LITTLE THOMPSON WATERSHED RESTORATION COALITION (LTWRC) JOURNAL—Issue 11, May 1, 2014
NOTES FROM YOUR FRIENDLY I.T. GEEK (GORDON):
Some of you may not have received the newsletter last week as I’m trying to migrate us to a new system that automates the newsletter e-mailing process. Bear with me as I work with the new software. It may require that you add a new “safe sender” to your email software. Remember that all issues of the newsletter are available at www.ltwrc.org.
The instructions for loading your recovery hours and expenses into the database is still in the works. Unfortunately, I had to pay some extra attention to my day job this week and am running behind. Look for your instructions to arrive early next week.
FREE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR FLOOD RESIDENTS, LARIMER COUNTY
GoodHealthwill.org received a grant from the Community Foundation of
Northern Colorado to provide FREE medical equipment, healthcare supplies, and home safety items to residents of Larimer County affected by the
flooding. Call 970-624-6002 or stop by Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm, 2003
- W. 8th St, Loveland, CO 80537. Email them at info@goodhealthworg www.goodhealthwill.org
Example of available items: bathroom equipment/supplies, diabetic supplies, respiratory equipment and supplies, specialized clothing and shoes, wound care, wheelchairs, IV infusion, humidifiers, formulas and feeding items, etc. They welcome you to stop in and look around for what you need. No referral required.
VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE
Last Saturday’s push in the Blue Mountain neighborhood made a significant dent in the overwhelming piles of debris along the river and gave the
residents hope that we’ll be able to restore the Little T to a more stable and
beautiful condition in time.
We’ll continue working neighborhood by neighborhood through this first phase of the cleanup effort.
Next Volunteer Workday: Saturday, May 3, in Berthoud Neighborhood
(Larimer County)
The cleanup will be along the Little Thompson on West County Road 4 between County Road 21 and Hwy 287. The sign-in location is at Marie & Tom Emmett’s place at 2036 West County Road 4, from 8:30am to 9:00am, and we will work from 9:00am to 4:00pm. For anyone who’d like to help please bring leather work gloves, work boots, your lunch, and any of the
following tools if you have them: shovels, pick axes, long pry bars. We have the truck and trailer, but we NEED A DRIVER!
WE NEED TRAILERS! If anyone has a trailer to move debris from the cleanup sites to the pickup zone, it would be greatly appreciated and we will reimburse you for gas. Further questions contact Julie Stapp 303-478-6904
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 towards that 25%. 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.
LTWRC has developed a simple, easy-to-use tool for tracking your hours and expenses. It keeps your personal information secure and private. We will offer on-line training to help you sort this out and make it work for all of us. Please fill in all your time and expenses since the flood to date, and keep filling it in as you accrue more. If you worked on another person’s property, or had volunteers work on your property, the work is to be logged onto that property.
You will receive a personalized email any day now that gives instructions on how to access and update the system. The email contains your unique access code for using the system.
GETTING HELP
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.
Also, send requests to info@ltwrc.org and check in with your neighborhood captain. They are:
Main Stem: TBD
Big Elk Meadows: Kevin Sweeney & Jerry Fearn
Pinewood Springs: Steve Fitzgerald
Blue Mountain: Deirdre Daly, 303-823-5307 d2daly@yahoo.com
Boulder County: Terry Parrish & Fran Goss
Berthoud: CR23 TO CLR: Julia Stapp & Brad Clark
Berthoud: CLR TO I25: Kevin McCarty
Johnstown: Norma Stremme
Milliken: Ron Blackmer
Find their emails and phone numbers: http://ltwrc.org/contacts.html
ASK NEIGHBORS, CO-WORKERS, CHURCH GROUPS TO VOLUNTEER There’s plenty of work to do, and we’re trying to beat the deadlines for free roadside debris pick-up on May 10 in Larimer County and May 21 in Boulder County. 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!
- Safety glasses provided but bring your own if you have any, please.
ABOUT THOSE DEBRIS PILES IN LARIMER COUNTY
After volunteer workdays, piles by a public County road waiting for pick-up are like a monument to all your suffering and hard work since the flood. If
you’re tempted to make those mountains a little bigger before they get
hauled away, please follow the guidelines. Sort them into piles of woody debris, metal, and construction/demolition material. Leave only flood-related debris. Your household trash is not eligible for the FEMA-funded pick-up, and tossing it on these piles could result in the whole mess being disqualified.
Details: http://larimer.org/flooding2013/?page=cleanup-debris#program
For additional flood debris to be placed by May 10 on a public Larimer County road, you must call in advance to schedule a pick-up: 970-498-7300.
We are expecting the pile you see on 37E to be gone by the time you receive this. The County says they are behind in that pick-up. It was supposed to be on April 28 and we’ve been promised it will happen soon.
TRUCK DRIVERS NEEDED
We have an opportunity to get a large quantity of rock and fill material from the Colorado Department of Transportation, from a roadwork project that is a short distance from the Little Thompson River near Lyons. This is an area that suffered severe erosion, and the fill material is desperately needed to stabilize the river and protect existing homes.
The material is free, but we have to haul it 4 to 5 miles. The Busters (of Lyons Sandstone) have generously offered the use of one of their 10-wheel trucks, but we need drivers who can take shifts. A commercial drivers license is not a requirement, but you should have experience driving similar vehicles.
