As wildfire conditions worsen across Southwest Colorado, the Dolores Watersheds Collaborative and partnering agencies are coordinating a “wildfire ready” action plan for the Upper Dolores River watershed.
The group has planned a series of meetings this summer to inform residents about the planning process while also gathering local input on community priorities.
The purpose of the plan is to understand potential hazards related to post-fire hydrology through modeling zones most at risk while designing next steps for mitigation projects before or after a major fire.
The initial string of meetings will be hosted from 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 27 at Rico Town Hall and from 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 28 at the Dolores Community Center. Another session is likely planned for August in Towaoc but has not been announced, according to Nina Williams, the coordinator with the Dolores Watersheds Collaborative.
The organizers said each meeting will cover the same information, and residents only need to attend one.
Dolores Watershed Collaborative has worked for over a year on the plan, presenting the idea initially during Dolores and Rico introductory sessions. Now, Williams said they are ready to present research on an analysis for where the local watershed and community assets are most at risk.
“The meetings next week are really to look at the results and introduce the planning phase, which is coming up next,” Williams said.
A second half-day workshop is planned at the Dolores Community Center on Aug. 1. The second workshop intends to discuss mitigation projects, while a third, on Sept. 9 in Dolores, reviews final results of the plan. Public comment is encouraged.
The Cameron Peak Fire that occurred in 2020 in northwest Colorado is often used as an example for post-fire flooding hazards. Wildfires can increase soil erosion or burn scars, becoming susceptible to excessive flooding or debris flows that pose harm to people. Cameron Peak post-fire flooding brought major damage to infrastructure, homes and roads.
According to state mapping, Montezuma County’s watershed becomes more at risk in northeastern areas along Colorado Highway 145, including in areas of Stoner Mesa and Haycamp Mesa.
The program is developed and funded through the Colorado Water Conservation Board. There are currently 24 plans being pursued across the state through local groups and the Water Conservation Board that reaches more than 13.4 million statewide acres.
Williams said planning locally is also funded, in part, through the LOR Foundation, Nature Conservancy, towns of Rico and Dolores, Dolores Water Conservancy District, the San Juan National Forest and the state’s Department of Public Health and Environment.
awatson@the-journal.com
