FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    October 30, 2014     Contact: Stacey Proctor, 303-441-1107

Left Hand Creek Draft Master Plan available for public review and comment

Members of the public are encouraged to provide input on the draft recovery and restoration projects by Nov. 3

Boulder County, Colo. – AMEC Environment and Infrastructure, the Left Hand Creek Coalition’s master plan consultant team, has released the draft master plan for flood recovery and restoration projects for the Left Hand Creek Watershed. The draft plan is available online and the public is encouraged to provide input on the draft recovery and restoration projects. Two community meetings were held to gather input from the public on the draft plan.

The draft report includes:

• Ecological Assessment:  Evaluation of the overall condition of streams, riparian zones, and in-stream habitat.  Recommendations from this assessment are focused on strategies to re-establish or improve the ecosystem throughout the channel corridor.
• Geomorphic Assessment: Evaluation of the physical characteristics of the channel and how the channel has changed shape over time.  Recommendations from this assessment provide guidance on where the channel should be placed and how it should be shaped for long-term stability.
• Project Recommendations: The draft plan includes a description of recommended projects throughout the watershed. Projects were identified to reduce flood risk while sustaining the values of watershed stakeholders.

Comments on the draft master plan will be accepted until November 3, 2014. The final plan will be released in mid-November.

“The Left Hand Creek Draft Master Plan identifies 48 recommended projects that, when implemented, will help restore the Left Hand Creek Watershed,” said Luke Swan, the Left Hand Creek Watershed Master Plan Project Manager, for AMEC. “We are eager to hear feedback from the public on the Left Hand Creek Draft Master Plan. We will then incorporate the input into the final Plan.”

As the master plan nears completion, conversations have begun to discuss post-master plan coordination and project implementation with local agencies, landowners, and stakeholders. Project implementation will be dependent upon securing funding for projects.

“The completion of the master plan will be a big step forward for the recovery of Left Hand Creek. But there is much work to be done to implement the projects identified in the master plan,” said Julie McKay, Boulder County Creek Planning Program Manager. “Long-term recovery of Left Hand Creek depends on participation from landowners, residents, and other stakeholders.”

The Left Hand Creek Coalition is overseeing the development of the Left Hand Creek Master Plan. The Left Hand Creek Coalition members are government and local agencies that operate in the watershed, including the Left Hand Watershed Oversight Group and the James Creek Watershed Initiative.

Similar master planning efforts are underway for many other watersheds in Boulder County, including St. Vrain Creek, the Little Thompson River, and Fourmile Creek. For more information on any of the master plans, please visit: http://lefthandcreekmasterplan.com/ or contact Stacey Proctor, Communications Specialist at 303-441-1107 orsproctor@nullbouldercounty.org.

–BoulderCounty.org–