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

management partnership, Provided that a Management Agreement can be developed
between the U,S, Forest Service and State Parks, Denver Water commits to make its
properties, from Elevenmile Reservoir to Chatfield Reservoir, including Cheesman Reservoir
and Waterton Canyon, available for lease to the recreation manager, The exact lands and
boundaries to be included in a lease must be worked out with the recreation managers
considering the needs of effective management, concerns of neighboring land owners and
recreation users, and other relevant recreation-related issues, These steps should begin
with a joint recreation management study. Denver Water commits to participate in such a
study and to include its lands for consideration as part of the recreation area. (Lands owned
by Denver Water to be considered in the Recreation Management Study are shown on the
map on page 6,)

Development of a Recreation Management Plan should have the latitude to meet the needs
of recreationists in current times as well as those needs that may evolve in the future,
However, it was the consensus of those interests working on the South Platte Protection
Plan that Recreation Management should adhere to the following principles:

1. Intensity of Development. The river corridor between Elevenmile and Chatfield
reservoirs constitute today a locale for dispersed recreation, It is very desirable to
maintain the area as dispersed recreation. Those areas with heavy use and road access
(e.g" Elevenmile Canyon, the downstream portion of Waterton Canyon, and the Deckers
Valley) will require more management and facilities than areas that are more pristine and
less accessible (e.g., Cheesman Canyon, Wildcat Canyon), It is noted that the
guidelines enumerated herein for levels of development are consistent with the federal
designations previously proposed by the U.S. Forest Service.

2. Recreation at Cheesman Reservoir. The Recreation Task Force encountered
viewpoints ranging from maintenance of Cheesman Reservoir in a near wilderness
condition"to advocates for motorized boating and increased recreational opportunities on
that property, It is expected that the level of recreational use of the Cheesman Reservoir
property will be a controversial issue that should be planned through an open process
with extensive public participation.

3. Wildlife Protection. Attachment C should be read in the context that Recreation
Management throughout the river corridor is expected to include management to meet
the needs of wildlife in the area, Management goals in Attachment C include providing
resource and ecological protection or restoration for wildlife and plant species.
Furthermore, an area considered most sensitive for wildlife is Segment C, which runs
from Beaver Creek downstream to the high water line of Cheesman Reservoir. This
includes Wildcat Canyon. Attachment C discusses the current uses and values which
include a wide range of vegetation types and foraging and habitat for many wildlife
species. It also notes that it provides connecting landscape linkages for potential wildlife
movement corridors to Lost Creek Wilderness and nearby low road density areas of
Cheesman watershed, Sheep Rock, Thunder Butte, Green Mountain and Gun Barrel
road less areas,

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