LITTLE THOMPSON WATERSHED RESTORATION COALITION (LTWRC) JOURNAL—Issue 9, April 16, 2014
LITTLE T RIVER MASTER PLANNING KICK-OFF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 AT 7 PM IN BERTHOUD
LTWRC property owners will meet on Wednesday, April 16 at 7pm, Berthoud Community Center at 248 Welch Ave in Berthoud.
We strongly urge you to attend to learn important updates about volunteers, Tetra Tech’s role and your role in developing the Master Plan, things you should/shouldn’t be doing now, and a quick review of spring runoff preparedness. We’ll have presentation for agricultural producers about a program that may help you recoup some flood recovery costs on your property.
We are currently planning on having Commissioners from Boulder and Larimer Counties there as well as a representative from the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
VOLUNTEER DAY FOR BLUE MOUNTAIN (NORTHWEST OF LYONS) SATURDAY, APRIL 26, ALL DAY
Volunteers will dedicate a day to debris removal from the river in the Blue Mountain neighborhood outside Lyons, at 8:15am until 4pm. They’ll be dispatched in teams of 8 to 10 people under the direction of property owners. If you’d like to help, please let Deirdre or Denise know; call 303-823-5307 or show up at 8:15am at the mailboxes on County Rd 37E, at the end of CR
71N, off Hiway 36, across from Apple Valley all the way until the pavement ends (5 miles northwest of Lyons).
Besides team directors, we need volunteers to help with sign-in, coordinating people and equipment, moving people and tools around, handing out water and snacks, etc.
CAN YOU VOLUNTEER?
- Bring a brown bag lunch, and we’ll provide snacks and water, cookies and fruit.
- Wear sturdy boots, bring work gloves and a sun hat. Long sleeves and
long pants are best for this work. If you have a shovel, a crowbar, or pick-ax at home, please bring it!
- Plan to arrive between 8:15am – 9:15am for registration and a safety
meeting.
- Safety glasses provided but bring your own if you have any, please.
SIGN UP HERE THROUGH THIS LINK:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0D4DADAC2CAB9-little
Questions? Call Kaitie Fancher, Flood Program Coordinator, Volunteers of
America, (970) 472-9630, or email: helpout@frii.com.
DIRECTIONS Meet at Larimer County Road 37E where the pavement ends,
5 miles northwest of Lyons Go north on CR 71N off Hiway 36 towards Estes, across from Apple Valley arch bridge.
WHAT ABOUT ME?
Another big volunteer event is in the works for May 3 near Berthoud, and we have volunteers working almost every day of the week at different sites on
the river. If you’ve submitted a request for help you can be assured that the
request will be processed and we will get you volunteers as soon as possible.
Larimer County roadside pick-up ends May 10 so we are focusing on those areas first, and areas upstream so debris doesn’t cause damage downstream.
We have already sent volunteers to the Pinewood Springs, Berthoud and Boulder County reaches of the Little Thompson River. More groups are available to help over the summer to work on changing needs as recovery progresses. If you want help, send requests to info@ltwrc.org
WILLOW & COTTONWOOD CUTTINGS NEEDED
Woody vegetation is one of the best ways to stabilize stream banks, and willows and cottonwoods are some of the easiest trees and shrubs to
propagate in a riparian environment. As we move from debris cleanup and
runoff preparedness, protecting vulnerable banks will soon be an important task for recovery.
Are you at war with willows in your irrigation ditches? Are roots plundering your pipes? Are shoots afflicting your fences? Catkins covering your crops? If you have a willow or cottonwood surplus and wouldn’t mind your neighbors or volunteers coming over to relieve you of the excess, please contact Denise@footprintz.net. She’ll keep a list of who has plants and who needs them, and match you up.
Note: Yes, even coyote willows. These can be planted right at the water’s edge and provide excellent protection for trees further back.
Here’s an excellent article on how it’s done: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/idpm ctn7064.pdf.
AVOID NEEDLESS EXPENSE
If you’re contemplating making changes to the river at your property please keep in mind that a 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers is required
to put ANYTHING in the river. Permits from your county may also be required
depending on what you have planned. You can pull debris out of the river without a permit. Also be aware that your plans should be reviewed with
TetraTech to avoid the unfortunate possibility of the work needing to be undone once the Master Plan and river design are in place.
Tetra Tech will be meeting with each river neighborhood in the coming weeks. Your neighborhood captain will arrange this. Do you know who your neighborhood captain is? Check our website: http://ltwrc.org/coordinating.html
Finally, do not discard, cut up or cut the root wads off of trees that are 10 foot or longer in length and at least 10 inches in diameter. These trees are very valuable in the reconstruction process and it would really be a shame to discard or cut them up only to find out that we have to pay to have some hauled in from other areas.
GO TO THE WEBSITE
You wouldn’t believe how much great information is piling up there. www.LTWRC.org.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK
Ask questions, post photos, make suggestions, and get to know your neighbors. More news on Wednesday night, April 16 at 7pm in Berthoud.
See you there.
