BOARD01775

• Board Meeting Date: 3/20/2000
• Description: Platte River Basin Issues - Platte River Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement - Water Action Plan Committee Update
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

4, Concerns of Area Residents. A number of concerns were received from area residents
along the South Platte, These concerns focused primarily on protection of private
property from unauthorized trespass, wildfire hazards related to both authorized and
unauthorized campfires, the limited capabilities of local volunteer organizations in
responding to emergencies, and the crowding of roads that are used by residents, It is
strongly recommended that a special effort be made to include area residents in the
public participation process for development of a Recreation Management Plan,

5. Other Values. The South Platte Protection Plan has focused primarily on those
"outstandingly remarkable values" identified by the U,S. Forest Service because that is
the standard that the Forest Service must use in judging the Plan, The exclusion of other
important values including wide varieties of wildlife, the high quality rock climbing along
the North Fork and the all-terrain vehicle trails above Nighthawk, as well as many more,
were not intended to exclude those values from consideration in the Recreation
Management Plan. It is further recommended that mining and timbering policies in the
area be planned and managed in a manner consistent with recreation, wildlife, and
scenic values,

6. North Fork Management. Jefferson County Open Space, through its land acquisitions
process, will consider the management of additional lands along the North Fork within
Jefferson County. A precise boundary division between the State Parks/USFS
partnership and Jefferson County Open Space should be determined as part of a
Recreation Management planning process. In the area through Bailey Canyon on the
, North Fork, it is recommended that the U,S, Forest Service manage for a special
recreation area with emphasis on whitewater recreation, but inclusive of other appropriate
dispersed recreation activities,

OTHER WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS

Water suppliers and Front Range local governments have engaged in developing Alternative
A2. because of the great significance this part of the South Platte represents in meeting the
water supply needs of present and future customers, It is estimated that well over half of the
people of the State of Colorado receive water supply through water systems that rely heavily
on this part of the South Platte. As such, this river plays a key role in the socio-economic
viability of our state, It is critical that this key role be protected and maintained, and that
sufficient flexibility will be maintained to accommodate changes to these systems for future
growth, Water suppliers are committed to working closely with those representing other
interests on the river in order to protect and enhance all of the important values of the river,

The Forest Service Draft LEIS reflects the tremendous variability in flow that currently can
occur on the River, The Draft LEIS states that flow currently varies between 10 cfs and
6,300 cfs, In addition, it should be expected new water will be brought through the mainstem
over time, Much of this increased flow reflects conditional water rights already in place
where there is substantial reliance on the ability to use the mainstem as a part of the
conveyance process. Additionally, new water Will come from projects that are under

8