BOARD00298

• Board Meeting Date: 5/22/2000
• Description: Flood Section - South Platte River Floodplain Project - Right-of-Way Action
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

.

.

.

ST A TE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone, [phone]
FAX, [phone]

~

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Greg E.Walcher
Executive Director

FROM:

Peter H. Evans
eWeB Director

Larry Lang

DATE:

May 15, 2000
!~
Agenda Itempa, May 22-23,2000 Board Meeting --
South Platte River Floodplain Project, Right-of-Way Action

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

SUBJECT:

INTRODUCTION

At the November 6-7, 1995, Board Meeting, approval was given to grant requests for easements
in CWCB's right-of-way along the Chatfield Downstream Channel Improvement Project, also
known as the South Platte River Channelization Project, on a case-by-case basis. The Board has
received a number of requests from recreational users for use of lands owned by the CWCB as
part of the Project on and adjacent to the South Platte River for activities such as kayaking and
canoeing. The users have a wide array of interests and requests.

At a May 200 meeting with South Suburban Parks and Recreation District (District) staff, the
District presented a proposal for addressing this increased use of the CWCB Project lands.
Basically, their proposal will implement a "special use permit" procedure by which the District
will administer special recreation requests and activities. In 1997, the Board has granted an
easement to the District for all lands within the CWCB right-of-way, above the high water line.
See Exhibit A. Our present easement with the District excludes the lands which are located in
the "Project Flood Conveyance Area. "

DISCUSSION

The District is willing to address the Board's concerns regarding usage within the Project Flood
Conveyance Area by recreational users; however, the District needs authority to do so.

To assist with the administration of these recreational activities, the Board staff finds it to be in
the best interest of the State of Colorado to grant an easement to and enter into an agreement with
the District to authorize use of the Project's Flood Conveyance Area for non-structural uses.

Use for the Requested Area is for recreational activities in the River as part of conducting
recreational activities. If granted, the easement will not restrict any future easements/activities
within the CWCB project ROW.

1