South Platte - Ducks Unlimited Lower SP Wetlands Initiative Phase I - C150415 Contract

Home Browse Search

4/11/2008 The Applicant chose this geographic area because it conforms to the administrative boundries of the LSPWCD, and the project focus area of the South Platte Water Related Activities Program (SPWRAP) as well as within the larger project boundary identified by DU. The SPWRAP is a Colorado nonprofit formed for Colorado water users that wish to participate in the PRRP to address issues raised under the Endangered Species Act. Brush Prairie Ponds SWA 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 developed throughout the property by DU and CDOW 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, benefitting 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 12th diversion was installed, it was never used. Concerns over potential flooding of adjacent neighbors, 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 with the 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 of 20 new acres of wetlands will be developed capable of holding 20 acre feet at full service level. These wetlands will be topped off several times throughout the recharge season to introduce several hundred acre feet annually. Golden Eagle Ranch This property is quickly becoming the centerpiece of DU'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 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant for $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 eight wetlands on marginal irrigated land. NAWCA funds will pay for survey and design, levee construction, and water level control structures. 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 line the laterals, which will assure water infiltrates the groundwater table in wetlands, not in the laterals. Engineering and legal documents are being drafted ow and should be filed before funds from this grant application are awarded. Recharge credits from the project will be used by landowners, agricultural well districts, and SPWRAP. The landowners are interested in having the water to flood wetlands for recreational opportunities. This will require water from both flooding recharge wetlands with recharge water and out-of priority water covered by credits. The Lower Logan Wells Users will benefit directly from the recharge credits to cover subdistrict members, mostly agricultural producers. SPWRAP has agreed to lease any excess credits from