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<br />~e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />News - Department of Natural Resources <br /> <br />Page 1 of 1 <br /> <br /> <br />News about Colorado's Natural Resources <br /> <br />COLORADO <br /> <br />..I <br /> <br />6/2412002 <br />Executive Director's Office <br /> <br />OWENS SEEKS TO MITIGATE WATERSHED <br />DAMAGES <br /> <br />DEPAlUMENr 01' <br />NATURAL <br />RBSOURCES <br />effects <br /> <br />Colorado asks feds for meeting before summer rains cause 'devastating' <br /> <br />CONTACT: <br />Dawn Taylor <br />303.866.5887 <br />John Marshall <br />303.866.2661 <br /> <br />DENVER -In a letter addressed to U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester Rick Cables, Department <br />of Natural Resources (DNR) Executive Director Greg Walcher recently offered Colorado's expertise <br />and resources to help prevent extensive watershed damages to Colorado as a resull of the wildfires <br />buming across the state. Govemor Bill Owens has directed DNR to use available resources in <br />coordination with federal agencies to head off the potential damages that heavy rain can cause on <br />severely burned watersheds. <br /> <br />'The extensive watershed damages that occurred after the Buffalo Creek fire in 1996 are all too <br />fresh in our minds right now,' said Walcher. "The last thing we need is huge amounts of wildfire <br />waste dumped into our water supplies.' <br /> <br />According to Walcher, the state can offer leadership, resources, technical expertise, and man- <br />hours to help achieve necessary on-the-ground mitigation to prevent extensive damages. The state <br />would join the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Bureau <br />of land Management, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Environmental <br />Protection Agency in the Bumed Area Emergency Response meetings to help determine the best <br />immediate course of action. <br /> <br />High intensity wildfires render watersheds extremely vulnerable. Soils become unstable once <br />vegetative growth is removed. A heavy downpour soon after a serious wildfire can unsettle <br />thousands of tons of sediment, washing it into vital water supplies, and destroy property. <br /> <br />'The Govemor has asked us to help the federal govemment in any way we can in the midst of this <br />wildfire crisis,' said Walcher. 'Protecting Colorado watersheds is a critical part of the effort to pick <br />up the pieces after these blazes.' <br /> <br />### <br /> <br />Executive Directors OffICe <br /> <br />Previous <br /> <br />http://dnr.state.co,usfnewslpress.asp?pressid=I%O <br /> <br />7 f25/02 <br />