FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Office of Gov. John Hickenlooper
Kathy Green, 303-550-9276 c. kathy.green@state.co.us
Gov. Hickenlooper announces $2.29 million in grants for stream recovery projects
DENVER – Friday, Aug. 08 2014 – Moving quickly to keep Colorado’s long-term recovery on pace, Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced grants totaling $2.29 million for 19 new stream recovery projects in Boulder, Larimer, Weld, and Jefferson counties, less than three months after the program was created.
"Quickly and strategically rehabilitating streams damaged by the flood is critical for many reasons; most notably so that we are prepared to endure any future surprises Mother Nature might throw our way," said Hickenlooper. "We are grateful to the Colorado Water Conservation Board; to Senators Jeanne Nicholson and Scott Renfroe and Representatives Mike Foote and Jerry Sonnenberg, for working with us to expeditiously get these resources where they are so needed."
Repairing the state’s streams and watersheds is a high priority because it reduces future flood risk, and helps restore stream banks, wildlife habitats, agricultural areas and recreational opportunities.
The flooding - which impacted 24 counties - triggered nine small dam failures, damaged or destroyed nearly 225 water-diversion structures, damaged an estimated 32,000 acres of croplands and swept away $540,000 in state-owned stream-gauge equipment. During the floods, many northern Colorado waterways experienced 100-year or 500-year floods.
The grant program, created with Senate Bill 14-179, will reimburse up to 50 percent of eligible expenses used for cleaning up debris or restoring watersheds. The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) approved the grants on July 16.
The legislation authorizes payments to private entities and individuals whose property was affected by the floods as well as local governments, watershed coalitions, and other private non-profit entities who are performing restoration activities.
Applicant
|
Project Title
|
Approved Funding
|
Wildland Restoration Volunteers
|
North Fork of the Big Thompson River Restoration
|
$196,500
|
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Department
|
Boulder Creek Confluence Restoration
|
$200,000
|
Rocky Mountain Flycasters
|
Multi-basin Riparian Restoration and Plant Propagation Program
|
$200,000
|
Boulder County Parks and Open Space
|
Left Hand Creek Restoration
|
$200,000
|
Town of Estes Park
|
Fish Creek Restoration Project: Brook Drive to Country Club Reach
|
$200,000
|
Boulder County Land Use Department
|
Fourmile Creek Restoration Project
|
$80,000
|
City of Longmont
|
Peschel-St.Vrain Creek Restoration
|
$110,000
|
Boulder County Parks and Open Space
|
South St. Vrain Creek Restoration at Hall Ranch
|
$110,000
|
City of Greeley/Larimer County
|
Lions Open Space Eastern Bank Restoration Project
|
$150,000
|
The Environmental Group
|
Coal Creek Canyon Restoration Project: Twin Spruce Junction
|
$94,400
|
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
|
Big Thompson River Restoration
|
$300,000
|
Sylvan Dale Ranch
|
Fish Habitat Design and Debris Removal, sylvan Dale Reach, Big Thompson River
|
$59,850
|
Big Thompson Conservation district
|
Little Thompson River Urgent Needs
|
$170,625
|
Mark Boslough
|
Riparian Habitation Restoration, Stream Bank Revegetation and Beaver Reintroduction on Highland Placer, South St. Vrain Watershed, Boulder County
|
$14,00
|
Stephen Strand
|
8398 Lefthand Creek Streambed and Bank Stabilization, Riparian Corridor Restoration
|
$20,000
|
Logan Mill Ranch Tree Farm and Properties
|
Sunbeam Gulch Stream Restoration Project
|
$20,000
|
Town of Lyons
|
Lower McConnell Hazard Mitigation Project
|
$56,250
|
Left Hand Water District
|
Debris Removal from Left Hand Creek Water Intake
|
$9,030
|