Remember when you used to play with toy trucks in the sandbox, and dreamed of driving one for real? If you want to relive those fantasies, or you just want to help, please contact Denise@footprintz.net for details.
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 sometime 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.
CDBG-DR FUNDS THROUGH DOLA
Remember way back in January when we told you about the $62.8 million in funds Colorado received from HUD for flood recovery? We urged you to go to the public hearings and/or submit written comments? Well, the funds are here and applications are being taken.
SEEKING HELP FOR GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
LTWRC is putting a group of volunteers together immediately to work with the Big Thompson Conservation District Manager on how best to apply for
these funds. Only specific entities are eligible to apply (schools districts,
counties, special districts and local government units). BTCD is eligible. To help, call or email Bill Zawacki, BTCD Manager: 970-290-6455 or email
bill@bigthompson.org
A majority of funds will go to the most impacted counties: Boulder, Larimer and Weld. Programs focus on housing, public infrastructure, long-term planning, economic development and, as stipulated by the grant, 50 percent of the funds will be distributed to low- and moderate-income households.
Applications for the funds will be available Friday, May 2, online at:
http://dola.colorado.gov/cdbg-dr/
The State will work with all applicants to release funds as soon as possible.
|
Program |
Eligible applicants |
Amount available |
|
Household Assistance Programs |
||
| Temporary Rental Assistance and Relocation | Local governments, non-profits and housing authorities with experience in administering affordable housing programs |
Local governments may receive up to $1 million with the ability to award up to $20,000 per household. |
| Housing Purchase (Down Payment Assistance) | Local governments, non-profits and housing authorities with experience in administering affordable housing programs | Local governments may receive up to
$500,000 with the ability to award up to $50,000 per household. |
| Housing Repairs (Single Family Rehabilitation) | Local governments, non-profits and housing authorities with experience in administering affordable housing programs |
Local governments may receive up to $4 million with the ability to award up to $50,000 per household. |
| Clearance and
Demolition |
Local governments or their designated non-profits or housing authorities | Local governments may receive up to
$500,000 for the removal of slum and blight. |
|
Housing New Construction Programs |
||
| Single Family Housing New Construction | Sub-grantees may include units of general local government, non- profit and for-profit developers, and housing authorities, with experience in affordable housing development/ programs, an existing network, and capacity | Projects may receive up to $4 million with the ability to award up to $50,000 per household. |
| Multifamily Rental Housing New Construction | Sub-grantees may include units of general local government, non- profit and for-profit developers, and housing authorities, with experience in affordable housing development/ programs, an existing network, and capacity | Projects may receive up to $4 million with the ability to award up to $50,000 per household. |
|
Recover Colorado Business Grant and Loan Program |
Small businesses, non-profits and units of government | $9 million is available for grants and loans to small businesses. Up to $10,000 is available in grants for those with a single damaged location and up to $25,000 for multiple locations depending on the amount of their loss. Additionally, loans are available up to an additional $50,000. |
|
Agriculture Grant Program |
Farmers, ranchers, and producers that are registered with the Secretary of State |
$4.5 million is available for awards that range from a minimum $15,000 to maximum $150,000 per project. |
|
Recover Colorado Infrastructure Grant Program |
Local governments within the 18 counties included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration including municipalities, counties, special districts, school districts and other political subdivisions of the state. | $19.5 million has been allocated for this program with maximum project awards of $5 million. |
|
Resiliency Visioning & Strategic Planning |
Local governments | $1 million has been set aside with a maximum award of $100,000 for projects. |
See the approved CDBG-DR Action Plan on the Dept. of Local Affairs website:
http://dola.colorado.gov/cdbg-dr/
ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO COME
In a separate announcement recently, HUD Secretary Donovan announced Colorado will receive an additional $199 million in CDBG-DR funds. In compliance with federal guidelines, a separate Action Plan will be prepared to address this second allocation and will include a public comment period. The allocation of funds of $199 million have not yet been recorded in the Federal Register. Once the grant is recorded, the process for allocating the funds can begin.
FREE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEMS
Sign up for free emergency alerts via voice, email or text messages:
Boulder County: https://ww2.everbridge.net/citizen/EverbridgeGateway.action?body=home&g is_alias_id=160781
Questions? Boulder Emergency Alert Program 303-651-8550
Larimer County:
https://ww2.everbridge.net/citizen/inputLogin.action?gis_alias_id=160721
Questions? Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority 970-962-2170
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).
DONATIONS
The Big Thompson Conservation District (BTCD) is the sponsor of the Little Thompson Watershed Restoration Coalition (LTWRC) and has been paying 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. Willows and cottonwoods are some of the easiest trees and shrubs to propagate in a
riparian environment. After debris cleanup and runoff preparedness, protecting vulnerable banks will be an important task for recovery.
If you have a willow or cottonwood surplus and wouldn’t mind offering to those who need them, please contact Denise@footprintz.net. She’ll keep a list of who has plants and who needs them, and match you up.
Yes, even coyote willows. These can be planted right at the water’s edge and provide excellent protection for trees further back.
An excellent article on how it’s done: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/idpm ctn7064.pdf.
GO TO THE WEBSITE: www.ltwrc.org
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LTWRC
