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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 10/26/2021 - Memorandum From Mark Kempton Re: 2021 3Rd Quarter - Post-Fire Water Status Update (Cameron Peak Fire)M E M O R A N D U M DATE: October 21, 2021 TO: Mayor Arndt and Councilmembers FROM: Mark Kempton, Interim Utilities Deputy Director THROUGH: Kelly DiMartino, Interim City Manager Kyle Stannert, Deputy City Manager Theresa Connor, Interim Utilities Executive Director RE: 2021 3rd quarter - Post-Fire Water Status Update Bottom Line: In response to the Cameron Peak Fire, Fort Collins Utilities continues to coordinate water infrastructure, water supply, water quality, and post-fire watershed recovery strategies to ensure a holistic and thoughtful approach to best serve our community's water needs. Some key updates include: To date in 2021, the City’s Water Treatment Facility has been off of the Poudre River due to the Cameron Peak Fire for a total of 56 days, relying solely on Horsetooth Reservoir during these times. Thirty-nine (39) of those days occurred since July, with 22 of those days due directly to the Black Hollow flood event on July 19. In a normal year, the number of days off the river is typically zero to 1 days for the summer months. Water Production staff continue to demonstrate expertise and agility in handling these types of events, and there have been no impacts to our finished drinking water quality. As of Sept.10, aerial mulching operations in the Poudre Watershed are complete for 2021. In total, the regional team of partners mulched just over 5,000 high priority acres of primarily United States Forest Service lands. For the remainder of the fall, the partners will focus on the implementation of eight different hillslope and stream restoration projects to reduce impacts of post-fire sediment erosion and improve water quality. Planning for spring and summer 2022 will be convened during the winter months. Funding sources to date include approximately $25,200,000 from: o Federal - $9,600,000 o State - $12,300,000 o Local - $3,300,000 Sediment removal and stream flow redirection work will take place this coming winter at the City’s Poudre River water intake to prevent current and future river sediment from impacting our water supplies. Through continued coordination with our federal and state delegates, we are optimistic for an Agriculture Committee portion of the Budget Reconciliation bill, that includes $275 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to help communities address damages to infrastructure caused by natural disasters, including floods and fires that impair watersheds. The voluntary Water Shortage Watch ended on Oct. 1, 2021, pursuant to Fort Collins City Code Section 26-167(a) and the Water Shortage Action Plan (WSAP), due to improving water resource conditions and less demand on water supplies with irrigation season ending. In spring 2022, staff will evaluate water availability and the potential for a water shortage next year. Please see Attachment A for funding and cost details. Attachment B provides a watershed recovery timeline. Please continue to visit the Fort Collins Utilities Water Status website (fcgov.com/water-status) for the most up to date information. CC: Liesel Hans, Interim Utilities Deputy Director Gretchen Stanford, Interim Utilities Deputy Director, Customer Connections Jill Oropeza, Director Water Quality Services Donnie Dustin, Utilities Water Resources Manager Mariel Miller, Water Conservation Specialist City of Fort Collins Water Commission Attachment A Watershed and Water Treatment Costs and Funding Graphic Attachment B Watershed Recovery Timeline