CPW warns of the dangers present on Colorado’s rivers, streams and lakes

#Colorado

Vail Daily

Following a strong winter and wet spring that overloaded the mountain snowpack, the statewide levels on Thursday were 625 percent above the median. That can entice and excite whitewater enthusiasts, but Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Jefferson County Open Space and the Poudre Fire Authority warn of the dangers that will be present this summer on Colorado’s rivers, streams and lakes.

It is not just the experienced whitewater kayaker that needs to be wary, the dangers of high water levels and swift-moving rapids extend to river rafters, tubers, anglers, swimmers as well as families who picnic by the water.

“You should always wear a life vest, paddle with a buddy, know your limitations and scout rapids prior to floating them,” said Grant Brown, boating safety program manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

River water exerts a very powerful and constant force against any fixed object. Just six inches of water can knock a person off their feet. Water flowing at seven miles per hour has the equivalent force per unit area as air blowing above 200 miles per hour.

If you are swept off your feet or tossed out of your tube, kayak or raft, you could be traveling down river for a long time. Respect how cold that water will be. If you fall into that cold water, it doesn’t take long to get yourself into serious trouble. 

Eric Krause, a ranger and visitor relations coordinator with Jefferson County Open Space, issues permits with river rafting companies along Clear Creek. Clear Creek is likely the most dangerous river in the Northeast section of the state. It sees heavy traffic due to its proximity to the metro area and is very narrow and filled with big rocks.

“It takes remarkably little water moving at a fast speed to sweep an adult or child off of their feet, and once in the water, it is extremely difficult to reach shore and regain control,” Krause said. “Anyone near moving water (particularly Clear Creek) should be wary, and only those with high levels of experience and competence in whitewater should enter the river.”

Krause said that if a boater loses equipment, to please call Jefferson County non-emergent dispatch at 303-277-0211 with a description of the equipment and last place seen to avoid unnecessary searches.

Clear Creek is not the only river along the Front Range that presents danger. The South Platte, Boulder Creek, Big Thompson and the Cache la Poudre River are all popular water playgrounds. On Friday, May 24, a metal dory got stuck in the rocks on the Poudre River. Thankfully, no one was injured.

“The flow of the river can be deceiving with the flow rate (cubic feet per second), temperature of the water, and river hazards such as strainers, dams and entrapment hazards always present,” said Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) Battalion Chief Brandon Garcia, who is responsible for technical rescues for PFA. “Historically, the low head dams located throughout the Poudre River have proven deadly in recent years.”

Planning swift-water rescue training with PFA swimmers is an annual occurrence.

Specific to the low-head dams, Chief Garcia said, “The dams look harmless as they are difficult to recognize from upstream when you are on the water. This is why it is important to scout the river that you plan on floating before entering the water. Once you have gone over a low head dam they are considered to be a ‘drowning machine’ due to the difficulty of exiting the hydraulics of the water at the base of the dam. Get out and walk around these dams.

“Additionally, ensure you have a communication plan and have proper personal protective equipment any time you recreate on the Poudre River. Once you enter Poudre River Canyon please know you may have limited cell service and to plan accordingly.”

Safety tips:
– We encourage the use of a personal flotation device (PFD) that is properly fitted and designed for whitewater boating or paddling. A ski vest is not appropriate for whitewater boating. Wear a helmet.
– Dress accordingly: though the air temperature may be hot, the water is very cold.
– We encourage that people research and check current river conditions of the stretches they intend to run.
– Don’t get in over your head, paddle in conditions you are comfortable and confident paddling in.
– We encourage people to raft with a buddy and avoid floating alone, especially during high flows.
– If you fall into swift water, do not attempt to stand up, as doing so may result in a foot entrapment. Point your feet down river in fast water and as soon as possible swim to shore.
– Keep an eye on your children. Never leave them unattended by a river.
– Scout rapids and unknown sections of the river. Rapids change at varying water levels. Spring floods can carry trees and other debris and jam up a section of a river causing a strainer (water flows through but solids do not).

