Home
News
Dear Editor:
The State of the Roaring Fork Watershed Report was recently released by the Ruedi Water and Power Authority and the Roaring Fork Conservancy. This report is Phase I of the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan and discusses the health of the Roaring Fork watershed in terms of water quantity and quality and its water dependent ecosystems. The bottom line for the Aspen area is that the Roaring Fork River is in bad shape. Because we want to live in this beautiful valley, we have diverted water, removed native vegetation and riparian habitat and built hard surfaces that make it easier for pollutants to reach the river.
The second Phase of the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan is to organize interested stakeholders to develop objectives and recommendations for future (and better) management of the watershed. We at the city of Aspen want the public to know that we are aware of the state of our watershed, are involved in Phase II of the watershed plan and are already working toward mitigating, reducing and preventing the impacts of development through the Clean River Initiative, the city’s stormwater management program. Stormwater management includes the management of snow melt as well as runoff that results from rain events.
Activities or projects currently in place include:
• Constructed wetlands (like Jennie Adair);
• Pollution prevention on construction sites;
• Revision to drainage design standards to encourage greener designs, less hard surface areas and permanent treatment for stormwater pollutants;
• Revision of city facilities and operations for additional areas of pollution prevention.
If you would like to read the full report, visit www.roaringfork.org, or for more information about what the City of Aspen is doing about our watershed, call 429-2781.
April Barker
city of Aspen stormwater manager
The State of the Roaring Fork Watershed Report was recently released by the Ruedi Water and Power Authority and the Roaring Fork Conservancy. This report is Phase I of the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan and discusses the health of the Roaring Fork watershed in terms of water quantity and quality and its water dependent ecosystems. The bottom line for the Aspen area is that the Roaring Fork River is in bad shape. Because we want to live in this beautiful valley, we have diverted water, removed native vegetation and riparian habitat and built hard surfaces that make it easier for pollutants to reach the river.
The second Phase of the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan is to organize interested stakeholders to develop objectives and recommendations for future (and better) management of the watershed. We at the city of Aspen want the public to know that we are aware of the state of our watershed, are involved in Phase II of the watershed plan and are already working toward mitigating, reducing and preventing the impacts of development through the Clean River Initiative, the city’s stormwater management program. Stormwater management includes the management of snow melt as well as runoff that results from rain events.
Activities or projects currently in place include:
• Constructed wetlands (like Jennie Adair);
• Pollution prevention on construction sites;
• Revision to drainage design standards to encourage greener designs, less hard surface areas and permanent treatment for stormwater pollutants;
• Revision of city facilities and operations for additional areas of pollution prevention.
If you would like to read the full report, visit www.roaringfork.org, or for more information about what the City of Aspen is doing about our watershed, call 429-2781.
April Barker
city of Aspen stormwater manager
