The Hayman and Buffalo Creek forest fires were extinguished years ago, but the fearsome fires are still creating problems for Denver Water.
The fires triggered massive erosion, forcing the utility to take on big cleanup projects to unclog mountain reservoirs and pipes. The tab is set to reach $31 million in the coming years.
Concerned that another major wildfire could erupt in the stands of dry, beetle-killed trees in Colorado’s mountains, the utility is now contemplating a “watershed maintenance fee” to help clean up the forests before the next big blaze.
We like the concept. It’s forward- thinking, which is always better than finding yourself among the ashes of a devastating fire, wishing you had thinned the forest. The trick will be to put the right financing and policy harness on the idea. We look forward to hearing specifics.
The last thing Denver Water wants is another big fire to compound its existing problems. And the number of dead trees left in the wake of the ongoing beetle infestation has created a volatile situation.
That’s why Denver Water manager Chips Barry has talked to legislators about imposing a fee on water users that would pay for strategic removal of trees killed by beetles.
Barry, speaking to the Denver Post editorial board last week, said other utilities with mountain watersheds to protect also could enact the same kind of fee. The proceeds then could be used to float bonds to fund removal of beetle-kill trees.
This week, state Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, and others sponsored a bill authorizing Colorado water resources and power development authorities to issue bonds for forest health projects. Denver Water already has spent more money clearing sediment that flowed into reservoirs after the Hayman and Buffalo Creek fire than it would have cost to treat the areas before the fires.
Chuck Dennis, a Colorado state forester working on watershed restoration projects for more than a decade, said he has been developing methodology that pinpoints areas critical to watershed health. Perhaps only 20 to 30 percent of a watershed needs to be treated, he said. Treatment could include heavy forest thinning and creation of fire breaks.
The idea enjoys significant support among those for whom forest health and watershed protection is a priority. Rick Cables, Rocky Mountain regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service, called it a “great concept.”
Cables said it’s not just good for drinking-water suppliers, but also for agricultural uses. The health of mountain watersheds affects the quality and quantity of water, and the timing of when it flows through ditches and is available for agriculture.
The idea Denver Water is contemplating has the potential to make for good public policy. We hope utilities and legislators come up with a cogent and fiscally responsible plan to protect this valuable resource.
