Left Hand Creek Watershed Master Plan
Community Kick-Off Meeting
August 6, 2014 6-8pm, with Open House from 8-8:30pm
Greenbriar Inn, Boulder, CO
LEFT HAND CREEK WATERSHED MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY MEETING
The purpose of the Left Hand Creek Watershed Master Plan kick off community meeting was to
announce the beginning of the master planning process, to inform the public on what flood
recovery issues will be addressed by the master plan and to let the public know how they can
provide input. 58 community members attended the meeting, in addition to nine members of the
Left Hand Creek Watershed Coalition, which is overseeing the development of the master plan.
Format: Welcome from the Left Hand Coalition (LHCC); Presentation with large group question
and answer; Small group break-out discussions by neighborhood/stream section, which focused
on values/vision for the Creek and key focus areas for the master plan (see below).
LARGE GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Elements going into the master plan
 Huge debris flow areas – will that be addressed? Yes, within the watershed. This is clearly
impacted by land management upslope where debris originated.
 Coordination – what’s the role of the Forest Service in this process? How is the OHV area
affected? Describe any time schedules for implementation. USFS is in on the Coalition and
will be using the master plan as useful in its planning efforts. USFS is in the data-gathering
phase, and will plan in winter with environmental analysis.
 Sizing of culverts on side creeks – many are plugged, may need new ones or resized. The
plan will address “hot spot” culvert issues – where need to be resized, where more needed.
Possible outcomes of plan
 Does ‘managing sediment’ mean that deposited during the flood, or current/future sediment?
Both, since they relate to the same conditions and underlying risk. The plan will address risk
areas for heavy sediment and debris flows.
General questions about the plan
 When will Left Hand road repairs be completed so residents can re-establish bridges? Are
the upcoming and 2015 Boulder County road repairs funded? What’s being done about road
erosion now and in the future? What about snow removal in the winter with broken roads?
LH road, from confluence up, will be repaired next year. BoCo is paying and will seek partial
reimbursement from FEMA and FWHA. There will be snow removal this winter.
 Is Left Hand canyon still going to be a bicycle route? Yes.
 How is CDOT addressing the Middlefork road, in terms of plans for bridge or culvert? CDOT
is on the Coalition, working on this bridge design, and coordinating with master plan.
 How is FEMA involved so there’s no need to re-do work later to coordinate with floodplain
maps? FEMA is plugged into the master plan process and a representative sits on the
Coalition, in order to streamline and coordinate these processes.
Concerns
 Is there testing of water to determine presence of heavy metals or contamination? Did
LWOG monitor Slide Mine area (downstream from Lick Skillet Rd)? How will test results be
Left Hand Creek Watershed Master Plan
1
distributed? Glenn Paterson from LH Watershed Oversight Group gave an update. Please
see http://www.lwog.org
REACH-SPECIFIC SMALL GROUP MEETINGS
The small groups were organized by stream section, or ‘reach.’ The purpose of the small groups
were to (1) hear from residents in that section what values and vision they have for their section
and the Creek as a whole; (2) identify which issues are most important to residents in each reach;
and (3) hear how residents want to be involved in the master plan and the watershed in the future.
1) What do you most value about the Creek, as you think of a long-term vision for the
watershed?
Reach 6 (confluence of James/Left Hand Creek down to Streamcrest)
 Ecosystem/ biodiversity - vegetation, flowers, fish and diversity of wildlife
 Landscape
 Quietness in the canyon
 Privacy
 Seeing nature
 Recreation
 Historical value – of the buildings and the communities
Reach 7 (middle Left Hand Canyon, upstream of confluence with James Creek)
 Swimming holes
 Trout pools/ponds
 Riparian/wildlife habitat (bears, deer watering holes)
 Water quality
 Natural setting
 Recreation
 Creek bank vegetation (deciduous trees, bushes)
 Not ‘cement city living’
 Privacy vegetation, from the road – tranquility, less noise
Reach 8 (James Creek watershed) & 9 (Upper Left Hand canyon, above mile marker 11)
 Privacy— vegetation needs to be replaced
 Aesthetics and property value
 Want to maintain access to creek
 Natural environment
 Fish habitat
 Prefer to let nature take its course when it comes to sediment
 Natural habitat around the creek—birds, insects, animals, trees, etc.
 Revegetation
 The more natural look is preferred
2) What issues are most important for us to focus on as we study the Watershed and
develop recommendations?
Issues identified in the reach-specific, small group meetings included:
Left Hand Creek Watershed Master Plan
2
Reach 6 (confluence of James/Left Hand Creek to Streamcrest)
 Wildlife and ecosystem restoration – includes how to manage dead/dying trees, weed
management and revegetation
 Flood mitigation – the creek/floodplain needs to be expanded to handle bigger floods.
Specifically, there have been similar culvert issues in the past and the bridge on 36
failed in 1969, 1995 and 2013. Drainage dynamics have also changed.
 Access to key roadways for fire protection – Spruce Gulch and Forest Service OHV
road-related concerns: banks are undermined in some places, question about how
strong flows will be dissipated in the future in the road/stream interface, striping/signage
needed for safety
 1221 Left Hand – branched stream becomes a single stream during floods (general
comment)
Reach 7 (middle Left Hand Canyon, upstream of confluence with James Creek)
 Access, expedite bridge building
 Re-establish foot paths (washed out)
 Safety - clearing bike lanes; consider separating from road, e.g. Boulder Creek
 Confirming property lines now that the creek has moved in many cases
 Work on private property done by govt. – doesn’t feel collaborative
 Upstream impacts downstream, e.g. blown septic impact on water quality
 Right of entry forms – revisit allowing access for plan projects, liability language, usage
 Don’t want the plan to undo all the work already done
 Large, boulder / debris fields on USFS property (up from Glendale Gulch NRCS project)
 Floodplain decisions
 Strong communication plan to adopt watershed wide vision among residents
 Voice of residents in developing the plan
 Utilities coming into canyon – not very sound (Xcel, Century Link)
Reach 8 (James Creek watershed) & 9 (Upper Left Hand canyon, above mile marker 11)
 Concern about funding
 Connecting road plan to creek plan
 Not widening the stream so people don’t lose property
 Stream alignment
 Woody debris is good if it is done in a way that makes sense
 Flood mitigation is important
 Balance between aesthetics with protection of property
 Private access issues
3) How do residents want to be involved in the master plan and the watershed in the future?
Reach 7 (middle Left Hand Canyon, upstream of confluence with James Creek)
 Master Plan Website very informative; please keep updated
 Communication should be through different channels, including email and website
 Neighborhood meetings for more input
 Email communication
 Neighborhood websites / listserv are a great resource – please keep updated
Reach 8 (James Creek watershed) & 9 (Upper Left Hand canyon, above mile marker 11)
 Desire for collaboration of agencies and landowners/ residents
Left Hand Creek Watershed Master Plan
3



Desire to provide regular input
Concerns about competing interests between Coalition, agencies and residents
Decision making process and regulation constraints
SURVEY RESULTS
22 residents also filled out survey forms to answer the above questions. The results of those and
the online survey (addressing the same 2 questions) will be posted on the project website by
August 20, 2014.
Left Hand Creek Watershed Master Plan
4