BOARD01994

• Board Meeting Date: 7/23/2001
• Description: Flood Section - Information Study - Inspection of South Platte River - Chatfield Channel Improvement Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department ofN atural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
WWW.cwcb.state.CQ,ll5

Q

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Greg E. Walcher
Executive
Director

FROM:

Larry Lang and Tom Browning

Dan McAuliffe
Acting Director

DATE:

July 3, 2001

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 21.f, July 23-24,2001 Board Meeting-
Information Summary - Inspection of South Platte River - Chatfield Channel
Improvement Project.

INTRODUCTION
The Chatfield Downstream Channel Improvement Project encompasses approximately a 7 mile
reach of the South Platte River below Chatfield Reservoir. The flood control project was
constructed by the U,S. Anny Corps of Engineers in the 1980's, and ownership of the project
was turned over to the Colorado Water Conservation Board via a Memorandum of Agreement
between the State of Colorado and the Federal Government.

The CWCB is responsible for maintenance of the floodway and project areas. In past years, the
CWCB has relied heavily on the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (District) to provide
maintenance services on behalf of the State. A joint team consisting of Corps, CWCB and
District personnel performs annual and post-flood inspections. The Corps' Inspection Report
contains project deficiencies and maintenance needs by the CWCB.

BACKGROUND
Annually, the Corps completes a thorough inspection of the project to ensure that the pToper '
maintenance items are being completed, CWCB and UDFCD staff members regularly
participate in the inspections. Following each inspection, the Corps provides an inspection report
to the CWCB noting satisfactory, marginal, or unsatisfactory project features. The CWCB has
relied on assistance from the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District to perform the necessary
maintenance activities on behalf of the State of Colorado. At this time, there is no established
funding mechanism for the CWCB to perform the required tasks. The Colorado State Legislature
has not provided the CWCB with an on-going or annually funded program to meet the
maintenance needs for the project.

For several years the Corps' Tn-Lakes office has given an "unacceptable" rating to several
project features, most of which have been rectified by UDFCD maintenance activities. The one

Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
Watee Supply Protection. Conservation Planning

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