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<br />.. OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR <br /> <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 718 <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (303) 866-3311 <br />TOO: (3031 866.3543 <br />Fax: (3031 866-2115 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />..' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />June 21, 2002 <br /> <br />DEPARJ'MENT OF <br />NATURAL <br />. RESOURCES <br /> <br />Mr. Rick Cables <br />Regional Forester <br />U.S. Forest Service Region 2 <br />P.O. Box 25127 <br />Denver, CO 80225 <br /> <br />Bill Owens <br />Governor <br />Greg E. Walcher <br />Executive Director <br /> <br />Dear Rick: <br /> <br />Governor Owens has asked the Department of Natural Resources to coordinate <br />interagency efforts on protecting watersheds and water supplies from the impacts ofthe <br />devastating wildfires now burning in the State. I'm writing to ask for your help. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />As you know, the enviromnental impacts from catastrophic fires can be enormous <br />and lasting. Baked soils from the 1996 Buffalo Creek fire, which burned only 12,000 <br />acres, eroded away with SUll1IDer rains, choked out aquatic life and clogged Strontia <br />Springs reservoir. Denver residents tasted smoke in their drinking water, and today the <br />Denver Water Board must consider dredging the reservoir at a cost of up to $20 million. <br />The impacts from today's fires around the State could be much more devastating. <br /> <br />It is apparent that on-the-ground mitigation efforts must take place as soon as <br />possible-before SUll1IDer rains begin. Accordingly, please notify Kent Holsinger, my <br />Assistant Director for water issues, of Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) <br />meetings so that State expertise is available to assist in identifying threats to watersheds <br />and water supplies. The State of Colorado will contribute leadership, resources, technical <br />expertise and man-hours to this important effort. <br /> <br />We would like to set Up a meeting with the US. Forest Service, US. Bureau of <br />Land Management, Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Environmental <br />Protection Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency as soon as possible <br />to discuss how best to contribute. We will contact you soon to schedule the meeting.. <br />Thank you. . <br /> <br /> <br />reg E. WaIcher, <br />Executive Director <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />Board of Land Commissioners. Division of Minerals & Geology/Geological Survey <br />Oll & Gas Conservation Commission. Colorado State Parks. ',.. <br />w <br />