Courtesy Vail Daily.

Summit County readies for epic spring runoff into Dillon Reservoir, potential flooding in local waterways

#Summit County #Colorado

Summit Daily

As the days get warmer, the snowcaps in the High Country are about to shrink. An epic spring runoff is in the works after one of the best winters in recent years, and local water and emergency officials are preparing Summit County for the deluge.

Snowpack across the state is 654% of normal, according to the latest snow survey from the National Resources Conservation Service. That is 51 times larger than the state’s average snowpack at this time last year, with flooding a much bigger concern at this point than wildfire. The state of Colorado is drought-free for the first time in 20 years, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

To illustrate the change in fortunes, the county was on the verge of declaring Stage 1 fire restrictions at this time last year. Wednesday will mark one year since the Buffalo Mountain Fire nearly destroyed the Wildernest neighborhood near Silverthorne. That fire was borne out of extraordinarily dry and hot conditions after one of the worst winters in the state’s history. 

This year, instead of supplying helicopters with water to dump on fires, Denver Water is draining water from Dillon Reservoir in anticipation of runoff, which is expected to really begin coming down in the next few weeks.

“This year being a high snowpack year, we know there’s going to be a lot of water getting into the reservoir,” Denver Water supply manager Nathan Elder said. “We’re trying to have enough space to catch that runoff while providing for safe outflows to the Blue River below the reservoir.” 

At the moment, the reservoir — which is the main drinking water supply for 1.4 million people in the Denver metro area — is 75% full with 192,554 acre-feet of water. When full, the reservoir holds 257,304 acre-feet. An acre-foot of water would cover an area the size of an acre 1-foot deep. Given the current estimate for runoff volume, there will be more than enough water to fill it.

“The forecasting for the rest of June and July project a volume of anywhere from 169,000 acre-feet to 211,000 acre-feet coming into the reservoir,” Elder said. “That’ll fill it, but we’re probably not going to fill it until the Fourth of July to make sure we’re past that peak-inflow time.”

Elder said peak inflow to the reservoir is expected to start about a week later this year than usual, which also means Summit’s two marinas in Dillon and Frisco will have to wait before the reservoir is full enough for boating. However, boaters should have a lot more time for play this year compared with last, when boat ramps were retracted weeks before they normally would be due to low water.

“Typically, every year we target June 18 to be at 9,012-foot elevation needed for both marinas to be completely operational, but it’s going to be a little delayed this year,” Elder said. “But while the boating season might be shortened by a week on the front end, on the tail end, it should last quite a bit longer.”

The delay also means local emergency officials will be watching streamflows longer into the month, looking to spring into action if Tenmile Creek, Straight Creek or the Blue River approach the verge of flooding.

Current two-week projections show all three waterways approaching “action stage,” the threshold at which the towns and county are called to start flood mitigation preparations, by June 15.

Summit County’s director of emergency management Brian Bovaird said he closely has been watching the forecasts for flooding. That is opposed to last June when Bovaird, who recently had gotten the job as emergency director, was given a literal trial by fire.

“It’s like picking your poison,” Bovaird said. “Last year, it was wildfire. This year, it’s flooding. We’re expecting heavy runoff moisture, which is good for wildfire but makes us uneasy about the flooding risk.”

Bovaird said the county and towns have been on standby for weeks, and even if there is flooding, the county’s strict zoning requirements in 100-year floodplain areas mean homes are up to code in those locations and have flood insurance, minimizing the likelihood of significant damage or loss.

Courtesy Summit Daily

Prepared to seize the property, Breckenridge buys downtown building for more than $6M

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Summit Daily

Breckenridge has forced the sale of a downtown building after coming to terms with an owner who would have preferred to keep the property.

Ed Bello said he really didn’t want to sell the Professional Building in downtown Breckenridge, but he understands the town’s reasons for pursing the sale, remains complimentary of the way local officials handled it and believes that he got a fair price.

