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December 11, 2001 By Jim Mimiaga On Monday, the Montezuma County Commission postponed a decision on the Stoner Creek Preserve golf-resort proposal, pending review of a water-quality management plan. The commission retained Steve Harris of Harris Engineering in Durango to review the developer’s plan, which outlines management of fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide use, and the formation of a water-monitoring system. The consultant was retained by the county under contract, but will be paid for by the resort. Following the independent review, the commission will continue the public hearing on the resort’s application for a high-impact permit Monday, Dec. 17, at 10:30 a.m. The commissioners required stringent water-safety standards at a previous hearing, saying it is their obligation to protect the Dolores River watershed, the main drinking-water source for the county. Wright Water Engineers prepared the water-quality protection plan. It includes a wide range of "best management practices," and then details a water-monitoring plan. Both groundwater and surface water will be monitored for problematic changes, explained investor and project planner Peter Jamar. "It will be at our cost, and it is an independent process that you the commission will be involved in," he said. Seven monitoring stations measuring for pollution will be installed, according to the plan. On the Dolores River there will be one upstream and downstream of the course and one at the confluence of Stoner Creek and the Dolores. Four others — two on the upstream side of the course and two on the downstream end — will monitor for groundwater contamination as a result of fertilizer, herbicide or pesticide use on the course. "It is in our best interests to have high water quality because we will be using that water also," Jamar said. The stations will be monitored twice a year, in the summer and fall, to accommodate for low and higher flows. Elements tested for are: nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (the three primary plant nutrients in fertilizer), pH levels, total dissolved solids and pesticides prevalently used on the property, according to the plan. To insure objectivity, samples will be collected by golf-course staff and a representative of Montezuma County. A mutually acceptable independent laboratory will be selected to test the samples. Pesticides and nitrate levels must comply with standards set by the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. PH levels must fall between 6 and 9. Total Dissolved Solids must be under 1,000 mg/l, the commonly accepted guideline for TDS’s in irrigation water. There are no applicable standards for phosphorus and potassium, so levels will be monitored to determine if golf-course operations are causing problems. If any concentrations exceed standards or the excess appears to be attributable to the golf course, a re-sampling will be done. If confirmed, the golf-course staff will evaluate the water-quality protection plan and offer ways to improve management practices. The recommendations will be submitted to the county in writing and necessary improvements implemented by the golf course until water standards are met. If after five years there are no water-quality problems, Stoner Creek Preserve may ask that the county scale back or eliminate the monitoring, the plan states. Other highlights of the plan: • Grading and drainage practices will direct water away from the Dolores River and into stormwater detention areas before being discharged into the river. • Pest management will emphasize agronomic and biological controls and will be done only when deemed necessary. • Irrigation will be computerized and daily water application rates will match determined needs of the turf to avoid wasting water. • The potential negative effects of pesticides and fertilizers will be controlled through course design. For example, when feasible, areas near the river will be graded to minimize direct runoff into the river. A drainage system will be made up of created wetlands, grass-lined swales and ponds to help filter runoff water. • The developer will use "environmentally friendly" pesticides and fertilizers. These might include "dyna-weed," a byproduct of corn syrup used as an herbicide, and "zerotol," a strong oxidizer used against snow mold. • Buffer zones along the river will be protected.
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Copyright © 2001 the Cortez
Journal. All rights reserved. |
