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e After initial field investigations by environmentalists from the City and County in addition to past environmental work, it has been determined that the identification of jurisdictional wetlands will be required. Threatened and endangered species have not been found, and a report disqualifying most of the work sites for Preble's meadow jumping mouse has been filed with and accepted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Only the "spillway" area near the Larimer County Canal at County Road 60 will need to be surveyed to learn if Preble's or either of the two plant species is present or absent. From the start of project development in 1997 the City and County staff have held numerous small group meeting and five large public presentations on the project. Since November 2000 City and County staff have held series of individual meetings with potentially affected property owners and conducted four public open houses and many other smaller meetings with individuals and homeowners' associations. A newsletter, the Dry Creek Times, was mailed out before each public open house. The results have been mostly favorable. A public meeting was held August 23, 2001. Prior to the public meeting, 1,200 newsletters were mailed out, and about 30 individuals attended. At the meeting, a presentation addressed (1) flood threat in the Dry Creek Basin, (2) reviewed the project timeline, (3) described the improvements proposed and being considered, and (4) discussed proposed project funding. e Subsequent to action by the Colorado Water Conservation Board in November 2001, another newsletter was mailed out and another open house was held on January 30, 2002. That open house was attended by approximately 60 property owners. The meeting was timely, since more information and greater certainty about State financing allowed" presenters to be more specific about proposed fees and rates for the Dry Creek Stormwater Utility. Taking into account the sources of local funding, it is apparent that money must be borrowed to enable completion of the improvements. Sources of debt financing for a stormwater utility include the municipal bond market, the Larimer County General Fund, or a loan from another governmental entity. Because of its small size, and the fact that the Larimer County Dry Creek Stormwater Utility will not have a history of operations and collections, selling municipal bonds would be difficult and costly. Bonds are often difficult to obtain for storm water development of any type. The Larimer County General Fund does not have sufficient resources to make a loan of the size needed for the proposed project. A loan from a governmental entity is the only viable course. For that reason, the loan request is being made to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. The costs of the alternatives for flood control for the Dry Creek basin have been estimated. The total Project costs include the construction costs for the common and exclusive flood control features, land easement costs, and appropriate percents for contingencies and engineering fees. These alternative costs are combined with the estimated cost for the water supply pipeline at approximately $6.6 million with easements and the $1 million for the completion of the East Vine Diversion. These total project costs and the benefit to cost e ratio are summarized in the following matrix table, Table ES 1: Alternative Comparison Final Feasibility Study for the Dry Creek Basin 8