Reservoir Parks Master Plan Larimer County Department of Natural Resources 2017
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RESERVOIR PARKS MASTER PLAN LARIMER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2017 DECEMBER 2017 FINAL DRAFT 200 W. Oak Street Fort Collins, CO 80521 970.498.7000 larimer.org Cover photos clockwise from top: Jeff Andersen, Charlie Johnson, Walt Hubis, Harry Strharsky This page: Fishing at Flatiron Reservoir. Photo: Sue Burke ACKNOWLEDGMENTS COMMITTEES LARIMER COUNTY BOARD OF LARIMER COUNTY PARKS ADVISORY COMMISSIONERS BOARD Lew Gaiter III, District 1 Chris Klaas Steve Johnson, District 2 Mark DeGregorio Tom Donnelly, District 3 Stephanie Van Dyken Nick Clark TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Deborah Shulman Brian Werner, Northern Water Steve Ambrose Brad Wind, Northern Water Frank Gillespie Jim Struble, Northern Water Rob Harris Roy McBride, Colorado Parks and Wildlife John Gaffney Chad Morgan, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Ron Kainer Ty Petersburg, Colorado Parks and Wildlife John Tipton Larry Rogstad, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Russell Fruits Daniel Sprys, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Brian Little, Western Area Power Association Mark Sears, Fort Collins Natural Areas Department Todd Juergens, Larimer County Road and Bridge Matt Lafferty, Larimer County Planning Department John Manago, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office LARIMER COUNTY RESERVOIR PARKS MASTER PLAN DECEMBER 2017 FINAL DRAFT PLANNING TEAM LARIMER COUNTY - DEPARTMENT OF BUREAU OF RECLAMATION - EASTERN NATURAL RESOURCES COLORADO AREA OFFICE Todd Blomstrom, Public Works Director J. Signe Snortland, Area Manager Gary Buffington, Director Tony Curtis, Resource Division Chief Ken Brink, Project Manager / Visitor Services Laura Harger, Supervisory Natural Resource Manager Specialists Mark Caughlan, Horsetooth District Manager Pat McCusker, Project Manager / Natural Dan Rieves, Carter Lake District Manager Resource Specialist Meegan Flenniken, Resource Program Manager Teddy Parker-Renga, Community Relations CONSULTANT TEAM - LOGAN SIMPSON Specialist Bruce Meighen, Principal in Charge Chris Fleming, Big Thompson District Manager Tom Keith, Senior Advisor Steve Gibson, Red Mountain District Manager Jeremy Call, Project Manager Kristina Kachur, Assistant Project Manager Jana McKenzie, Landscape Architect Andy Veith, Landscape Designer Travis Bugg, Archaeologist, GIS Specialist Maria Michieli-Best, Layout Susan Sieger, Crossroads Consulting Services Seth Merrill, Web Developer, Liquid Designs, LLC STAKEHOLDER GROUPS CONTACTED FOR PARTICIPATION U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Larimer County Commissioners Carter Lake Marina Larimer County Horseman’s Association Carter Lake Marina Customers Larimer County Open Lands Advisory Board Carter Lake Sail Club and Members Larimer County Planning Commission Centennial Bass Club Loveland Open Lands Committee Colorado Mountain Club Mountain SUP Colorado Natural Heritage Program Northern Colorado Climbing Coalition Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Colorado State University Crew Team Overland Mountain Bike Club Colorado Walleye Association Quarter Horse Association FoCo Trails Advisory Group Reservoir neighbors Fort Collins Mountain Bike Association Stillwater Fishing Advocates Fort Collins Rowing Association, Inc. Team BOB (Babes on Bikes) Horsetooth Sail and Saddle Club / Horsetooth US Forest Service Recreation Corp. Inlet Bay Marina LARIMER COUNTY RESERVOIR PARKS MASTER PLAN DECEMBER 2017 FINAL DRAFT Horsetooth Reservoir Camping. Photo: Harry Strharsky TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1 Planning Process ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Public Events and Timeline ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Management Constraints ......................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2. FOUNDATION 11 Larimer County Department of Natural Resources’ Mission ............................................................................... 13 Bureau of Reclamation’s Mission .......................................................................................................................... 13 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................................................................. 15 National, State, and Local Trends .......................................................................................................................... 18 Summary of Public Input ........................................................................................................................................ 31 CHAPTER 3. A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE 41 Desired Visitor Experiences .................................................................................................................................... 42 Goals & Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 44 Existing Reservoir Parks ......................................................................................................................................... 49 Future Parks ............................................................................................................................................................ 73 CHAPTER 4. IMPLEMENTATION 81 Projects Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 82 Financial Context & Considerations ......................................................................................................................91 Funding Sources..................................................................................................................................................... 93 Summary of Findings & Recommendations......................................................................................................... 98 Potential Pricing Structure Options....................................................................................................................... 99 LARIMER COUNTY RESERVOIR PARKS MASTER PLAN DECEMBER 2017 FINAL DRAFT Junior Sailing at Carter Lake. Photo: Dana Chapman ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ABA Architectural Barriers Act MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act ADA Americans with Disabilities Act MOU Memorandum of Understanding Admin Building Natural Resources Administrative NEPA National Environmental Policy Act Offices NHPA National Historic Preservation Act ANS Aquatic Nuisance Species NISP Northern Integrated Supply ARC American Recreation Coalition Project ARPA Archeological Resources Protection Northern Water Northern Colorado Water Act of 1979 Conservancy District C-BT Project Colorado – Big Thompson Project NRHP National Register of Historic Places CIP Capital Improvement/Replacement PAB Larimer County Parks Advisory Plan Board CNAP Colorado Natural Areas Program PCA Potential Conservation Areas CNHP Colorado Natural Heritage PRPA Paleontological Resources Program Protection Act CPW Colorado Parks & Wildlife Reclamation U.S. Department of the Interior CR County Road Bureau of Reclamation CSFS Colorado State Forest Service RMP Resource Management Plan CSU Colorado State University SCORP Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan EA Environmental Assessment SHPO State Historic Preservation Officer ECAO Eastern Colorado Area Office USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers EO Executive Order USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service GOCO Great Outdoors Colorado IPaC Information for Planning and Conservation Larimer County Larimer County Department of Natural Resources LARIMER COUNTY RESERVOIR PARKS MASTER PLAN DECEMBER 2017 FINAL DRAFT Sailing on Carter Lake. Photo: Larimer County Natural Resources CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION For more than 70 years, Larimer County in northern Colorado has served as a regional provider of natural resource-based recreation. In the early 1950s four reservoirs were built, Horsetooth Reservoir, Carter Lake, Pinewood Reservoir, and Flatiron Reservoir, as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT Project). Larimer County under an agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has managed recreation at these sites since 1954. Approximately one million people visit the reservoirs every year, a number expected to grow faster than population growth. These visitors bring tourism and economic opportunities to businesses throughout the county along with sales tax revenues. The beauty and naturalness of the reservoirs enhance an already enviable sense of place, attract regional employers, and support high property values. These benefits do not come by chance but through careful stewardship, deliberate partnerships, and thoughtful planning. This master plan takes a county-wide look at current and future issues, needs, and opportunities facing Larimer County. It is the result of a joint planning process that focuses on the four Reclamation reservoirs - the original core of the County’s recreation program. Given the important role the four reservoirs play in meeting the needs of Larimer County residents as well as other visitors to the area, the four reservoirs receive a substantial degree of emphasis in this master plan. Some of the master plan content is derived from the Resource Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (RMP/EA)