Finance Committee Meeting 2007

• Board Meeting Date: 9/18/2007
• Description: Finance Sub-Committee Meeting September 18, 2007
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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Drew Peternell, Director and Counsel, Colorado Water Project
UNLIMITED
August 31, 2007
Mr. Mike Serlet
Colorado Water Conservation Board
1313 Sherman Street, Suite 721
Denver,Colorado 80203
Re: Saint Vrain Creek Low Flow Improvement Project
Dear Mr. Serlet:
Trout Unlimited's Colorado Water Project is pleased to offer its strong support for the
Construction Fund grant application for the Saint Vrain Creek low flow improvement project. If
granted,the application,which the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department submitted
on behalf of the Saint Vrain Creek Corridor Committee("SVCCC"),would help to fund the
purchase and installation of infrastructure necessary to improve the aquatic habitat of Saint Vrain
Creek. Trout Unlimited("TU")and its local Saint Vrain Anglers chapter have a long-standing
interest in restoring the environment of Saint Vrain Creek.
• TU is a non-profit,coidwater fisheries conservation organization,and TU's Colorado
Water Project works to protect and restore flows on streams and rivers in Colorado for healthy
trout populations. The SVCCC is a cooperative group of local and state governmental agencies,
water users and conservation interests working together to enhance stream flows on Saint Vrain
Creek below Button Rock Reservoir down to the City of Longmont during the winter months.
Trout Unlimited was recently invited to join the SVCCC and is very pleased to be participating
in the collaborative and somewhat unique effort.
Saint Vrain Creek is an important natural resource on Colorado's Front Range,providing
habitat for a variety of species,several of which are listed as threatened or endangered. With
ample public access to the creek corridor, Saint Vrain Creek also offers significant recreational
opportunities for the growing population of Longmont and Boulder County. Of particular
interest to Trout Unlimited is the fact that the creek has the potential to be an outstanding
recreational fishery.
Under current conditions,during the winter months,Saint Vrain Creek experiences low
flows below three diversion structures,diminishing the ecological value of the creek. Though
the City of Longmont is able to provide water to the stream and to recover this water for later
consumptive use using its existing facilities,the three diversion structures are unable to bypass
the provided water to the stream. Therefore,if the necessary funding can be obtained,the
SVCCC proposes to install flumegates at the three diversion structures. The flumegates would
allow water to bypass the diversion structures and would also measure the amount of water
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Trout Unlimited: America's Leading Coldwater Fisheries Conservation Organization
1320 Pearl Street,Suite 320,Boulder,CO 80302
(303)440-29370 •Fax:[phone] • www.tu.org