foru - friends of the river uncompahgre annual meeting 2008

Friends of the River Friends of the River UncompahgreUncompahgre 1 1stst Annual Meeting Annual Meeting

Friends of the River Uncompahgre (FORU)

• formed summer 2006, in response to the fast pace of growth and the need to safeguard the river corridor.

• MISSION: Restore, enhance and protect the Uncompahgre River and its riparian corridor.

• To accomplish this mission, FORU is working to:• Create partnerships throughout Ouray, Montrose and Delta

counties• Enhance wildlife and fish habitat • Promote multiple recreational use • Develop a water quality improvement plan• Develop an Uncompahgre River Master Plan • Participate in the City and County Comprehensive Plans • Educate the community about the benefits of a healthy

Uncompahgre River watershed.

Executive Board Hank Hotz, Elizabeth Roscoe, Pauline Adams, Wayne Quade, Kevin

Davis

• Developed a website www.foruncompahgre.org

• E-newsletter “The River Keeper”

• Applied for 501 c (3) - status pending

Roland Holzwarth, web manager

Meeting with Developers…

• Wetland mitigation• Storm water filtration systems • Future development plans• Restoration efforts

Sponsors and Partnerships• City and County of Montrose• Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW)• RE-1J school district• Montrose Community Foundation• Trout Unlimited, GGA• League of Women’s Voters• Uncompahgre Valley Water Users• Tri-County Water • Uncompahgre River Stewardship

Alliance (URSA)• Ridgway-Ouray Community Coalition

(ROCC)• Western Colorado Congress (WCC)• Uncompahgre Valley Association

(UVA)• Town of Ridgway• Whole Life Network

• DMEA

• Alpine Bank• Ridgeway Outdoor Experience• Season’s Harvest• Landscaping by Louise Boehme• Jeans Westerners• Painted Sky• Shavano Soil Conservation District• Colorado River Conservation District• Trees, Water, People• Colorado Watershed Assembly• Leadership Circle• Walsh Environmental

Permitting Process

Involvement• Submitted public comments• Met with ACOE Project

Manager for discussion and field tour

• Public Education - 401/404 permitting process

• Pursuing City policy updates - building permits issuance

Fly Fishing ExpoApril 2007

• Trout Unlimited,

Gunnison Gorge Anglers

• Public education & outreach

Next Expo:April 11-12th , 2008Montrose Pavilion

River Restoration Riparian shrub

plantingJune 30, 2007

Mapping the River

July 20, 2007

Thanks StephanieDudash,City GIS analyst

City Float… August 11, 2007

County Float…September 21, 2008

FORU Presentations

City of Montrose (12/07/06, 8/16/07)

Montrose County Commissioners (2/05/07)

Delta County Commissioners (4/16/07)

Kiwanis, Northside Elementary

Upcoming presentations: Rotary, Gunnison Basin Roundtable

Middle School Planters!

• Students planted riparian shrubs along the river corridor through River Bottom Park, Sept. 2007

• Fishing Is Fun & City grant project (Nov. 2006).

Roland, Hank, Thordy Jacobson, Pat Hooley

State of the River Forum

October 5, 2007

City Comprehensive Plan

• Participated in all community events

• Commented on draft plan

• Voice for the public

• Preserve the river corridor

Recommendations by Winston Associates:“Modify the language describing the recommended interim extent of the Uncompahgre River Corridor overlay to include hydric soils, or 100 feet, whichever is greater.”

“Reinforce the importance of avoiding impacts to the river corridor and mitigating any impacts that can not be avoided.”

Future Projects and Programs

• Public participation is needed

• Formation of committees / task forces

Few can do much good…

What’s good for the river is good FOR-U!

Riparian Buffer City and County Ordinance

• EPA publication specifies a minimum of 100ft buffer

• Protects riparian/ wetland areas

• Improves water quality

• Low cost conservation measure

The threats are real…

Storm water scepters

vs.

Riparian buffers

The Uncompahgre River has highly impaired water quality - heavy metals, selenium, sediment, fecal coli form.

River EnhancementProjects

• Trash clean-up • Debris jam clean-up• Tree/shrub Plantings

River Access / Multiple Recreational Use

• Chief Ouray Ponds• West Main Park• Chipeta Lake boat ramp• White-water park• Improved fishery• Wildlife viewing• Biking/walking paths• Interpretive nature trails

Dennis Erickson, City Parks Dept.

River Habitat Improvements

Dan Kowalski - Division of Wildlife, Fisheries Biologist

• Past projects• Future opportunities• Fishing is Fun!

Storm Water EducationJennifer Powell, Storm water CoordinatorCity of Montrose Public Works Dept.

Water Quality Monitoring

• DOW River Watch program• 7 sites along the

Uncompahgre River• Need additional sites

throughout Olathe and Delta

• Trend analysis• Uncompahgre River Report

Card

ThanksJW!

Watershed Education

Susan Mills, retired teacher

• School curriculum• DOW River Watch• Opportunities to partner

High school Science Lab

• Preliminary stages• “Show-case” building • Energy efficiency • River Watch Lab• Water quality monitoring• Nature Center• Community meeting area• City Park expansion

Laura Cavin, green designer & Rusty George, HS Science teacher

Jim Haugsness, Ridgway State Parks

EPA Watershed Planning Process• Collaboration of stakeholders• Identify and prioritize problems• Develop protection or remediation strategies

Uncompahgre River Watershed Plan

Jeff Crane, executive director of CWA

LargeCommunity Effort

• Delta• Olathe• Montrose• Colona• Ridgway• Ouray

Water quality

Mining remediation

2008 Spring Activities

• Fly Fishing Expo, April 11-12th

• Tree Planting in partnership w/ City Parks

Dept. and Leadership Circle – Matt Miles, April 22-25th

• Raft Trip w/ middle school students for Arbor Day/Earth Day, April 22-25th

• River Clean-up (trash and debris jams), April/May

2008 Summer/Fall Activities

• City Park Dedication & float trips, June 14th

• Black Canyon Arts Festival, June 20-22nd

• River Days Festival, July 4th

• Montrose & Delta County Fairs, August

• Olathe Corn Festival, August

• Planting w/ middle school Students, September

• State of the Uncompahgre River, October

We WANT YOU!FORU invites you to become a member of a broad based

tri-county partnership.

Your expertise and passion for healthy communities, watersheds and river corridors is needed to develop:

• Water quality improvement plans • Wildlife/fish habitat enhancement• Multiple recreational uses• City/County policy changes• Community outreach • Watershed education• Fundraising & capacity building• YOUR IDEAS HERE!

Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 1st Alpine Bank, 7pm

First Tuesdays of the month

www.foruncompahgre.org