Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />T <br /> <br />TeLLurLtiLe <br />I VLstLtute <br /> <br />To nmtnlmft' to tilt' tJWOf'l/ <br />tl/111 pnlll/t'l' vlsllsttflllil"it' <br />aJmmUJllt{1 throll!J/i <br />inIlOVr1fwt'resf:'t1rclllfl1tf <br />edlfwtioJ/ ill tlll'orts. <br />l'IIl'(mllllU'ItI,IIJld <br />telt'IWl1IlIlIlllflj:tlllrlto <br />'llfllfd tl SOON!) to uwtdt <br />tht'sa'l'It'flj':!rOIHOIlrIJt.l.w' <br />111 tlte Rocky Mountain <br />West," <br /> <br />BOMa ofTrLt.stees <br />Set11.CCt0tt't <br />JCHtClcero <br />Jokl1Clute <br />Art GootitLmes, Prmltel1t <br />Peter Lert <br />J()~\l1 L~OI1 rrt'ttHUpr <br />LLI1li!.CI. Luther, se,rt,ot"'y <br />Jol1.I1Yli\.l'Lkee <br />PCl.l11e(tl. zoUl1e <br /> <br />EXfCu.tLve Dtrector <br />Jol1>> LUtol1 <br /> <br />.- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />rl1eTe~l/.l.r~de It'tst~tute, l~, <br />A, Cotoral.'to f1011, t:'rojit <br />:or~Orli\.tLOl'\. wLtk 501 c3 <br />feliterC\ltAJ<-exeml'tstlittw.s <br /> <br />283 SQuth Fir Street <br />P.O, Box 1770 <br />Telluride CO 814-35 USA <br />Voice: 3037285353/8312 <br />FAX: 3037284919 <br /> <br />November 9. 2000 <br />- <br /> <br />e <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Dan McAulliffe, Acting Director <br />Mr. Dan Merriman, Section Chief <br />Stream and Lake Protection Section; <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board; <br />1313 Sherman Street, Room 721 <br />Denver, Co 80203 <br /> <br />Re: BLM recommendations for instream flow protection on <br />the San MiQuel River <br /> <br />Dear Sirs: <br /> <br />I am writing on behalf of the Tellurid~ Institute (TI) to express our enthusiastic. <br />support of recommendations for instream flow protection on the San Miguel <br />River from Fall Creek to Horsefly C~eek. <br /> <br />The Telluride Institute is the parent organization of the San Miguel Watershed <br />Coalition, and we have worked closely with the Bureau of Land Management <br />on San Miguel issues for many years now. Our reasons for supporting <br />instream flow protection are numerous. <br /> <br />From a pragmatist's point of view, ~hese recommendations protect our regional e <br />investment. Millions and millions of dollars are being spent to protect, restore <br />or enhance some component of the river system or its immediate ecosystem. <br />The project list includes Idarado Mine Cleanup, Telski wetlands restoration, <br />Town of Telluride river restoration.ithe Down Valley Park wetland creation. the <br />BLM's management designations 'fihich include Area of Critical Environmental <br />Concern. The Nature Conservandy riparian preserves, and educational and <br />outreach efforts which have broadl based regional support. <br /> <br />Interest in the health of the river has been a programmatic focus of TI for many <br />years. Working with all three of the Watershed School districts. T1 heads up <br />the San Miguel Watershed Education Project with five strategically located <br />Living Classroom sites. The river provides a rich resource this popular place- <br />based education curriculum. <br /> <br />The San Miguel River is also an important part of the regional tourist economy. <br />The stretch of the San Miguel un(ler consideration for instream flow protection <br />is THE most popular fly fishing s~retch of the river. The river also provides <br />white water rafting and kayaking. <br /> <br />Instream flow protection was anticipated in the San Miauel Watershed Plan <br />which was a community-based collaborative effort which spanned three years _ <br />and included over 150 participa~ts from all the watershed communities - <br />including Norwood, Nucla and N'aturita. <br />r <br /> <br />