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CMCTU Withdraws Support for Gold Hill Mesa Project |
Chapter Identifies Major Problems with Flood Control and Mine Tailings Stabilization on Fountain Creek
Board of Directors for the local Cheyenne Mountain Chapter Trout Unlimited have voted to withdraw support and oppose a proposed flood control and mine tailings stabilization project on Fountain Creek below Gold Hill Mesa.
Cheyenne Mountain Chapter Trout Unlimited has partnered with the City of Colorado Springs, Storm Water Enterprise, Colorado Department of Transportation, Gold Hill Mesa Partners, LLC and other stakeholders and subcontractors on the Gold Hill Mesa Project. Through consultations, Cheyenne Mountain Chapter Trout Unlimited provided stream stabilization and restoration recommendations which they have successfully implemented during their Trees for Trout projects in the South Platte River drainage and Pikes Peak Region.
“The goal of our participation in this partnership was to provide the design team with the proper techniques and methods to successfully restore a heavily damaged ecosystem and create a viable habitat and fishery on Fountain Creek”, said President, Jack Hunter, “Unfortunately, the major stakeholders, including the City of Colorado Springs, Storm Water Enterprise, have chosen not to implement these proven conservation and restoration methods.”
The current budget for the Gold Hill Mesa Project is over $3.5 million dollars, and largely funded through public money. Cheyenne Mountain Chapter Trout Unlimited firmly believes these public dollars should be used to restore a functioning natural stream in the true spirit of Trout Unlimited’s national, state and locally stated mission, which is to: conserve, protect, and restore cold-water fisheries.
Through their opposition the Board of Directors and Cheyenne Mountain Chapter Trout Unlimited members have noted the current project planned does not meet widely recognized standards necessary to meet the definition of “stream restoration”, and will actually do more harm than good to the existing biology and ecology of Fountain Creek.
The Board of Directors unanimously agreed; the flood control project has little to no restoration or conservation benefits for Fountain Creek or the community.
Cheyenne Mountain Chapter Trout Unlimited urges the public to contact the City of Colorado Springs, Storm Water Enterprise, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Gold Hill Mesa Partners, LLC and express their desire to have effective and sustainable restoration of this valuable resource and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Stakeholders can be contact at the following:
City Of Colorado Springs, Storm Water Enterprise
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Colorado Department of Transportation
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Gold Hill Mesa Partners, LLC.
Gold Hill Mesa Partners |
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CMCTU earns Top Chapter Award from Trout Unlimited |
CMCTU was nominated by the state council, Colorado Trout Unlimited, for the Gold Trout Chapter Award this year. The Gold Trout is the highest award given by Trout Unlimited for chapters. It recognizes the chapter that has made the most noteworthy contribution to the cause of coldwater conservation during the previous year. CMCTU had previously received the Exemplary Chapter Award, the highest award given by CTU.
Our chapter was nominated for the award based on the projects and activities CMCTU has undertaken in support of TU initiatives. You can read the nomination letter submitted by CTU in support of our nomination. Please be aware that this list is not all-inclusive of the activities that your chapter board has undertaken.
I received an email from David Nickum, executive director of CTU, that our chapter had been awarded the Gold Trout Chapter Award. TU requested that we send a representative to the national TU meeting in Salt Lake City to receive it at the award luncheon. Since this was a first for the chapter, I jumped on the opportunity and asked Allyn Kratz, the past president, to join me in accepting the award. We both accepted the award on behalf of the chapter.
Please congratulate the chapter board members on a job well done when you see them. They have worked very diligently on your behalf.
View the nomination letter.
The Cheyenne Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited strives to conserve, protect, and restore cold-water fisheries resources and their watersheds. This is it's sole mission. These goals are Trout Unlimited's reason for being!
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