Fire and Water, the yin and yang which has existed for centuries, come together again when the community has an opportunity to understand and discuss the Fish Creek Critical Community Watershed Wildfire Protection Plan during a Community Open House on June 13.
“The active wildfire activity the past few summers clearly showcased this potential risk that a wildfire could impact our community’s drinking water supplies,” commented Water Resource Manager Kelly Romero-Heaney for the City of Steamboat Springs. “This meeting will shed light on the risks and how we protect this valuable resource.”
The project team would like to connect with residents and those who live, work and play within the Fish Creek Basin during the community session from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday, June 13 at the Steamboat Springs Community Center. At the meeting, current analysis results will be presented and input from local land and water users is being sought to help finalize the plan.
The City of Steamboat Springs and Mount Werner Water & Sanitation District received a Colorado Water Plan grant to develop a Critical Community Watershed Wildfire Protection Plan (CWP2) for the Fish Creek Basin. This plan looks before, during and after a wildfire to protect the critical drinking water supply and infrastructure as well as overall watershed health.
The Fish Creek Basin, a 26-square-mile heavily forested watershed area that sits primarily within the Medicine Bow Routt National Forest, provides most of the raw water for the city and district. Two reservoirs near the top of the watershed – Long Lake and Fish Creek Reservoirs – supply the direct diversion to a conventional filtration treatment plant near the city limits.
Ultimately, the assessment will produce a final plan and priority list of forest management and water quality projects designed to protect the municipal water supplies. In addition to the city and Mt. Werner Water, the project is being developed in conjunction with Routt County, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council, Colorado State Forest Service, US Forest Service, Anchorpoint, Respec and the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
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Contact
Kelly Romero-Heaney, City of Steamboat Springs, Water Resources Manager, 970.871.8205 or email
Frank Alfone, Mt. Werner Water, General Manager, 970.879.2424 or email