South Platte - Lower South Platte Wetland Initiative Phase I_Application-Void

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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form Form Revised May 2007 completing Tamarack Phase I, the PRRP was signed by all three states and the federal government, making Tamarack a much needed project. But, it is only part of the solution. Much more work is need to built the required capacity to meet 10,000 acft/yr. With the introduction of SWSI there became a need to contribute an additional 8,900 acft toward the M&I gap through recharge. For the purposes of this application DU chose three landowners on three tracts of land that would best demonstrate the power of collaboration, and the ability for partnerships to meet the goals and objectives of the SWSI and HB-1177. These tracts are located throughout the lower river from Brush to the stateline. We chose this geographic area because it conforms to the administrative boundries of the LSPWCD, and the project focus area of the SPWRAP, and within the larger project boundary identified by DU. Brush Prairie Ponds SW A This 620-acre property's top priority is to provide recharge credits to cover the City of Brush's municipal wells. Owned by the city, wetlands have been develop~d throughout the property by DU and COOW to provide waterfowl habitat for public hunting. The Fort Morgan canal delivers recharge water in the spring and early summer to fill the wetlands, which remain flooded through the first part of fall. The City and the Fort Morgan Reservoir and Irrigation Company split the recharge credits, benefiting both entities. Survey's conducted by CDOW and RMBO indicate that this is one of the most popular waterfowling destination in Northern Colorado, and harvests more than double the birds than most any other public access property . However, there is still room to grow. The original decree allowed for 12 diversions along the Fort Morgan Canal as it crosses the property, and although the lzth diversion was installed, it was never used. Concerns over potential flooding of adjacent neighbors and contamination of groundwater halted the easternmost project from being completed. The city has now settled those disputes through intense groundwater monitoring and adjacent land purchases and is now ready to proceed witht he final phase of the project. Ducks Unlimited will refurbish the existing diversion structure and construct laterals to deliver water from the canal to the wetland basins. Four wetland basins will be developed and connected through open ditches and pipelines. A total of20 new acres of wetlands will be developed capable of holding 20 acft at full service level. These wetlands will be topped off several times throughout the recharge season to introduce several hundred acft annually. Golden Eagle Ranch This property is quickly becoming the centerpiece of OU's projects on private lands. The 2,000 acre property located near Proctor, Colorado straddles both sides of the river. In 2003 the landowners donated a conservation easement to Ducks Unlimited, protecting the land and water rights in perpetuity. DU has been working with the landowners to develop recharge facilities that will increase recreational hunting opportunities while maintaining an agricultural enterprise. The LSPWCD recently recieved a small NA WCA grant ($75,000) to construct wetlands on the property for the purposes of recharge, and to provide habitat for waterfowl. Funds will be used to construct 8 wetlands on marginal irrigated land. NA WCA funds will pay for survey and design, levee construction, and water level control structurtes. However, as part of the restoration, funds are required to improve the water delivery infrastructure. Upgrades are required at most ditch crossings and over half of one mile of pipe is required to 16