2021-02-26_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M1977361

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• Vrain. In fact,the county's ultimate goal Stewart said the grant will serve as a is to acquire a one-mile swath of land, catalyst for the partners in the corridor UNDS : Rec O� a ve wherever possible,on either side the river project to strengthen their collaborative for its entire 15-mile length she said. � work. Another significant part of the GOCO "I think it's going to make the project a funding is proposed for acquiring 1,000 whole lot better than it would be if we acre-feet of water and storage rights along were all trying to do this work ourselves," the re ion's growth and development res- million-$14.5 million. the river to protect in-stream flows he said. Wonflnued from Bl g P P Accordin to DOW a uatic biologist Other northern Colorado projects re- windfall Exactly how the county's new windfall g q ceiving funding from GOCO were: $2.5 "That made this project stand out above will be distributed amongdifferent parts Randy Van Buren, the St. Vrain demon- million to Larimer and Weld counties for as fishing spots." the others," she said, adding that GOCO of the project is still unclear, but Ledin strates the highest biodiversity of five g con in work on the Cache la Aspects of the St. Vrain project hi typically receives about three times as said those details will be ironed. species of rare native minnows of any Pe P j high- YP Y Poudre/Big Thompson Rivers Project; $2 lighted in the county's grant application to many grant applications as it awards. "We'll work with(the county)to identify stream in Colorado's South Platte million to Jefferson County for habitat GOCO include: About$10 million has already been in- the elements that we feel would be an a drainage. P preservation on Clear Creek:and$1.5 mil- n land and water acquisition. vested by the county and its partners on propriate use of our funds,"she said. In a letter to the GOCO board in support lion to Denver for its South Platte River n water and in-stream flow manage- the St. Vrain Corridor Committee — The largest chunk of spending in the of the county's grant application,Van Bu-I Pro ect ment. Lyons, Longmont, the Colorado Water county's proposal is devoted to land acqui- ren said the St.Vrain"is not only des—. +'. Tre largest GOCO grant—$8.6 million n construction of 2 to 4 miles of trail Conservation Board, the Colorado Divi- sitions,which have a total projected price ing of protection,it is demanding protec-t — went to the city of Colorado Springs, linkages and other recreational projects. sion of Wildlife, the St. Vrain/Left Hand tag of$9 million-$u million. ilon•" which is working with the state on creat- n riparian and wildlife habitat im- Water Conservation District and Trout Un- They include $2.5 million in deals for For the last six years,the county,Lyons ing a 1,680-acre state park in El Paso provement. limited. about 250 acres that are close to being fi- and Longmont have shared in the cost of Coun n and educational projects. Through their efforts, more than 1,300 nalized and plans for purchases and con- leasing surplus water to leave in the St. What GOCO is doing"is vital to the fu- According to GOCO spokeswoman Chris acres of land and 4,700 acre-feet of agri- servation easements on another 1,000 lus Vrain for the protection of those fish.GO- ture of the state of Colorado,"said Owens, Leding,Boulder County's project was se cultural water rights have already been acres that could cost between $7 million CO's grant money, said Nielsen,will cre- "whether it's gathering together and sav- lected not only for its scope and potential preserved along the river. and$9 million. ate a more permanent solution. ing open space, preserving agricultural for land preservation,but also because of But completion of the remaining work Collectively, said county Parks and "With the leasing arrangement, if the lands,enhancing or creating recreational the commitment the county and its collab- proposed for the St.Vrain,which includes Open Space assistant Tina Nielsen, the water isn't available,there's no guarantee areas." orators have already made to the St.Vrain a trail connection between Longmont and parcels would create an almost continu- that it will be left in the river," she said. Since 1994,GOCO has awarded$185 mil- and the sense of urgency resulting from Lyons, is expected to cost another $11.5 ous corridor of public land along the St. "With a purchase there is." lion to more than 1,100 projects.