Posted on: April 3rd, 2012

 Notes by Gretchen Diefenderfer

Garry Sanfacon, Fourmile Recovery Coordinator, Claire DeLeo, who is in charge of the mulching and seeding operations, Brett Haberstick, Sunshine Chief, Brett Gibson, Fourmile Chief, Phil West of the Sheriff’s Dept., Andy Reed County Transportation, Mike Chard of OEM, Michelle Krezek from the County Commissioners office, Jennifer Kesler, Bryan Burr of Mountain West Helicopters, and Josh Milner from Western States Reclamation (subcontractor to Mountain West Helicopters; handling the mulch and coordinating the trucking of mulch) (and I’m sure I’ve left someone or 2 out) and I were all there.

 

Garry and Michelle have visited Jeffco to report on our Recovery efforts and they have already appointed a recovery coordinator.

Claire reports that the straw has been delivered to the staging area and 2 trucks are transporting the shredded wood from out west of Gold Hill to the staging area down Sunshine, making 3 rounds per day, weekdays only and not right at the times the GH School is beginning and ending. Addendum, because of the weather they have for permission to run some truck trips this Saturday. I relayed thanks from Amy Hardy for the good communication and working relationship between the trucking people and Gold Hill. It’s estimated that there will be 60 loads total.  They will be placing digital signs when the aerial seeding and mulching begins – probably down Sunshine and Fourmile – and requested input on exactly where they should go.

They have a 1,000 gal. hydromulcher at the staging area for fire prevention and will get a second one when the copters are flying.

The seed is 30% Triticale, an annual, and 70% slender wheat grass, a native perennial.  The only seed last year was some wheat, which was in the weed-free straw.  They are targeting areas that are not recovering, particularly Ingram Gulch, and hope the shredded wood will stay in place better than the straw.

Bryan Burr of Mountain West Helicopters, reports that they will only be flying one helicopter, the little green one, which will cross the Gold Run road near Summerville, as well as flying around Sunshine near Ingram Gulch.   People in orange vests will be posted above and below where the copter will fly.  They probably won’t have to stop traffic, but request that people not stop between the guards or on blind corners to watch or take pictures.  They estimate they will start flying on April 10^th  – seeding the first day – and anticipate 2 weeks, weather and wind permitting.

There will be a major tree planting effort, 750 trees, by the lawyers group that did it last year, in Ingram Gulch on Saturday, April 21, after the mulching.

Bryan added that there will be at least one fuel delivery up Sunshine for the helicopter.  There will be a pilot car ahead of it with flashing lights, and they ask that people pull off to the side of the road to make room for the fuel truck if the driver of the pilot truck waves them down. Fuel deliveries will be in the middle of the day, when traffic is typically low.

Garry reported that they are installing a rain gauge, which should give approx. 15 minute advance warning of rising water levels near the Anne U. White trail.  They are also working on a comprehensive approach to clearing the debris there.  The County only owns the beginning and end (it’s private property in the middle) and they are working with the private property owners on the debris issue to prevent flow into the creek.

Mike Chard, OEM, reported that this hot, dry March has created even more hydrophobic conditions – the hard soil creates worse run-off problems.  Also the Fire Danger has been, and is predicted to be, very bad.  Bret Gibson says that the attention to the shooting areas in Lefthand has created an increase in shooting in Fourmile, with the added fear of causing fires. Transportation has 12 check dams (Jersey Barriers) available The deal is that people have to be willing to pick them up and install them with a sign-off from their fire departments and Brett Haberstick expressed some concern regarding liability issues.  Bret Gibson and his department have walked their drainage and need some help with waste disposal.  They have funding for 2-3 weeks of crews cutting and chipping, but need help hauling the debris off. There is discussion of potentially moving money to debris removal versus check dams.

Flood Insurance: Garry will shoot out a list of people who have had good experiences with insurance companies and we can request input from our neighbors to try to compile a list.  Some companies just don’t have any information about flood insurance.

 

Sandbags: Transportation has 5,000 ready to go.  They will be deployed the 2^nd or 3^rd week in April.  They will degrade if fully exposed in the sun, so they need to be covered.

 

Bridges and culverts:  Transportation has been studying the issue, installing larger culverts, etc.  Private access issues are a problem – bridges/culverts are not insurable and Bret estimates there are 35-45 in Fourmile that could get wiped out in a 5 year event or even less. FEMA requirements for replacement are hugely expensive.   Garry will see about convening a County meeting to address the ramifications of an abnormal event and the possibility for some kind of variance process.