collins, CO 80521
2457 S. Leyden St., Denver, CO 80222
Frontier Environmental Services, Inc.
5171 Ward Rd Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Corp of Engrs 720 N. Main St. Ste 300 Pueblo, CO 81003

[phone]

Dr. Brad Johnson

Ross Bethel, LLC
Dan Hinds

[phone]
[phone]

[phone]

7. List any feasibility study or scope of work that has been completed or is now in progress for the
proposed project or study. (Submit one copy with this application):

Thus far, there have been no feasibility studies completed on this project. The City of Aurora and the Board of
Water Works of Pueblo initiated the project in conjunction with the Colorado Mountain College Natural Resource
Management Program. However, after preliminary investigations and scoping, it became clear thata additional
funding sources would be required to accomplish study goals.

To date baseline information has been collected and the initial study design is being completed. All the necessary
approvals have been obtained. The two receiver sites have been designed as well as the fen harvesting apparatus. .
A water supply system has also been designed and a substitute water supply plan has been obtained.