Breckenridge recently bought the building, which is next door to Breckenridge Town Hall, for $6.3 million after town council expressed its intent in February to buy the property or seize it through eminent domain. 

“If this thing had to happen, I have no complaints with how they handled it,” Bello said about town staff and the real estate agent who represented the town’s interests in the transaction. “I wish I didn’t have to sell it, but I understand what’s going on — they needed it — and they handled (the negotiations) very professionally and very well.”

The purchase strings together a handful of town-owned properties that line the Blue River and form an “L” shape around the South Gondola Lot. That’s where Breckenridge plans to build a large parking garage after nailing down a long-term lease with Vail Resorts, the owner of Breckenridge Ski Resort and the South Gondola Lot. 

On Wednesday, town manager Rick Holman detailed the town’s reasons for buying the Professional Building, the least of which, he said, was anyone’s desire to get Breckenridge into the commercial real estate business.

“Typically, as a town, we wouldn’t look to be in the commercial real estate business, but it was a very strategic purchase for us,” Holman said, explaining that town staff really wanted control of the land on which the building sits, along with some of the easements tied to the property.

Holman said Breckenridge is looking to create “a nice space” around the new parking garage on the South Gondola Lot with a heated walkway between Town Hall and the Professional Building leading to a plaza on the southeast corner of the new parking area.

Most basically, he said, the land on which the Professional Building sits “fits into the designs.” The town manager added that preliminary designs for the new parking structure lot could come before Breckenridge Town Council as early as Tuesday. 

Property records show Bello purchased the downtown building for more than $3.17 million in 2016. Afterward, he renovated the property, and it was fully leased out when the town began pursuing the purchase.

Holman promised the town will honor all existing leases and has no plans to kick anyone out. He added that many of the businesses occupying the building, which includes US Bank, offer valuable services to residents and guests.

With an extensive background in commercial real estate, Jack Wolfe of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty represented the town on the sale. He said the agreed upon price was based on the market value of the property, including potential rental income, and this was “a market-rate purchase for the town.”

Another key component of the sale, Wolfe and Bello both said, was a 1033 exchange, which allows an owner who’s required to relinquish his or her property, either through a forced conversion or the threat of condemnation, to defer capital gains taxes by purchasing another property, not unlike the more commonly used 1031 exchanges.

“One of my concerns, frankly, was what am I going to do?” Bello asked about being forced into a sale. “I could sell this now and then I have to pay a bunch of taxes, or I get 45 days to go find another property to replace it?”

Bello wasn’t comfortable with either option, he said, and when Wolfe came up with doing a 1033 exchange, “it definitely made a difference.”

While a 1033 exchange isn’t much different from a 1031 exchange, a 1033 typically involves a government entity and allows the seller considerably more time to buy another piece of real estate by jumping the deadline to close on the replacement property from 180 days to as long as three years.

Bello said the extended period will give him time to identify a replacement property and perhaps even weather soaring real estate prices.

“I’d say this has been one of the best transactions I’ve been involved with in Breckenridge,” Wolfe said about the result, adding that Bello was a true real estate professional in the negotiations. “I just felt like both parties were very straightforward and both parties got a fair deal out of it.”

As for Bello, he’s already looking to buy another property in the area, he said.

Courtesy Summit Daily.

You can now buy your house on Amazon

#USA

Retail giant brings the tiny house trend to the masses – with free shipping, too!

Some Americans apparently love to fantasize about an extreme downsize that reduces their personal space to the bare minimum and slashes their cost of living to a fraction of what it once was. Hence, the rise of the tiny house trend.

How many people are actually trading in normal-sized abodes and going tiny? That’s not entirely clear, but they sure do love to watching others do it.

HGTV has capitalized on the fascination, launching a House Hunters spinoff that features home shoppers in the market for something tiny – like, less than 600 feet tiny.

