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<br />E. Sinriie~r• SYtuatlons <br />In order to better predict behavior- and healtfi of tfie cottonwood trees <br />aft er• nri rrl ng, we have inspected sinrYlar• situations. <br />The near•erst mining open^ation is downstream along Coal Creek and has <br />been operated by Superior Sand and__Gr..avel. This mining operation is <br />not active in 1988, w m r•ginally mined in 1987, and was last actively <br />mined in Y9B6. The nrY Wing involved both in-channel and out-of-channel <br />mining. The in-channel mining resulted in a pond of about 'c' acres in <br />size. It: appears that the Creek. continues to Plow through the pond and <br />resedimerrt the pontl. There er•e some cottonwood trees set back Tr•onr the <br />pond from 5rD to 20~D feet. In our- inspection in May, Y9BB, the trees <br />were in good health and leafing out fully. ~~bl~~ 1 ~ ~~~~ I .al~~ <br />/\ '~~rp.((~ <br />`_ <br />but within the <br />The nri Wing which is occurring away from the Creek, <br />floodplain of the Creek, is more extensive. Some trees have been <br />removed anO approximately T to 10 acres have been disturbed. In one <br />location two large cottonwood trees have been left on an island <br />surrounded by mining which fias gone down to 2~D feet deep. home roots <br />are expensed. After^ two years in this condition, these part icuIer <br />cottonwood trees have leafed out and appear to be in normal health. In <br />other 5ltuet ions mining has occ ur•r•ed four feet from cottonwoods. <br />Mining p:Lts are 11D to 15 feet deep end at least one-third oY' the tree <br />roots have been exposed. Again, the cottonwood trees appear 1n good <br />health after two years and er•e fully leafed out. From these <br />obset•vet:lons, it appears the cottonwood trees can be adaptable within a <br />two year t ime frame. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ <br />Tfie second 8ltuation we observed was along the Cache la Poudre River• <br />near Fort Collins' Sewage Treatment. Plant. ~ At this location the <br />Colorado State University owns ~ proper-ty and runs a nature center-. <br />Pr•ior• to 1963 tfie River had two extenuated meanders below the <br />irr•iget ion diversion structure. In tfie spring of 1983 an unusually <br />high r•urn~ff created a never•e flooding nit uat ion. The meanders began to <br />eut into tfie bank never•e ly. There was great concern that the Sewage <br />Treatment Plant and a high-tensYon electrical power pole would be <br />damaged. As 1t turned out this flood did not damage the facilities, <br />but the Corps of Engineers, City of Fort Collins, and the U. S. Fish and <br />Game decided that the River- sfiould be straightened out in tfi is secti~~n <br />to prevent any future threats. The channelYzation was done in Y9B4 and <br />resulted in appr•~~ximately a I'c` foot dr-op in the River. This drop in <br />the River- and the groundwater table occurred dranrat YCally over a short <br />se ver•a1 week constr•uctYOn period. Previously the annual gr•o undwat er• <br />variation in this section of the Poudre River- was approximately 12 to <br />c4 incfies. In 1985, trees began to s_fiow str•es__s from lack of water- end <br />by 1966 several cottonwood trees were dead. This year- at least IS to <br />..~-- <br />cID large cottonwood trees are dead in this area. <br /> <br /> <br />