The State of Colorado's Watersheds Report 2005

• Year: 2005
• Title: The State of Colorado's Watersheds Report
• Author: Colorado Watershed Assembly
• Description: 2005
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

local watershed reports
V
The Chatfield Watershed Authority
is a water quality management agency
for the Chatfield Watershed and one of
the oldest watershed authorities in the
state. The Authority implements the
Chatfield Reservoir Control Regulation
(Regulation #73 update in October
2005), which determines point and
nonpoint source compliance consistent
with adopted stream standards and
classifications. Water quality data
collection began in 1984 as part of an
intense one -year Chatfield Reservoir
Clean Lake Study. The Authority has a
continuous collection of surface quality
data and periodic groundwater data for
the watershed and reservoir since 1989.
Managing Multiple
Stressors
The Authority does water and
environmental related projects
and supports sound environmental
stewardship. A multi- organization
project completed in 2005 stabilizes
streambanks and wetlands for a portion
of Massey Draw that experienced
severe erosion, including the
installation of memorial benches
and dedication of a new trail. The
Authority monitors water quality in
Massey Draw to document erosion
practice effectiveness. The Authority
collects metal data in the spring runoff
season to document metal loading from
the Hayman fire. Metals associated
with fire runoff include copper, iron,
mercury, manganese; arsenic, lead and
traces of other metals that previously
were non - detects. Beginning in 2003,
data shows an increase in South Platte
River nutrient loading (nitrate and
phosphorus) attributable to wildfire
runoff. The Authority applies two
trophic models that evaluate chemical
and biological parameters and estimate
growing season and annual trends.
The models and reservoir indicator
parameters show improvement in
water quality from 1990 through 2004.
r
Planning & Management
Program
The Authority is a cooperative
partner with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers on the Chatfield Reallocation
Supply Study. A special nonpoint
review project completed in 2005
characterized load distributions between
the upper and lower watersheds and
evaluated the original reservoir model
assumptions. The Authority supports
several independent grant projects. The
Authority distributed the 2004 Water
Quality Annual Report (data record
and 41 fact sheets divided by topic,
control regulation, management, NPS,
monitoring, hydraulics, watershed
trends and reservoir trends available
on request to the Authority manager).
The Authority maintains a management
program through funding provided
by annual dues from members and
participants. The Authority maintains
a five -year funding program with
annual work elements. The 2004 -05
management program addresses water
quality, fire runoff impacts, wastewater
planning and management (a major
joint wastewater pipeline project and
two nonpoint source to point- source
phosphorus trades), and watershed
protection implementation issues
that were driven by both internal
(e.g. increased nutrient loading to
the reservoir from storms, fire runoff,
drought and growth issues) and
external processes (e.g., proposed
changes to the Chatfield Reservoir
Control Regulation). The Plum Creek
Wastewater Authority completed a
major expansion of their treatment
plant. More information is available
on the Chatfield Watershed Authority
website www.chatfieldwatershed.org