LITTLE THOMPSON WATERSHED RESTORATION COALITION (LTWRC) JOURNAL—Issue 10, April 26, 2014
LET’S HEAR IT FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS
Have you noticed? People have been coming from all over the country to spend a few days helping us clean up after the flood. Our coalition is lucky to have Larry Glover, UMCOR volunteer coordinator, working with us. Since the first of January UMCOR has directed 13 volunteer projects on the Little T. We have had 14 groups of volunteers ranging from 4 to 58 people in each who have worked on those projects for a total of about 1800 hours.
If we haven’t completed all of the work you would like to have done, don’t panic! There are more than 80 groups inquiring about coming this summer. The priority has been getting people back into their homes first, getting fields cleared so the spring planting can happen second, clearing debris that is within 4 feet of the river that could be washed down stream in the spring runoff third, then cleaning the rest of the debris and rebuilding fences last. For river clean-up we’ve started at the headwaters and are working our way downstream so, hopefully, we will only need to clean a stretch of the river once.
TURN YOUR TIME INTO MONEY
Volunteer time and landowner time spent doing recovery work is like money in the bank. A lot of federal grants require matching funds of 25% or more of the total project cost. Often they allow volunteer time/expenses to be used as “in-kind” contributions to offset the 25% we would have to pay in cash. We will need millions of dollars to complete the restoration of the Little Thompson River, and may be expected to raise at least a quarter of that amount on our own. That’s why it’s so important to account for every hour, mile, and dollar you spend working on flood recovery.
There is now a simple, easy-to-use tool for tracking your hours and expenses. The system keeps your personal information secure and private. Please, please, please—fill in all your time and expenses to date, and keep filling it in as you accrue more.
You will receive a personalized email next week that gives instructions on how to access and update the system. The email contains your unique ID number for using the system.
VOLUNTEER DAY FOR BLUE MOUNTAIN: SATURDAY, APRIL
26
55+ volunteers showed up this morning to remove debris in the Blue Mountain neighborhood outside Lyons. Deidre Daly, assisted by Dawn Hagan, Denise Cote’
and others did a terrific job of organizing the mountains of details required to make the day successful. And we owe a HUGE thanks to the Buster family for providing an excavator and to Bryan Roberts for operating the excavator. And Tom Lewis, who lost his home on Blue Mountain, was featured on Fox 31 news tonight.
VOLUNTEER DAY FOR BERTHOUD (LARIMER): SATURDAY, MAY 3
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, make sure you’ve signed up with your county’s Long Term Recovery Group, and send in your signed Right of Entry form. Find the forms and other helpful info at http://www.ltwrc.org/page3.html. Send requests to info@ltwrc.org
ASK YOUR NEIGHBORS, CO-WORKERS, CHURCH GROUPS, ETC. TO VOLUNTEER
There’s plenty of work to do, and we’re trying to beat the deadline for free roadside debris pick-up on May 10. Volunteers need to:
- 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.
BOULDER COUNTY ENDS DEBRIS PICKUP MAY 21
The Daily Camera reported that Boulder County is ending debris pickup on May 21. More on the story at:
http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_25630993/boulder-county-flood-debris-
removal-ends-may-21.
AG GRANTS IN THE WORKS
Individuals and Ag businesses should check with NRCS and FSA to ensure they have reported property and livestock damage. Most of the sign up dates have expired, but they will still work with producers who have not reported.
LTWRC will be assisting the Colorado Department of Agriculture with workshops for interested producers for Ag Grants. The applications will be posted on our website as soon as they are available and will be due for the first round of funding some time in June. These grants will award from $15,000 to $150,000 to eligible producers and landowners. Anyone wanting to pursue a grant will be able to meet individually with District Reps or the Dept. of Ag Rep Lara Duran.
Keep tracking hours, activities, receipts and all expenses relating to flood repairs or clean up. This information will be critical to establishing grant amounts. Be meticulous and track every dollar. Each landowner will be able to input this information on the LTWRC website in a secure, anonymous system that only you and a few select District staff will be able to view.
BOULDER COUNTY FREE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
Boulder County residents can sign up for free emergency alerts via voice, email or text messages. To sign up for the service, go to the following url:
https://ww2.everbridge.net/citizen/EverbridgeGateway.action?body=home&gis_ali as_id=160781
If you questions regarding the service, call the Boulder County Sheriff at (303)-
441-3600.
WORKING WITH TETRA TECH
Our master planning consultants are already at work gathering information and walking the river. We’re all eager to know what they’re discovering and to tap their expertise and get started on our own properties, but …
For the good folks at Tetra Tech to be able to get anything done, it helps to have a single point of communication and a little bit of patience. The team is already conducting site visits, which are being scheduled with your neighborhood captains. If you have a question that just can’t wait until the next planning meeting, please contact Gordon and he’ll pass it along: gordon@bigthompson.org. You can also try to catch them as they walk the river in your area (contact your neighborhood captain, or check our Facebook page for news on when they’ll be in your area: www.facebook.com/groups/LTWRC).
WHO’S MY NEIGHBORHOOD CAPTAIN?
Solve that mystery, and many others, at http://ltwrc.org/coordinating.html
DONATIONS
The Big Thompson Conservation District (BTCD) is the sponsor of the the Little Thompson Watershed Restoration Coalition (LTWRC) and pays for all the ongoing costs of the LTWRC.
Since the BTCD operates on donations* (not taxes), we are asking your help in covering the costs of the LTWRC work to restore the Little Thompson River.
If you suffered a loss in the flood, we aren’t asking for monetary help from you. However, if you were fortunate enough to emerge from the flood unscathed, please help us out with a donation of any size. We have chosen the gofundme.com website to collect donations. Please click on the link below to access this secure payment site.
http://www.gofundme.com/83ah28
If you prefer to donate by check, please make the check payable to
“Big T CD/LTWRC Fund” and mail to:
Big Thompson Conservation District
P.O. Box 441
Berthoud, CO 80513
*The BTCD is an agency of the Colorado Department of Agriculture, not a non-profit agency. Donations aren’t tax deductible.
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/idpmctn70
64.pdf.
US FOREST SERVICE PUBLIC MEETING
The U.S. Forest Service has scheduled a public meeting in Lyons to discuss ongoing flood recovery efforts on National Forest System land. The meeting will be held
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 30 at Rogers Hall in Lyons.
Elsha Kirby, a spokeswoman for the Boulder Ranger District of the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests, says the forest landscape has changed dramatically since September’s floods. She says the meetings will address land access, natural resources recovery and what recreation areas are affected.
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. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LTWRC
