Projects

Coalition for the Upper South Platte

Contact Information:
OSM/VISTA: Sarah Lykens
Supervisor: Carol Ekarius
Address: Box 726, Lake George, CO 80827
Phone: 719.748.0033
Email: sarah@uppersouthplatte.org
Website: www.uppersouthplatte.org
US Congressional District: 5th
County: Park

Description of organization and mission:

Mission: The Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) seeks to protect the water quality and ecological health of the Upper South Platte Watershed, through the cooperative efforts of watershed stakeholders, with emphasis placed on community values and economic sustainability.

In 1998, a group of stakeholders came together with the common interest of protecting the water quality and ecological health of the Upper South Platte Watershed. A 1999 EPA grant made possible a Data and Inventory Assessment (DIA). The DIA was designed to collect information on watershed land use activities, water quality, and environmental quality; determine existing and potential sources that can affect water quality and ecological health within the watershed; and prioritize areas for protection and restoration activities. The DIA showed that only one stream segment in the 2,600 square mile Upper South Platte Watershed is "not impaired".

Some of the issues of concern of communities in the watershed are water quality and availability, fire, agriculture, land use and development, water rights, mining, noxious weeds, and recreation.

Since hiring the first executive director in 2000, CUSP has brought together federal and state agencies, local governments, environmental organizations, businesses, interested individuals, and volunteers to address many of the issues identified in the DIA. Some of the issues of concern of communities in the watershed are water quality and availability, fire, agriculture, land use and development, water rights, mining, noxious weeds, and recreation. CUSP and its partners work together on a variety of projects such as forest health, fire rehabilitation, noxious weed management, river/riparian restoration, trail restoration, erosion and flood control, and environmental education and monitoring.

Goal of OSM/VISTA in the Coalition for the Upper South Platte:

The OSM/VISTA will work to build capacity of CUSP and to assist the organization in accomplishing its mission. The two major areas the OSM/VISTA member will focus on are development work and remediation of abandoned mine lands (AML). The member will also have the opportunity to develop and distribute educational material on watershed issues and participate in many aspects of the organization.

CUSP and its partners work together on a variety of projects such as forest health, fire rehabilitation, noxious weed management, river/riparian restoration, trail restoration, erosion and flood control, and environmental education and monitoring.

The OSM/VISTA member will develop a plan to increase the amount of individual donors by developing an online database, identifying and researching potential donors, improving the accessibility for online giving, creating and sending letters, and attending outreach events. The member will also help CUSP prepare and submit grants and assist with fundraising events.

Mining is listed in CUSP's Strategic Plan as a high priority issue within the Upper South Platte Watershed because of the results of the DIA. However, catastrophic fires have been an immediate threat in recent years. As a result, CUSP has devoted much of its staff capacity to fire rehabilitation and fuel reduction. The addition of an OSM/VISTA will allow CUSP to deal with the issues of AML in the watershed. The OSM/VISTA will create a comprehensive plan in order to address the AML issues. The member will compile all of the known information for AML in the watershed and determine what further information needs to be gathered. The member will rank sites, research possible remediation efforts, and apply for funding to remediate AML.