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NOrth Fork River Improvement Association November 22-23,1999 Agenda Item 15c. ~ Recent Events Since its inception in 1996, NFRIA has continued a campaign of public education and community outreach. Local input was solicited from all interests associated with the river and a general consensus was reached among a traditionally contentious group of diverse interests. NFRIA has brought together representatives of Town and County governments along with private landowners, irrigators, gravel and coal miners, environmentalists, and agency representatives from the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. In fact, the NFRIA bylaws specifically call for a board of directors made up of representatives from each of these diverse groups. t. e NFRIA received $73,500 in grants and in-kind funding in 1997, and $51,500 in 1998. 1999 grants and in-kind services are expected to exceed $350,000. Major contributors include the Colorado River Water Conservation District, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Colorado Soil Conservation Board, the Colorado Department of Local affairs, Colorado Smart Growth Regional Partnership Initiative, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the Nation Park Service Rivers and Trails Program, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. A complete list of participants and funding is attached. All funding and in-kind services are applied toward the overall estimated project cost of $3 million Studies Completed or in ProQress NFRIA has completed a Preliminary Assessment of the Morphological Characteristics of the North Fork of the Gunnison River (1997) and is now developing a Watershed Action Plan scheduled for completion in May 2000 under a funding grant from the EPA. , The North Fork River Improvement Association The NFRIA is located in Hotchkiss, in Delta County, and has been in existence since 1996. The ... mission of NFRIA is to meet current and future demands for traditional uses of the river while .. improving stream stability, riparian habitat, and ecosystem function along the North Fork of the Gunnison River. NFRIA is a community led non-profit organization founded by North Fork Valley landowners. Membership has grown from 15 in 1997 to 117 today and includes local citizens, govemmental agencies, and business groups. NFRIA depends on grant funding and in-kind services to cany out its mission. Proiect Description This project includes four parts: 1. Community Outreach and Education Continuation of existing programs is proposed to meet this objective: Publication of semi-annual newsletters Sponsor annual "River Awareness Float" and water festival Produce educational brochure for basin-wide mailing Maintain and improve web site Display exhibits at community events 2. Monitorina and Evaluation of Existina and Additional River Cross sections The morphological assessment established 12 permanent cross section within a 16-mile reach of the North Fork River, and data has been collected at each of these cross sections annually .. since 1997. Nine more stations have been identified for monitoring and evaluating the ,.., demonstration project. List of tasks: 2