The watershed enhancement program is a cooperative effort between multiple organizations and local stakeholders to define needs and obtain grants to complete projects that will improve the Upper San Juan Basin watershed. The San Juan River Village POA was contacted a couple of years ago to see if there was support for making improvements within the SJRV river corridor. At the time the POA was involved in a Quiet Title Action to resolve ownership of the river corridor running through SJRV and the POA was not in a position to do anything conclusive. This title dispute was resolved in favor of the SJRV POA last fall. With this resolved the POA would like to inform and gauge support for participating in this project.
The objectives within our neighborhood would be to create more holding areas for fish, bank stabilization, dredging some areas to remove gravel deposited in 2019, and numerous wing features to create a healthier channel through our neighborhood. It would also provide funds to rebuild our headgate for the ditch serving our ponds and stabilize the hillside just above our neighborhood. As with anything where someone gives you something they want something in return. They would like for SJRV to allow the installation of a public boat launch for rafting at the West end of the neighborhood in the location of the Metro “boneyard “below the treatment ponds. Access for the ramp would be just off the highway. This ramp would be gated and locked when the river level drops below a boatable level. If this project proceeds the funds would come from grants and state funds. It would not involve SJRV paying for any of the work.
This is only the beginning and the work is not imminent. For more information and to see what is already happening on this project in and near town visit
https://www.mountainstudies.org/sanjuan/smp?rq=WEP.
This will be on the agenda for the POA Board Meetings for discussion for the next few months so please check out the Preliminary Plans we have posted here and visit the Mountain Studies website for more info.