Now, Amazon is making this tiny trend possible for any home shopper, offering a number of prefabricated houses on its site – and some are selling like hotcakes.

The 172-square-foot Allwood Solvalla Studio Cabin Kit – which can supposedly be assembled by two adults in eight hours – recently went viral and sold out almost immediately.

But fear not tiny house lovers, it’s back in stock and available for $7,250 (plus free shipping!) for anyone in the market for an “ideal home office or guest house.”

Looking for something slightly more substantial? Amazon’s got you covered.

A quick search of the site reveals a whole lot of these “container houses” and “cabin kits,” with prices that range from $5,000 to $65,000.

And, of course, there are additional costs to consider that are not mentioned in the product descriptions, like utility hookups or, if you live in a cooler climate, insulation.

A recent MarketWatch article noted that the prefab, modular housing industry is growing, with revenue jumping 8.6% from 2013 to 2018, according to data from IBISWorld, including a 4.1% spike in 2018 alone.

But is there more to this tiny house trend than just the desire for a cool garden shed or funky detached office? Will more people really flee their McMansions for a simpler, cheaper life?

Maybe…but probably not, affordability be damned. But it sure is fun to dream about.

Check out this this Lillevilla Cabin Kit, also by Allwood, that boasts a sleeping loft and is all of 292 square feet. This one will cost you more, though, with a pricetag of $18,800

Courtesy HousingWire Newsletter. 

Summit County’s adoptable animals for the week of June 2

#Summit County #Colorado

Summit County Animal Shelter

For questions, please contact the shelter at 970-668-3230.

CATS

MISSY, 7 years, domestic mediumhair, tortie, spayed female 

BUGSBY, 6 years, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female

LARRY, 3 years, domestic longhair, orange and white, neutered male 

FRANKLIN, 4 years, domestic shorthair, black and white, neutered male

MISS KITTY, 7 years, Norwegian forest cat, tortie and apricot, spayed female

CATALONIA, 7 years, domestic shorthair mix, white and gray, spayed female

MR BISCUIT, 7 years, domestic shorthair, gray tabby and black tiger, neutered male

BINX, 9 months, domestic shorthair, black, neutered male

LILY, 11 months, domestic shorthair, white and orange, spayed female

WHISPURRR, 10 years, domestic shorthair, calico, spayed female

PENELOPE, 2 years, domestic shorthair, gray tabby, spayed female

WILLOW, 15 years, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female

POOFY, 10 years, domestic mediumhair, gray, neutered male

ORPHEUS, 9 weeks, domestic shorthair, black, neutered male

DAPHNE, 9 weeks, domestic shorthair, black, spayed female

BIG BOY, 3 years, domestic shorthair, silver tabby, neutered male

DOGS

ROSCO, 1 year 9 months, Labrador retriever mix, yellow, neutered male

GRIZZLY BEAR, 2 years, great Pyrenees, white, neutered male

ARIES, 1 year, pointer mix, tan and white, neutered male

LADY, 5 years, German shepherd dog, black and tan, spayed female

NELLIE, 3 years, Chihuahua — smooth coated and dachshund mix, black and white, spayed female

SAM, 7 years, pit bull terrier mix, black and white, neutered male

MIA, 5 years, Siberian husky, white and tan, spayed female

CARRIE, 1 year 6 months, Australian cattle dog mix, brindle, spayed female

KIT, 1 year 6 months, Siberian husky mix, tricolor, neutered male

BUDDY, 4 years, Labrador retriever mix, yellow, neutered male

LOLA, 1 year 6 months, Siberian husky and pit bull terrier mix, tan and white, spayed female

KEELEY, no age, Australian kelpie mix, brown and white, spayed female

CHARLOTTE, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and white, spayed female

STU, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and white, neutered male

TOMMY, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and tan, neutered male

PHIL, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and tan, neutered male

CHUCKIE, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and white, neutered male

BETTY, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and tan, spayed female

LIL, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and tan, spayed female

ANGELICA, 8 weeks, Australian kelpie mix, black and white, spayed female

TIGER, 2 years, American bulldog mix, brindle and white, neutered male

CHANCE, 5 years, boxer, tan and black, neutered male

Breckenridge Brewery could be out of its hometown location

#Breckenridge #Colorado

Summit Daily

Breckenridge Brewery has existed on Main Street in Breckenridge for more than 29 years now, but the brewpub’s future there has come into doubt with a major development regarding the lease.

