Colorado - Fraser Sedimentation Basin_Application

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East Orand Water Quality Board, 4~")~'~ . , (jj;GY.'I~~ T,!i~P .~n~J~ ;;{~p~~~~~;r~~ '. ~ n~~,ll:;.,;,,,,,;,.. ",~.4/w "",,~:pr A0;~'2V ~ W ATER~& S~t~I~i.':~:p~ICT ~ ~r~ 41", I am writing to support your request for funds from the Colorado Water Conservation Board's Water Supply Reserve Account for the Fraser River Settling Pond at the base of Berthoud pass. This project is the cooperative effort of several State, Federal and local organizations, including my District. Currently, sediment deposition caused primarily by traction sand from the west side of the pass is choking the stream bed aIld cIoggillg tIle intake for the municipal water supply of Winter Park Water alld San. Dist. TIle Fraser Diversion, owned by the Denver Water Board, has a pond which collects the sedilnel1t deposition but allows it to flush down stream in the spring. The Fraser River Settling Pond will.allow us to enhance this pond to collect more sediment and then remove it before it is washed down stream. In 1995 a 319 Non Point Source grant was used create the structure that would allow tIle removal of sediment. This original attempt failed because the pond structure COllld not be successfully accessed by the equipment that was needed to remove the sediment. FUllding this project will allow the partnering agencies to restructure the pond to maxilnize sediment deposition and equipment access for sediment removal. We have a long term commitment from Denver Water and the Colorado Departmellt of Transportation to maintain this facility and remove the sediment that would have historically flushed down stream to choke out the Fraser River. Numerous participants including the u.s. Forest Service, CDOT, DWB, USACE, the NWCOG QQ, CDPHE, EPA, the Town of Winter Park and the Winter.Park Ski Area have worked with the EGWQB to move this project forward. This represent hundreds ofvolllnteer 1lours to date. ' The project has progressed to the point were we have an engineering report and a cost estimate for the construction. We are now at the point were we need funding to proceed with the construction. CDOT has committed $60K of matching funds to this project along with the annual maintenance. However, these funds are cOl1tingent on the constructioll taking place soon. It is important that we do not miss this opportunity to protect tl1e water quality and aquatic habitat in the headwaters of the Colorado River Basin. My District has supported this project by allowing me to put in hundreds of 110urs in the , last five years. With the help of some additional funding this 1 7 year project can be completed and the Fraser River can be protected from this serious non point source threat. Sincerely, ~ Kirk Klancke P. O. Box 1390 · 601 Park Place. Fraser, CO 80442 · (970) 726...8691 · Fax (970) 726...9627