BOARD01171

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2001
• Description: CF Section - New Loans - Larimer County - Dry Creek Flood Mitigation Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

STATE OF COLOMDO

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MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Covemor
Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Tom Browning, P.E., Flood Protection Sectio~
Mike Serlet, P.E., Chie~..1'suPPIY Planmng and Finance Section.

November 9,2001

Rod Kuharich
eWeB Director
Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 21b, November 19-20, 2001 Board Meeting
Water Supply Planning and Finance - New Loans
Larimer County - Dry Creek Flood Mitigation Project

Introduction
Larimer County (County) is applying for an $11,000,000 loan from the Severance Tax Trust
Fund Perpetual Base Account to construct flood control structures and improvements in the Lower
Dry Creek basin in and around Fort Collins. The estimated total cost of the project is $12,600,000.
Please see the attached project SUllIDlary and map.

Backe:round
The Board of County Commissioners and the Fort Collins City Council in 1996 recognized
serious drainage problems within and northeast of Fort Collins (City). The City and County agreed
that the flood hazard problem presented by Dry Creek was one of the top priority needs for flood
mitigation, and entered into an intergove=ental Agreement (IGA) to jointly pursue flood control
solutions. The County then chose to conduct a study that identified alternatives for flood control
within the Dry Creek basin.

There has been substantial involvement by the Larimer-Weld Irrigation Company
(Irrigation Company) and the Windsor Reservoir and Canal Company (Reservoir Company)
related to this project. The main purpose of their involvement is to provide the use of existing
facilities for storing and transporting stormwater runoff from the Dry Creek basin. The Irrigation
Company will authorize this use with the provision that the City and County agree to maintain
facilities and assist the Irrigation Company in transporting water along Dry Creek from Douglas
Reservoir for delivery to the Larimer- Weld Canal. A conceptual agreement has been prepared
and will be formalized into a final agreement between the County and the Irrigation Company in
early 2002.

Studies dating back to 1979 have identified major flood problems for existing developed.
lands within the Dry Creek floodplain in northeast Fort Collins and in unincorporated Larimer
County. A major flood on lower Dry Creek would inundate several commercial and industrial

Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning