This Annual Newsletter is an overview and update of the Three Lakes Watershed Association (TLWA) year in review. TLWA will not have an annual meeting in 2023 due to scheduling conflicts and this newsletter will replace that meeting. We plan to have annual meetings every other year and will schedule one for August 2024.
The mission of TLWA is “Protecting and Enhancing the Quality of Life in the Three Lakes Area”. Over the past 40 years TLWA has been established as the oldest and largest 501(c)(3) based in Grand Lake, has become a key representative at most water meetings related to Grand Lake with the Bureau of Reclamation, Northern Water, Grand County, Colorado River District and the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG), and has become a designated key advisor on water issues for the Town of Grand Lake. TLWA covers Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Reservoir (SMR), and Lake Granby (referred to as the “Three Lakes”), the Colorado River (between Grand Lake and Granby) and all the tributaries feeding the Three Lakes.
Membership Drive
The Board of Directors would like to thank all of our members for their continued support and generous donations. Your membership and donations are the key to our success as 99% of all membership fees and donations go to achieving the stated mission. 2023 was one of the highest revenue years yet in membership fees, individual, long-time, and major donors, and awarded grants. The organization has collected a total of $113,180.00 in revenue to date in 2023.
Continuing to improve the overall environment of the Upper Colorado River Watershed has been our primary objective for over 40 years. Clean air and water are essential for those who live in the area, along with those on the Front Range of Colorado who get 80% of their drinking water through the Three Lakes system of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. The Adams Tunnel on the East end of Grand Lake delivers water to over 1.1 million people and irrigates 610,000 acres of farmland on the front range north and northeast of Denver. If you get your water from Northern Water, it likely flows through Grand Lake.
We need to increase membership to strengthen our voice, and therefore, respectfully ask all members to reach out to friends and neighbors that may be interested in joining TLWA to help restore and protect the Three Lakes area. This link can be sent via text or email to anyone who values Grand Lake, SMR, Lake Granby, Willow Creek Reservoir, and all the rivers, streams and creeks entering the Three Lakes who want to help improve and preserve it for future generations. Being a resident or homeowner of Grand Lake or Grand County is certainly not a requirement for membership. In fact, awareness and membership along the Front Range is extremely valuable in furthering our reach and achieving these goals. Over 80% of the homeowners between Grand Lake and Granby are second homeowners which means a high percentage probably also live along the front range (https://www.skyhinews.com/opinion/second-homeowners-in-grand-county-more-important-than-ever/).
Grand Lake Adaptive Management
Grand Lake Adaptive Management (GLAM) is a process for developing an operational plan for meeting the water clarity goals on Grand Lake. The Glam process is implemented during July through September. The process was accepted by the State of Colorado Water Quality Control Commission in January 2016. The process is managed by the Bureau of Reclamation and supported by Northern Water, Grand County, NWCCOG, and the Colorado River Conservation District (referred to as the Adaptive Management Committee (AMC)). Annually, the Bureau of Reclamation develops the GLAM Operational Plan and has overall management of the AMC. The AMC meets weekly from July through Labor Day and then prepares an annual GLAM report that summarizes what was learned about the west slope Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) Project’s operational approaches for the specific year and how well it met the Clarity Goals in Grand Lake. Director, Jeff Metzger is the designated TLWA representative on all GLAM related matters and attends all meetings.
2023 Grand Lake Adaptive Management Overview
The 2023 GLAM Update is pretty straightforward. The Bureau of Reclamation sent out their GLAM Operational Plan and based on many operational constraints from a heavy snowpack (runoff), higher than average rainfall, and cooler temperatures in 2023, the water has been mainly flowing east to west (Grand Lake to SMR) which has limited regular pumping from Lake Granby to SMR. Because pumping has been limited, and flow is moving east to west, Grand Lake has experienced some of the best clarity and water quality in years (because SMR is not flowing through Grand Lake). The AMC is constantly monitoring water temperature and dissolved oxygen in SMR and will increase flow through SMR into Grand Lake as water levels on the east slope allow. The concern (as is every year) is to not allow SMR water temperatures to rise too quickly, causing large algae blooms. Currently, the weed issues are increasing in SMR and now that the full pumping has started from Lake Granby to SMR the water quality and clarity will decrease in Grand Lake because the flow has changed, moving west to east, pushing SMR water into Grand Lake. Let’s all thank Mother Nature for a prosperous snow fall, rain, and lower temperatures this year for delaying the need to pump sooner.
As of 1 August, the Adams Tunnel from Grand Lake to Estes is now fully open and flowing, moving water through SMR and causing faster turnover/lower residence time in SMR. However, this hurts Grand Lake’s clarity due to increased suspended solids (weeds, algae, and sediment) flowing into Grand Lake. The aquatic weeds in SMR have been terrible in certain spots around the islands and on the north and northeast shores. Additionally, Grand Lake, SMR, Lake Granby, and Willow Creek Reservoir are all still being greatly affected by the sediment (both organic and non-organic) from post fire runoff. One major storm can significantly impact a single or multiple tributaries or inputs into the Three Lakes with mudslides, debris, and flooding. This is a reason the yellow booms are present in front of the Adams Tunnel intake.
TLWA is Awarded $350,000 from the Grand Foundation Windy Gap Environmental Fund
In 2023, TLWA was awarded two (2) grants totaling $350,000 from the Grand Foundation Windy Gap Environmental Fund. The grants are awarded to qualified non-profit (501(c)(3) organizations to improve aquatic and riparian habitat and water quality in the watershed upstream from the Windy Gap Reservoir and below to the confluence with Williams Fork, with the goal of addressing impacts caused by the Windy Gap Project. TLWA was awarded $250,000 for a septic-to-sewer conversion project with the Three Lakes Water and Sanitation District (TLWSD) and $100,000 to develop a Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) for the Town of Grand Lake for the North and Northwest section of town.
TLWSD Septic-to-Sewer Grant - TLWA formed a partnership with the TLWSD to develop a phased approach to completing the buildout of the Three Lakes (Grand Lake, SMR, and Lake Granby) sewer collection network. The first phase is to determine the degree of potential and probable septic failures across the district. Combined with a septic inventory age assessment (now underway) and mapping known well contaminations, the team will identify and prioritize new collection system buildout candidates and regions. The 2023 grant will fund an Aerial Infrared Thermographic Survey and then provide the initial engineering. The goal is to fix and clean up any potential leaching of septic systems into the Upper Colorado River Watershed.
Develop Town of Grand Lake SWMP – TLWA formed a partnership with the Town of Grand Lake to develop a stormwater management plan for all stormwater discharges occurring on the north and northwest side of Grand Lake, which flows into SMR. The town of Grand Lake already has a very good management plan and system that manages stormwater that flows through the heart of the town and into Grand Lake. This grant is to develop a stormwater management plan that support all runoff into Columbine Creek and adjacent neighborhoods to the east and north, off of Woodpecker Hill. The goal is to prevent excess sediment from flowing into SMR and cleaning up any potential contaminants that are transported via stormwater.
TLWA Designated Key Support Organization on Water by Town of Grand Lake
On January 24, 2023, TLWA received unanimous approval by the Grand Lake Board of Trustees
to be the voice and ears of the Town of Grand Lake on all water clarity and quality in Grand Lake and its relationship to the C-BT. TLWA Director Kirsten Heckendorf presented to the board the concept and TLWA’s desire to be designated a representative of the town. Kirsten explained that the status allows TLWA to participate in government meetings it otherwise cannot. Grand Lake Mayor Steve Kudron stated that “the town is very fortunate to have TLWA working in partnership with the Town on all water related issues”.
TLWA Board of Directors
The TLWA Board of Directors is made up of eight individuals volunteering time. The following are the 2023 TLWA Board of Directors:
At the last Board meeting both Cal Fullenwider and Howdy Fry retired from the TLWA Board of Directors. Mr. Fullenwider has been a Director and active member of TLWA and predecessor organizations since the early 1980’s. His leadership and executive management will be missed. Thank you, Cal for everything you have done for the organization and the Three Lakes. Mr. Fry has been an active member of TLWA for the past 14 years. He has led the membership side of the organization and spent countless hours recruiting new members and making sure current members continue on in the organization. Thank you, Howdy, for your dedication and hard work. TLWA has replaced both individuals that retired with one new and exciting Board member. Please welcome Dr. Jason Sutherland as our new TLWA Board member.
Dr. Sutherland has been part of the Grand Lake community for over 60 years. He lives on the South shore of Grand Lake and works as a Board Certified Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist at Summit Pathology. Dr. Sutherland has expertise in colorectal, pulmonary and bone marrow pathology. He has been very involved in the Grand Lake Yacht Club his whole life and is an avid sailor, water skier, and outdoor enthusiast and will fit perfectly into the TLWA Board of Directors.
Please welcome Dr. Sutherland. We are excited and lucky to have him on the Board.
Note: Elwin Crabtree retired at the end of 2022 as Secretary and a Director of TLWA, where he served for over 40 years. Mr. Crabtree has been a valuable part of Grand County water for over 50 years. He was a Grand County Commissioner in the 1970’s and led the founding and development of the Three Lakes Water and Sanitation District and Three Lakes Watershed Association. Thank you, Elwin, for all of your hard work and dedication!
2023 TLWA Financial Review (through July)
2023 Revenue (through July)
2023 Expenses (through July)
2023 Year in Review
TLWA added James Eklund (https://shermanhoward.com/attorney/james-eklund/) to our team for legal support and to support our mission to help positively impact the improvement of water quality and clarity in the Three Lakes and especially Grand Lake. James is a great asset and is very connected at the State and Federal level and will help communicate with every important water organization and politician in the state (CWQQC, Gov Polis, Sen Hickenlooper, Rep Neguse, Rep McCluskie, Sen Roberts, ect.). Mr. Eklund will raise the status of TLWA to a new level of respect.
TLWA was awarded two grants in May 2023 under the Grand Foundation Windy Gap Environmental Fund to support the Three Lakes Water and Sanitation District ($250,000) and the Town of Grand Lake ($100,000). Under these grants, we will oversee some large projects and collect over $50,000 in general and administrative fees to further support our objectives and mission. The projects include (See explanation above):
TLWA was highlighted in two newspaper articles last fall. We are always looking for opportunities to get our message out to the general public:
We have also been interviewed for an article coming out under the Aspen Journalism organization and was recently contacted to be interviewed by a photojournalist from 9News on 15 August who is working on a documentary on the Colorado River.
We have been communicating with Sen Michael Bennet, Sen Dylan Roberts and Speaker of the House McClusky about funding a major study of the Impact of the C-BT on the Upper Colorado River Watershed and how to modernize the system. We have also asked our State Legislature to purchase a weed harvester for SMR and for funds to hire a contractor to operate it and dispose of the weeds it generates and install aerators to help move and circulate the water. We have been pushing for short term solutions for cleaning up SMR which would improve Grand Lake.
TLWA is a very influential organization in Grand Lake and I am asking all members to do as much as you can to help us achieve our goal of major improvements on the Three Lakes water quality and clarity. Our organization and many before, have been fighting for this since 1956. Our 2024 goal is to improve SMR by raising funds and lobbying our legislatures to purchase a weed harvester for SMR and for the funds to hire a contractor to operate it if the U.S. Forest Service will not and install aerators to prevent algae blooms. It is the firm belief that best option for improving Grand Lake water quality and clarity is to improve SMR. SMR flows into Grand Lake 75% of the year (west to east). It has been proven and documented that when the water flows east to west (Grand Lake to SMR), Grand Lake stays much cleaner and clearer. However, when SMR is flowing into Grand Lake we are lucky to see 3.8M of clarity and consistently see large mats of weeds and algae slicks flowing through Grand Lake. Grand Lake is fed by two pristine tributaries (east and North Inlet) and is the largest and deepest natural lake in Colorado and should be crystal clear and deserves to be protected.
Please get the word out about TLWA and the great work it does supporting the Grand County community as well as in protecting and preserving our natural environment. We strive to continuously improve our air and water and will represent our membership to the best of our ability. TLWA spends 99% of the funds collected from membership dues, donations and grants “Protecting and Enhancing the Quality of Life in the Three Lakes Area”.
Top left photo was taken when Grand Lake had been flowing east to west (natural flow) and clarity was high, middle photo taken after the Farr Pumps in Lake Granby were turned on and Shadow Mountain Reservoir begun flowing into Grand Lake (flow west to east, unnatural flow) and large amounts of sediment, algae, and weeds were entering Grand Lake (photos taken by Steve Paul). Top right aerial photo of Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Reservoir looking east.
]]>2020 has been one of the most unusual years I think we can ever remember. The year began with pretty average snowpack and like most years, our spring snows did not hit us as hard or pack as much moisture as we would have liked.
March brought the COVID 19 warnings and by April we were all locked at home with mandatory “stay at home orders”. Spring runoff in 2020 was fast and furious and was over by the end of June. Summer was pretty quiet on our three lakes and even though we saw larger crowds in Grand Lake then expected, the overall recreation on the lakes was down, especially on weekdays. Throughout June, July and August, the Adaptive Management Committee met weekly and due to such a quick runoff, the water clarity in Grand Lake and water quality in Shadow Mountain Reservoir never met the overall standard goals, even though certain operations were adjusted in attempt to support better water quality and clarity. Snow pack every year has such an impact on our flow rates through the three Lakes during summer months that it seems every year is a new adventure for water quality and clarity.
The fall began beautifully as usual and ended in a raging wildfire at the end of October/early November that we will be recovering from for the next 10 years. The fire moved extraordinarily fast and at one point traveled 16 miles in one hour and actually burned over 100,000 acres in 8 hours. It destroyed 193,812 acres and over 360 homes and outbuildings and taught us all what can happen under all the right (or wrong) conditions. Very scary!
TLWSA has been very involved from the start of the East Troublesome Fire representing our members and local landowners. Our organization quickly donated $5,000 to the Trinity Church in the Pines Food Bank and $10,000 to the Grand Foundation Wildfire Emergency Fund. TLWSA is also well positioned to be one of the private landowner coordination arms of the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) group led by Northern Water, Grand County, and Colorado River District. Once an official EWP Sponsor(s) is designated, TLWSA will be supporting the notification and coordination for developing the EWP Funded Projects with private and public landowners.
A very exciting announcement to make is the merging of the Outstanding Grand Lake (OGL) Foundation into TLWSA. Directors of both organizations have been discussing this for over a year and Director Kirsten Heckendorf and TLWSA President Mike Cassio have decided that as of 1 January 2021, OGL will officially fall under TLWSA. The OGL mission to obtain “Outstanding Waters” designation for Grand Lake will be temporally put on hold until further notice. Another addition to the TLWSA Team is Tracee Lorens who has been elected to join our Board of Directors. Tracee has now retired from the practice of law and is excited to support TLWSA. She is running a year-round vacation rental resort on family property now known as the Lorens Ranch, which is located on the mouth of the North Fork of the Colorado River where it enters Shadow Mountain Reservoir. She has decided to dedicate a good portion of her retirement time and philanthropy to supporting the efforts of TLWSA and all water issues in the Upper Colorado Watershed. Please join me in welcoming Tracee and Kirsten to our organization as they both make us stronger!
The Board of Directors at TLWSA would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy Holiday Season and wonderful 2021!
]]>Over the past several years, the high snow pack and long spring runoffs made it possible for the operators of the Big Thompson Project to time most water delivery to the east slope in late June and early July, which then allowed an increased flow through Shadow Mountain Reservoir (SMR) during the most critical hot summer months helping to stop major algae blooms. Sadly, this year’s smaller snowpack and short spring runoff made it difficult to manage the flow resulting in lower and lower clarity levels violating the agreed to minimum clarity of 2.5 meters. There is another critical meeting with the CDHE in January of 2021 and our voices must be heard and that means we need more members. If you aren’t already a member, please sign up by going to our website www.threelakeswatershed.org and help us reestablish Grand Lake clarity. You can also help by telling a friend or family member to join.
Hello TLWSA Members,
I hope this message finds everyone safe and healthy as I know the pandemic and the current fires are impacting everyone’s lives to some extent. Please know that your TLWSA Board of Directors are working hard to network with local, county, state and federal officials to help protect and enhance the quality of life in the Three Lakes Area. We have key board members plugged in to a variety of governmental committees that make decisions on many important aspects that impact our quality of life. We are also very involved in improving water quality and clarity of Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Grand Lake and we are always trying to understand the key issues that impact and or can improve the situation. TLWSA is always looking to grow our organization because the more voices we have the better, so please feel free to reach out to anyone you think can make strong contributions- administratively, technically, or financially. We pride ourselves with being a non-profit with no overhead costs, so be sure to renew your memberships, as 100% of dues and contributions go to funding local initiatives. The TLWSA has been active and involved in the Three Lakes Area for over 40 years and will continue our mission with enthusiasm and determination. Thank you for being a TLWSA member!
Mike Cassio
President, TLWSA
Grand Lake is Colorado’s largest natural lake with a long and rich history. It is the headwaters of the mighty Colorado River, formerly known as the Grand River. It is nearly surrounded by one of our oldest National Parks (Rocky Mountain National Park) and its two inlet streams are pristine water from the Park. The Colorado Big Thompson Project (CBT) was authorized via Senate Document 80 in 1937 and was one of the first major trans basin diversions using some of the oldest water rights in North America, currently providing water to roughly 1 million people. It was a brilliant engineering project for its time. However, the CBT has had significant unintended consequences on Grand Lake’s water quality and clarity. The CBT went operational with water flowing from Grand Lake through the Adams Tunnel to Estes Park in 1953. The first “Algae Problem” in SMR was documented in a letter on record dated January 28, 1954 from Robert L. Coon, a Grand Lake property owner, to US Senator Eugene D. Millikin. In February 1954, representatives from Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado Public Health, Colorado Game and Fish, Northern Water, the cities of Loveland, Berthoud, Boulder, Ft. Collins, Greeley, Longmont, Grand Lake, US National Parks, and more met to determine plans to correct the “Algae Problem”. On March 22, 1954 the Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, H.F. McPhail, wrote Robert Coon and stated “We assure you that we are very much concerned with this problem, and there is no intention on the part of the Bureau of Reclamation to shirk its duties or responsibilities”. Two years later, in 1956, a Committee was formed on Grand Lake Water Problems and again reached out to principal parties regarding “turbidity” in Grand Lake from CBT Operations. Turbidity is the quality of being cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter and the measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality.
Since the CBT went operational, all of the water (Northern) and power (Western Area Power Administration) Interests have received their water and power from the CBT. The Power Interests (through 35 miles of tunnels, 95 miles of canals and 6 hydroelectric power plants using 700 miles of transmission lines) have gotten their power when the water is moving. In the last 10 years, we have seen much better cooperation and effort from the mentioned Interests to improve Grand Lake and SMR. Key parties meet on a regular basis to determine actions to improve Shadow Mountain Reservoir (SMR) and Grand Lake. Key science, data, modeling, and research have been dedicated to improvement of turbidity. Opportunities for improvement to the CBT are many and range from small operational changes to large redesign projects. Some of the suggestions include reengineering the CBT system, modification of water operations, aquatic weed control, sediment control, oxygenation, and more.
Grand Lake deserves respect. Grand Lake deserves to be preserved.
Grand Lake deserves to be restored.
Mussel info at www.cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/BoatInspection.aspx
Wildland Fire info at www.co.grand.co.us/152/Wildland-Fire-Mitigation
Wildfire & Evacuation info at www.co.grand.co.us/156/Office-of-Emergency-Management
The Three Lakes Watershed Association (TLWSA) is a 501(c)3 non profit organization in existence for over 40 years. The association merged with the Greater Grand Lake Shoreline Association in 2013 and has continued to be committed to protecting and enhancing the quality of life in the Three Lakes Area to include Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Lake Granby Reservoir.
Scally O’Donnell, one of the original founders of the TLWSA and the president for the past years, has recently stepped down as president. Mike Cassio was elected the new president of TLWSA. Please join us in thanking Scally for his work and dedication for over 50 years to protect and enhance the quality of life in the Three Lakes Area. Scally has been the backbone of the organization and will continue with the organization as a board member. Mike Cassio has an impressive resume and has been very dedicated to the water quality initiatives for the past 7 years representing TLWSA on technical committees and attending numerous meetings with government entities related to the three lakes water quality.
We led the formation of the Three Lakes Water and Sanitation District to prevent sewage from contaminating the ground water around Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Lake Granby Reservoir. That’s right, from GL to Granby!
Our main focus over the past 10 years has been working closely with the Town of Grand Lake, Grand County, Northwest Colorado Council of Governments, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, Northern Water, Bureau of Reclamation, and many others to develop a Water Quality and Clarity Standard centered on improving the clarity of the water in both Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Grand Lake. The Colorado Department of Health and the Environment’s Colorado Water Quality Control Commission (CWQCC) passed new revisions effective June 30, 2016 to the Classifications and Numeric Standards for Upper Colorado River Basin. This Regulation NO. 33.56 can be found on page 120 of Regulation NO.33 at https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=7621&fileName=5%20CCR%201002-33#page=120
This updated standard supports the primary purpose to “preserve” Grand Lake through Senate Document 80 (passed in 1937) for the Colorado Big Thompson Project’s use of Grand Lake. This new standard sets a 3.8-Meter clarity Goal Qualifier (standard) in Grand Lake from July 1st through September 11th each year and puts a minimum of 2.5 meters based on certain critical factors. This was a huge win for Grand Lake and was a team effort led by members of the TLWSA, Town of Grand Lake, Bureau of Reclamation, Grand County, Northern Water, USGS, Colorado River District, Northwest Colorado Council of Governments and Midwest Electric Consumers. The standard will be in place for 5 years and will allow the Bureau of Reclamation to develop a long-term solution to a problem that has existed since the construction of the Colorado Big Thompson Project in the late 1930’s.
We raised over $150,000 for the Grand Lake Fire Department to acquire a Fire Boat. This enables the fire department to fight fires on Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Reservoir. There are areas around the lakes that do not have fire hydrants and the boat uses lake water for fighting fires. We also created and support the Maintenance Fund for this boat.
TLWSA supports smaller initiatives in the Three Lakes Area including opposition to limited stakes gambling, and opposition to a marijuana dispensary in the Town of Grand Lake. Additionally, we provide dock space at Trail Ridge Marina for Northern Waters testing boat utilized by the GCWIN. The water quality testing boat is used for on-going water sampling and monitoring water clarity. We also funded the purchase of special probes in the channel between Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Reservoir for Grand County to monitor potential algae blooms beginning in Shadow Mountain Reservoir and impacting Grand Lake clarity.
The current project for this summer is to purchase 40 sets of youth waders for the GCWIN Environmental Education Program which educates and engages youth in collecting water samples.
Our 2019 Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday August 10, 2019 at 9am, at the Grand Lake Firehouse located at 201 W Portal Rd, Grand Lake, CO 80447. The Firehouse is located below the Visitor Center to the south as you come down the hill into GL from US34. We will have guest speakers from GCWIN (www.gcwin.org) , the Grand Fire Department and the Grand County Wildfire Council (www.bewildfireready.org)
You can join or renew your annual membership via the attached mailing, or on our new website at www.threelakeswatershed.org. We apologize for past problems with our payment portal and renewal process. We have recently completed a remodel of our website and upgraded to the newest payment technology. Please help by joining our organization or contributing a financial donation in any amount. 100% of your contributions go towards protecting and enhancing the quality of life in the Three Lakes Area to include Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Lake Granby Reservoir. The goal of the Three Lakes Watershed Association is to become a major source of private funding for environmental projects around the Three Lakes Area with an emphasis on recreation, conservation, forest health and stewardship. The Three Lakes Watershed Association acts as a catalyst for bridging the funding gap between private and government.
Truly one of nature’s great masterpieces, Grand Lake provides an unlimited supply of recreational and leisure pursuits. Attention is required to ensure it is here for generations to enjoy. If we do not join together to help improve and restore the watershed, we will lose this resource.
Please Visit www.threelakeswatershed.org and join/donate now
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