Despite being the longest running brewpub in Summit County and third oldest in Colorado, Breckenridge Brewery is facing the prospect of losing its Breckenridge home after the property owner “abruptly and inexplicably” backed out of an agreement to renew the brewery’s lease, said head brewer Jimmy Walker.

The people who work at the brewery — some a year or two shy of its original opening in February 1990 — would like to see the homegrown brewpub celebrate its 30th anniversary inside the same building where it first opened, but they’re afraid that won’t happen with the lease at 600 Main St. expiring at the end of June. 

“We feel like we built this place into what it is, and now that’s under threat to be taken away,” Walker said, emphasizing there was a deal in place with the property owner.

An attorney with the brewpub’s legal and corporate affairs team confirmed via email that they also believed there was an agreement with the property that would allow the brewpub to stay. However, that deal apparently fell through, as it now appears that the brewery has a month before it must vacate the building it’s called home for almost three decades. 

“The current lease is up June 30,” the attorney said, explaining that while the brewery thought it had an agreement with the owner, they recently had a change of mind.

Property records list the owner as the Breckenridge Brewery Real Estate company. The Colorado Secretary of State has a local attorney’s office as the company’s registered agent, but messages left with the attorney’s office on Friday were not returned.

It all leaves the brewery wondering what to do with little notice, said Walker, who didn’t want to discuss the lease or negotiations in detail out of fear he might say something that could jeopardize their chances of staying.

He agreed that what might happen to all of the brewery’s equipment and the more than 60 people who work there — people Walker and the brewery’s general manager Sarah Hanley both call “family” — are two great questions that they don’t have answers for right now.

“I just know the staff’s totally worried to death,” Walker said.

“And it’s more than a job,” Hanley added. “This is like our family. We’re all in this together. … It’s a lot to lose.”

It seems unlikely Breckenridge Brewery could secure another location in town and move in by June 30, especially if a new brewpub has to be built. However, it also doesn’t sound like Breckenridge Brewery, which was bought by Anheuser-Busch in 2015, could go without a presence in its namesake town.

“Anheuser-Busch is super committed to us staying in the community,” Hanley said of preserving a local residence that’s become the brewery’s “innovation center” with its main brewery now in Littleton.

What that local presence might look like remains to be seen. While the thought or moving into a brand new building would be “tempting,” Walker said, it’s not what they really want for Breckenridge Brewery.

“The place is 29 years old and it’s falling apart, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he said, adding that it’s where it all started and grew up with the business to help make Breckenridge Brewery what it is today.

What it might take to stay — if that’s even possible — wasn’t immediately clear as Walker, Hanley and the attorney from the brewery’s legal team all said they don’t have an answer to that question, either.

And the brewery’s “amazing longevity” isn’t just with the Breckenridge building, they said. Walker, who loves talking about the brewery’s many local philanthropic efforts, has worked there for 22 years — and he’s only the fourth most senior employee.

“We have a lot of longevity in these walls,” said Hanley, who’s worked there herself for more than 19 years.

“We built this place together,” Walker continued. “People aren’t just walking in and walking out to another job. We’re totally invested in Breckenridge Brewery and all the people who work here are invested in the community. Our whole lives are here at the pub.”

Courtesy Summit Daily.

Frisco moves forward with water rate increases

#Frisco #Colorado

Summit Daily

Following months of discussion the town of Frisco finally pulled the trigger on a new water rate structure, along with increased tap fees, in hopes of incentivizing water conservation while keeping a well-maintained fund balance for future capital improvements.

The ordinance passed in a split 6-1 vote, with Councilman Dan Fallon as the lone dissenter. The ordinance should see a second reading during the council’s next meeting in early June.

Prior to this year, the last time Frisco completed a water rates study was in 2006 and the scheduled rate increases were in effect until 2016, meaning the town hasn’t increased its water rates in more than two years. In November last year, the council asked staff to complete an in-house five-year study on the rates, resulting in the new ordinance. 

The town landed on a base water rate of $45 a quarter, on top of an escalating fee structure wherein the more water a consumer uses, the more they’ll have to pay. The structure is organized so that on top of the base rate, customers will pay $1.12 per 1,000 gallons for those using up to 8,000 gallons; $2.24 per 1,000 gallons for those using between 8,000 and 16,000 gallons; $4 per 1,000 gallons for those using between 16,000 and 50,000 gallons; and $5 per 1,000 gallons for those using more than 50,000 gallons a quarter.

While the new rate structure was easily accepted within the council, other language within the ordinance was more heavily scrutinized, with council members going back and forth on proposed annual increases in service fees and usage rates. 

At the meeting, Frisco’s finance director, Bonnie Moinet, presented the council with a number of alternatives for annual service and usage rate increases, ranging from 3% per year to 5% per year, along with a possible graduated increase wherein the percent change would increase each year. The conversation largely revolved around whether to implement a 3% or 5% flat annual rate increase, and how best to ease pressure on the town’s largest water consumers.

“My concern continues to be the big capital hit for the bigger water users,” said Fallon, referring to potential costs to businesses planning to implement more conservation friendly water fixtures in light of the new structure. “I understand these are the accounts you want to proactively move in the direction of conservation. But some of that usage is out of their control, and I’m concerned about the capital hit they have to take relative to some of the increases that are out of line with those you see across the board. In the short term, I support the 3% range.”

The other side of the coin is that as the town continues to incentivize conservation efforts, revenue within the enterprise water fund could continue to fall, and officials are concerned with keeping a strong enough fund balance in place to deal with both planned capital improvements to the system along with potential unexpected costs.

“It is a small difference between the 5% and the 3%,” said town manager Nancy Kerry. “But it does help in the capital side to make sure that our fund balance covers that. In any given water emergency a million dollar expenditure is not an uncommon number. So (public works director Jeff Goble) was comfortable with that two to three million range in fund balance.”

Frisco currently has almost $4 million in planned capital investments to the system by the end of 2023. The fund is also expected to help launch a number of conservation programs tied to the town’s water efficiency plan — including irrigation audits and rebates for fixture replacements — estimated to cost about $1.7 million over the next five years.

Ultimately the council voted to move forward with an annual 5% rate increase over the next five years, which would allow the town to maintain an estimated $2.38 million fund balance through 2024, as opposed to a $2 million balance under a 3% annual increase. Town officials said they would look into potential programs to help subsidize capital costs for businesses looking to improve their water fixtures on Fallon’s suggestion.

The town then turned the discussion to increases in tap fees, hoping to create fees more competitive with the surrounding communities, without undermining developers who already have projects in the works in town. Frisco currently charges a tap fee of $4,300, while Breckenridge, Silverthorne and Dillon all currently have tap fees in excess of $7,500.

“In fairness to people that have done their due diligence, I don’t want to see a big increase right away,” said Councilwoman Melissa Sherburne. “It’s on us that we kept it so low for so long. We need to be fair to the people who do business with us. I certainly support the increase, but we need something incremental over the years to get up to that goal of market standard.”

The council finally settled on an increase to $5,000 per tap starting on Jan. 1, 2020, followed by a 10% annual increase every October. If the council chooses to pass the ordinance on second reading, the new water rate structure will go into effect on Oct. 1.

Courtesy Summit Daily