Summit County Citizens Voice

Local officials want more disclosure on Denver Water plans to increase diversions from the Blue River Basin.

Public forum set to discuss how Summit County could be affected, including Blue River flows and marina operations

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Local officials say a Denver Water plan to take more water out of the Blue River Basin could hurt the Gold Medal trout fishery below Dillon Dam and cut into the boating season at the Frisco Marina and on the lower Blue River.

The proposal to draw more water from Dillon Reservoir through the Robert Tunnel is part of Denver Water’s Moffat Tunnel collection system expansion. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently reviewing a draft environmental study for the project.

With a public comment period about to end, the Blue River Watershed Group has organized a March 9 public forum to create more public awareness about the project’s potential impacts to the Blue River Basin.

Denver Water planning director Dave Little said the draft study did not identify significant Summit County impacts.

“We have been working with interest groups and local agencies … to provide significant environmental enhancements for the communities affected by the project,” said Little. There are no line-item mitigation measures specified to address potential Summit County impacts, but that doesn’t mean those impacts will be ignored, he said.

But some local stakeholders say the plan could decrease the number of days with adequate flows for rafting on the Lower Blue and shorten the season for the Frisco Marina, with socio-economic impacts that haven’t been adequately disclosed in the draft study.

Cutting Blue River flows below the dam in the spring would also weaken needed spring flushing flows that clear sand and mud off the river bottom and help recharge wetlands in the riparian corridor.

Before Denver Water can mitigate impacts, they need to be spelled out, said John Hagan, volunteer outreach coordinator for the watershed group. The draft study falls far short of adequately identifying those impacts, he said.

The public forum is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Summit Community and Senior Center at the County Commons. Travis Bray will speak for Denver Water as the project manager, followed by Grand County commissioner James Newberry Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County Commissioner, Ray Tenney, Colorado River Conservation District, Zach Margolis, Silverthorne, Eric Holgerson and Trevor Giles, with the town of Dillon and Campy Campton, of Kodi Rafting. Trout Unlimted may also send a speaker.

Filed under: Environment, rivers, Summit County Colorado, wetlands Tagged: | Blue River, Colorado, Colorado water, conservation, Denver Water, Dillon Reservoir, Environment, lower blue, rivers, Summit County News, water