Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1988. Their goal is to promote recovery of endangered fish while water use and development in the ypper <br />Colorado River Basin continues. As a result of this group's work during the last several years, signs of <br />recovery are being seen in both the humpback chub and Colorado pikeminnow populations. Overall habitat <br />for native fish in the river has improved and water development for agricultural, municipal and hydroelectric <br />projects has been able to continue. Since 1988 the USFWS has consulted on 636 projects basin-wide with a <br />potential to deplete more than 1.6 million acre-feet. <br /> <br />We have also undertaken the task of developing a contract that would allow us to contribute our portion of <br />the funds required by the passage of long-term funding legislation mentioned above. We would contract with <br />the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to be our holding entity. They in turn, would provide our funds <br />when needed to the Recovery Program. We received pre-approval from the Attorney Generals Office to <br />proceed with signing our contract with the NFWF. New Mexico and Wyoming have completed their <br />contracts, and Utah is in the signing process. New Mexico however, does not have full funding in place for <br />their contract. <br /> <br />Recovery Goals: At the Endangered Fish Recovery Program Management Committee on Oct. 30 in Salt <br />Lake City the USFWS reported that the corrunent period on Recovery Goals for the four endangered fish <br />species was extended for another 15 days. The USFWS hopes to finalize the goals by March. We have sent <br />a letter urging support for the goals as you instructed. <br /> <br />Town of Silt Floodplain Mapping: On Oct. 17, Flood Protection staff met with staff from the Town of Silt <br />and the town's consulting engineers to discuss floodplain mapping for Silt. Silt participates in the National <br />Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), but the town does not have an up-to-date floodplain map. The town has <br />annexed a significant amount of flood-prone land, but its rather crude Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) <br />does not address most ofthat land. Fortunately, through the efforts of the Corps to study the floodplain of the <br />Colorado River and the efforts of the NRCS to study the floodplains of various tributaries to the Colorado <br />River, there is floodplain information available for much of the current territory within Silt. The meeting <br />was arranged to discuss the steps needed to convert this existing floodplain information into a current <br />floodplain information report that could be used by the town to prepare a Flood Insurance Study. <br /> <br />Town of New Castle Possible Entry Into the NFIP: On Oct. 17, at the request of the Town of New Castle, <br />Flood Protection staff made a presentation to the Town Board and to town staff regarding the process for the <br />town to join the NFIP. Currently the town is the only community in Garfield County that does not <br />participate in the NFIP. CWCB staff has spoken to the town about this matter in the past, but this time may <br />be different. On Aug. 14, New Castle experienced an intense thunderstorm that produced mudslides that <br />affected extensive areas ofthe town. Citizens were concerned that the town "do something" to help them. <br />One possible action would be to join the NFIP so that flood insurance would be available to those citizens <br />who wish to purchase it. During the presentation other actions such as flood-proofing and local drainage <br />improvements were discussed. As is the case with the Town of Silt, USACE floodplain information is <br />available for the Colorado River and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) information is <br />available for a tributary stream, Elk Creek. CWCB staffwill continue helping the town enter the NFIP. <br /> <br />Eagle County Flood Hydrology and Floodplain Mapping: A CWCB-funded flood hydrology report is <br />being completed for the Eagle River between Minturn and its confluence with the Colorado River at Dotsero <br />and for the Colorado River between its confluence with the Eagle River and the Garfield County line. While <br />there have been specific hydrology analyses at various locations in that stream reach, there has never been a <br />comprehensive analysis for the entire reach. Results of the study will be available within a month or so. <br /> <br />Eagle County has already prepared topographic mapping for the same study reach. Using the flood <br />hydrology report's findings and the topographic mapping, Eagle County is embarking on a floodplain <br />analysis. With funding from the CWCB ($50,000), the EPA and survey work by the county's engineering <br />staff, a consultant will be hired by the county to complete a floodplain study of the Eagle River from the <br /> <br />14 <br />