PUB00093

• Year: 2004
• Title: State of Colorado's Watersheds Report
• CWCB Section: Administration
• Author: Colorado Watershed Assembly
• Description: An Annual Report
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

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Background
Willow Creek is a tributary of the
upper Rio Grande in Southwestern
Colorado and is located in Mineral
County just west by northwest of the
San Luis Valley. Willow Creek has
impaired water and habitat quality in
its lower reaches due to historical silver
mining, and it is a source of zinc and
cadmium contamination to the Rio
Grande River.
The Willow Creek Reclamation
Cummittee (WCRe) is a stakeholder-
based organization developed to address
water quality and habitat issues in
Willow Creek in ways that arc practical,
cost-effective, and beneficial to the
economic and environmental objectives
of the community. The Committee
is also committed to preserving and
maintaining the historical integrity of
the Crccde mining district.
Funding for the activities
of the Committee has come from
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) 319 and 104(B)3 grants, the
State Historical Fund, the U.S.
Forest Service, the Colorado \Vater
Conservation Board, Colorado Division
of Minerals and Geology, EI Po mar
Foundation, and Federal Emergency
Management Agency. The Committee
also has received extensive support
from more than 15 other federal, state,
and local agencies and a wealth oflocal
volunteers and organizations.

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2003 Activities
\Vatershed characterization efforts
were completed and summarized in five
major reports. Four abandoned mine
sites and one mill site were reclaimed
through a partnership of the WCRe
Colorado Division of Minerals and
Geology, and the U.S. Forest Service,
with funding from these agencies and
EPA Section 319.
The Committee sponsored a
Community Clean Up Day in which
debris and garbage were removed from
one-half mile of creek upstream of
Creede. with the intention of improving
water quality and aesthetics and
decreasing flood hazards.
In December, the WCRC was
recognized by EI Pomar Foundation as
a Finalist for an Award for Excellence
in Environmental Work.

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2004 Projects
In 2004, the WCRC has already
hosted a Community Tree Planting Day
and the 2nd Annual Community Clean
Up Day. These projects focused on
the highly visible, yet highly degraded
floodplain downstream of Creeoe.
In April. citizens and a school
group planted 150 shrubs along \VilJow
Creek and the community walking
trail. In May, the WCRC, with heavy
equipment provided by the town of
Crcede and Mineral County, cleaned
up one-half mile of Iloodplain.
The \VCRC is currently assisting a
private landowner in implementation
of a Voluntary Cican Up Plan (VCUP)
and collecting soil samples to
complete another VCUP application
by the Mineral County Fairgrounds
Association.

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Wafer quali~r sampling was conducted as part of
Dill' mine reclamation e.fforts

Four abandoned mine
sites and one mill site
were reclaimed through
a partnership between
the WCRC and state
and federal agencies.

Beginning in the fall
of2004, the WCRCwill
assist the U.S. Forest
Service in cleanup of
one abandoned mine
site, and a \\'atershed
plan will be developed
with EPA 319 funding
and assistance from
the EPA and Colorado
Division of Minerals
and Geology.