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By Nona Thayer, Larimer County Coaaillaioner . . . , During 1977 appUcations were developed for applying for Colorado Land and Water Conservation lunds, a bill vas put through the legislature obtaining about $830.000.00 in state _ey; an application for $150,000.00 in Four Comers Coumdaaion dollars vaa aubll1tted; and the Secretary of Interior's Discretionary Fund vaa asked for $1 lI111ion dollars. . Coupled with the acquisition program had been a BUD Community Block Grant for relocation grants and rehabilitation. A block to the joint concept of acquisi- tion and relocation came in June, 1977 when the relocation dollars were deleted from the BUD approval of the rehabilitation avard. After considerable effort locally and by the Colorsdo Congressional delegation BUD did approve the relocation part of the applicstion. This enabled some 32 families who were full time residents in the canyon to be given relocation gTants which averaged about $11,500.00 per family. This grant added to the pre-flood value sales price of the land gave them the possibility of buying s replacement home and begin to put their lives back together again. It was not until December of 1977, when Secretary Andrus announced that he had approved the Big Thompson application that acquisitions could actually take place. This was seventeen months after the flood. It is inhumane to have flood victims walt that long. Final cost of the acquisition program was considerably less than originally estimated. Purchases of 114 parcels were from 94 property owners whooreceived $1,556,014.00. Parcels in the floodway not purchased by the County were disposed of in sales to adjacent owners or were part of a larger holding; eight were kept which owners planned to attempt to develop latter; and two owners received variances and did redevelop. . The sites purchased have been cleaned up, grassed, and some trees and bushes have been planted. Two sites are being developed as picnic areas by the County with 50% match from Colorado Land and Water Conservation funds. 'Alese. f\IQd5 b9sK' "~? <:"It -1t~-ok- ad tile- aget we.SRt C8\IRty ."li.ati?~ ft'.. .c_p..^'II'''....g f-yoU) ...witt_al ~it..~aa .U~ JIU'... The opportunity of improving public recreation areas and public access has been partially realized. Cartianly the most dramatic lesson to be learned is that there must be available appropriations that can be drawn on very soon after a flood to make a workable acquisition program. We in the County have urged the State legislators to fund the Colorado Disaster Emergency Act of 1973 so that money would be available to draw upon. People who loss their homes and all their possessions in a flood can't be asked to suffer through delays and uncertainties. . .