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Note: see
Glossary for definition of terms.
What is involved in
a watershed plan?
What exactly is this
project about?
Why do we call this a “planning process” and not a “plan”?
Has something like this watershed planning process already been done
in Colorado?
What makes this
project innovative?
How
do I know if I am a potentially affected interest?
Who is involved
in this planning process?
How is
the public involved in the planning process?
How can I get involved?
How will this process
affect me?
How can you start the planning process without completing the
background research first?
What
is the schedule and when will this be complete?
How much is all this
going to cost?
What is
the final goal of the planning process?
How will you
accomplish your final goal?
How
will you implement recommendations of the plan?
Who will implement the recommendations of this planning process?
How
will the planning process impact the environment?
How will you address concerns from potentially affected interests?
What
geographical area does this plan include?
What obstacles or potentially controversial issues might the process
encounter?
How was the
trans-basin issue addressed?
What is the planning process going to do about sources of nutrient
inputs on the mainstem of the Big Thompson River?
What is involved
in a watershed plan?
Main aspects of a watershed plan in Colorado are prioritizing
issues and identifying goals to promote effective water quality
management strategies in the watershed.
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What exactly is
this project about?
This two-year watershed planning process will evaluate the water
quality impacts of nutrients in the Big Thompson Watershed and
identify management strategies to reduce or eliminate those negative
impacts.
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Why do we call this a “planning process” and not a “plan”?
Unlike a plan that is often used as a means to an end, this project
consists of a water quality management planning process that draws
upon input from potentially affected interests and local resources
and evolves as needs change. The planning process is being developed
iteratively and is well documented so that it is transferable and
can be applied again to address other water quality issues.
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Has something like this watershed planning process already been
done in Colorado?
Similar efforts have been completed in Colorado, but to our
knowledge, this type of innovative planning process which emphasizes
the involvement and participation of potentially affected interests
has not.
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What makes this
project innovative?
Several aspects of this project are innovative. First, the
geographic scale of the project deals with the entire watershed, not
just a subwatershed, and also considers water quality impacts from
west slope water sources. Second, the planning process is a
collaborative process made up of various potentially affected
interests (PAIs) with diverse water interests. Some of the PAIs are
project team members who have made a two-year commitment to the
planning process by attending monthly meetings and leading
subcommittees. Culled from the Big Thompson Watershed Forum’s
membership database, over 450 additional PAIs were initially asked
to participate in the planning process and to choose their level of
participation, ranging from offering input in public meetings to
actively participating on a subcommittee and performing project work
such as research or generating draft materials. Third, this planning
process is a pilot program that can be repeated with other priority
contaminants.
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How do I know if I am a potentially affected interest?
A potentially affected interest is any individual, group, agency,
business, etc. that could affect or be affected by the quality of
water in the Big Thompson Watershed.
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Who is
involved in this planning process?
The Big Thompson Watershed Forum is the lead agency, providing staff
time and managing the services of Brown and Caldwell, an
environmental engineering consulting firm. The other main groups
involved are the Project Team and subcommittees, who have made a
commitment to carrying out the planning process. These groups
include land use and regulatory agencies, utilities and other
potentially affected interests.
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How
is the public involved in the planning process?
Members of the general public, including members of the Big Thompson
Watershed Forum (Forum), are invited to participate in this planning
process and can choose their level of participation, ranging from
offering input in public meetings to actively participating on a
subcommittee and performing project work such as research or
generating draft materials. For more information, you can contact
the Forum at 970-613-6160.
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How can I get involved?
You can learn about the process on the Big Thompson Watershed
Forum’s (Forum) website at www.btwatershed.org/programs.htm or
contact the Forum at 970-613-6160. You can choose your level of
participation, ranging from offering input in public meetings to
actively participating on a subcommittee and performing project work
such as research or generating draft materials. You can get involved
at any time during or even after the two-year Project timeframe –
this is an ongoing process.
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How will this process
affect me?
The intent of this planning process is to positively impact water
quality using a holistic approach. In such an approach, we hope to
affect individuals, groups, agencies, or businesses that live, work
and recreate in the watershed through education and information,
resulting in strategies to improve water quality.
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How can you start the planning process without completing the
background research first?
Doing the background research happens concurrently with the planning
process, and is something the Project Team and subcommittees will be
involved in as part of the collaborative approach.
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What is the schedule and when will this be complete?
