FLOOD10327

• County: Eagle
• Community: Eagle
• Stream Name: Eagle River
• Title: Eagle River Watershed Plan
• Date: 1/1/1996
• Prepared For: Eagle Community and Eagle County
• Prepared By: National Park Service
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

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8.1. OVERVIEW OF
LAND USE ISSUES AND
OBJECTIVES

Several land use issues and concerns were
identified and discussed during the planning
process:

Land Use Issues

Lack of coordinated planning between gov-
ernments and agencies to addresses water-
shed issues

· Inconsistent or ineffective regulations
· Public concern about approving more
development than the water supply can
accommodate
· Lack of coordination to improve access
and protect open space or sensitive
areas along the rivers and tributaries.

In response to the identified issues and con-
cerns, and in support of the goals for the
Plan, the following objectives were devel-
oped:

Land Use Objectives

1. Coordinate and Improve Watershed
Planning and Planning Tools

2. Protect Sensitive Lands, Open Space and
Appropriate Access

8.2 BACKGROUND

Impacts of Land Use
on the Watershed

Human land use in the Eagle River watershed
is the major influence on the overall health
and condition of the watershed. Local and
regional land uses have impacted 1) the
quantity of water through human demand for
residential, commercial and industrial devel-
opment, 2) the quality of water through addi-
tions of chemical and organic substances to
the water from direct sources such as mines
and indirect sources such as urban run-off, 3)
wildlife habitat that is adjacent to water fea-
tures, and access to water sources that has
been removed or blocked, 4) recreational
opportunities that depend on a minimum
quantity and quality of water or access avail-
ability, and 5) the aesthetic quality of the
water features which are often obscured or
encroached upon by land uses.

Population Growth

Through the early 1990's, Eagle County was
r~nk~d as the third fastest growing popula-
tIOn In the state. In many ways, Eagle County
is becoming an urban county. The bulk of the
private land in the County is located in the
river and tributary valley bottoms and the
majority of the population lives along the
Eagle River and its largest tributary Gore
Creek. This presents an image of a very dense
and developed area. Development to accom-
modate the needs and desires of the growing

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