Horsetooth Reservoir Safety Issue

[Larimer.org]

This form was submitted on Monday, July 17, 2023 - 5:28pm from https://www.larimer.gov/bocc.

Emailing (to) jkef...@larimer.org

Subject Horsetooth Reservoir Safety Issue

Your Name Amanda FINCH

Phone 9702178129

Your Email amandavl...@gmail.com

Message (no html)

Hello John, I’ve met you a few times in the past. Thanks for your service to the citizens of Larimer County.

This last weekend on Horsetooth Res. had me concerned. I have a six year old son and I’ve worked as a nurse. I’m always thinking about safety.

You probably already know about congestion issues this summer at horsetooth res. But it feels like nothing I’ve felt in my 14 years here. I was kayaking 14 years ago and not many people were out on horsetooth and kayaks. Things have changed, and Im supportive of Horsetooth for use by all.

The issue I want to bring to your attention is not kayaks. It’s lots of boats with people swimming off of boats that are parked in the middle of horsetooth. I can’t tell you how many people we went by in our small JetSki waving big orange flags at any boater that passed. These bolts are in the way of traffic in the middle of the reservoir, not to the side, and people are swimming in the middle of the reservoir. I can smell trouble. Someone is going to get badly hurt and hit by a boat while swimming.

I can only assume that these people haven’t sorted out that swimming in the middle of the reservoir, which is the main path for boats, probably isn’t the safest idea.

Larimer County public servants were doing an excellent job. My husband, my son, and myself on the JetSki went from the main boat launch on the south end at Satanka Cove and back. We saw two rangers working. The boat launch personnel were overwhelmed, and doing their best to maintaining order. They were doing a very good job, but they were hustling back-and-forth, and very hot.

I can only assume that a lot of people who are at the reservoir that day, we’re not from the nearby area. One giveaway was the deep ocean cigarette boats.

It was just goofy that people on boats would think that stopping in the middle of the main boating passage area and waving flags at people that are difficult to notice, in any case, is going to prevent an accident.

Thanks for reading. I suggest you go for an outing next weekend to see for yourself. I did notice that boaters we’re heeding the no boating zones, which makes kayaking and paddle boarders so much more safe!

I also did notice that boaters near the launch area we’re heeding the slow speed limit, and we’re very courteous at the boat launch despite the congestion.

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[John Kefalas]

Amanda,

Thank you for sharing your observations from this past weekend - being on the water at Horsetooth Reservoir, which I will share with our DNR Director and his staff so they are aware. Yes, our parks and open spaces are receiving many more visitors and recreationists than in the old days, and our natural resources staff and rangers are adapting and mitigating the impacts, Be well and be safe.

	John Kefalas County Commissioner, District 1
	Commissioners' Office 200 W Oak St | 2nd Floor PO Box 1190, Fort Collins, CO 80522-1190 W: (970) 498-7001 Cell:  (720) 254-7598 jkef...@larimer.org | www.larimer.org

[Amanda Finch]

Thanks John. It might be just a matter of rangers, patrolling the middle of the res.  and asking parked people to move over to the edges to swim, or it might be a reason for a campaign about swimming safe.  Again, thanks for all of your public service. We are lucky to have you.

[Amanda Finch]

Great! You’ll be very surprised with what you see on the weekend.  I doubt weekdays can touch the traffic on the weekends.  

On Mon, Jul 17, 2023 at 6:34 PM John Kefalas <kefa...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

I appreciate your kind words Amanda, and have requested to schedule a time to go out on the boat with our rangers.

[Daylan Figgs]

Thank you and I hope all is well.  Like you, I am receiving my bindweed bugs today - I hope they work as well as advertised.

I will ask Andrea to coordinate schedules to get a ride-along on the calendar.  Do you prefer weekends or weekdays?   Generally we schedule ride-alongs for around 4 -6 hours.  Please let me know your preference and we will take it from here.

Thanks for all your support as it is greatly appreciated.

Daylan

On Mon, Jul 17, 2023 at 6:17 PM John Kefalas <kefa...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

Hello Sir,

FYI and please share with staff accordingly. I would like to schedule a boat ride sometime this summer or early fall. Thank you, and hope you and yours are well.

[Daylan Figgs]

Thanks for the additional information and we will get a ride-along scheduled.  Unfortunately I will not be at the ARPA work session due to a scheduling conflict.  Jon Plybon will be presenting our portion of the update.

As for the bug update - they did not arrive on the 18th as planned.  I reached out to CDA to let them know and to find if the bugs will be viable if they arrive today.  Fingers crossed!

Enjoy your day

Daylan

On Tue, Jul 18, 2023 at 9:15 PM John Kefalas <kefa...@co.larimer.co.us> wrote:

Thanks Daylan, and let me know how the bug deployment went. We get our mites on Thursday. Regarding the ride-a;ong with a boat ranger, I think a Friday afternoon/early evening or a Saturday would be most compelling - to see the volume of visitors on the weekend. See you tomorrow afternoon for the ARPA update (assuming you will be present for the DNR capital projects portion of the update.