The two-year planning process began in November 2004 and the goal is
to complete the Big Thompson Watershed Water Quality Management Plan
(Plan) by September 2006. Routine progress reports will be posted on
the Big Thompson Watershed Forum’s website at www.btwatershed.org/programs.htm.
In addition, portions of the Plan will be continually updated to
meet changing needs and conditions.
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How much is all
this going to cost?
The entire two-year planning process will cost approximately
$100,000. This money comes primarily from EPA funds set aside
specifically for nonpoint source water quality improvement, and was
awarded to the Big Thompson Watershed Forum through a competitive
grant process. A portion of the funds ($10,000) was awarded in a
similar fashion from the CO Watershed Protection Fund – which is
funded by tax check-off dollars.
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What is
the final goal of the planning process?
The final goal of the planning process is to recommend potential
management and protection strategies in the Big Thompson Watershed
Water Quality Management Plan (Plan). The Plan will consist of
measures that promote effective management strategies to reduce or
eliminate the negative water quality impacts of nutrients in the Big
Thompson Watershed. This dynamic web-based plan will be regularly
updated and applicable to changing needs and conditions.
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How will you
accomplish your final goal?
We hope to achieve our final goal by working with potentially
affected interests to create and carry out a detailed scope of work,
and by iteratively developing the components of the final product,
the Big Thompson Watershed Water Quality Management Plan. Through
this process, water quality data and information collected by the
Big Thompson Watershed Forum (Forum) and others will be organized
for easy access, teams of interested experts will be engaged to
provide on-going guidance, and the Forum’s website will be designed
and maintained to provide all members of the community with
up-to-date and relevant water quality information.
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How
will you implement recommendations of the plan?
The Big Thompson Watershed Forum is not an enforcement agency. The
word “management” in the Big Thompson Watershed Water Quality
Management Plan refers to water quality management through the
implementation of recommendations. Recommendations will be
implemented by providing education, information and guidance for
water and land use regulatory agencies and potentially affected
interests to work together more effectively to reduce or eliminate
the negative water quality impacts of nutrients in the Big Thompson
Watershed.
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Who will implement the recommendations of this planning process?
The Big Thompson Watershed Forum will encourage and support the
appropriate regulatory or volunteer organization of potentially
affected interests to implement the recommendations from the Big
Thompson Watershed Water Quality Management Plan.
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How will the planning process impact the environment?
By implementing the recommendations of the Big Thompson Watershed
Water Quality Management Plan, the environment can be positively
impacted by fostering healthy waterways and increased quality of
life. Healthy waterways and clean water are essential for providing
drinking water and supporting recreation, agriculture and aquatic
life. The quality of life in our community is directly linked to the
condition of our watershed and the quality of our waters.
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How will you address concerns from potentially affected
interests?
By maintaining an objective, scientific approach and inviting
potentially affected interests to be involved and express their
comments and concerns during the process from the earliest stages,
the Project hopes to address concerns as they arise.
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What
geographical area does this plan include?
The geographical area included in this plan covers the Big Thompson
Watershed and Horsetooth Reservoir. This area runs from the
continental divide on the west to the South Platte river on the
east. The north boundary is the divide between the Big Thompson
river and the Cache la Poudre river, and to the south the boundary
is the divide between the Big Thompson and the St. Vrain rivers.
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What obstacles or potentially controversial issues might the
process encounter?
One such issue might be the trans-basin issue. The Big Thompson
Watershed Forum (Forum) has made successful efforts to coordinate
with potentially affected interests (PAIs) on the east and west
slopes of the continental divide. By facilitating the active
involvement of PAIs throughout the watershed, the Forum hopes to
address additional potentially controversial issues as they arise.
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How was the
trans-basin issue addressed?
Potentially affected interests (PAIs) from both the east and west
slopes of the continental divide were involved from the beginning of
this planning process. Throughout the planning process, the Big
Thompson Watershed Forum will make continual efforts to coordinate
with PAIs on the east and west slopes. PAIs from the west slope
serve on the Project Team and provide critical input and feedback.
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What is the planning process going to do about sources of
nutrient inputs on the mainstem of the Big Thompson River?
Nutrients are the focus of this planning process. The end result of
the process, the Big Thompson Watershed Water Quality Management
Plan, will provide education, information and guidance to those
individuals, groups, agencies, or businesses that live, work and
recreate in the watershed to work together more effectively in
reducing or eliminating the negative water quality impacts of
nutrients in the Big Thompson Watershed.
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