From The Mountain Mail (Audrey Gilpin):
City attorney Karl Hanlon said the district would encompass territory occupied by the city waterworks and all reservoirs, streams, trenches, pipes and drains from which water is taken for 5 miles upstream from the city intake point at Pasquale Springs and various intakes on the South Arkansas River. Cognitive of the agriculture community and drafted from the Steamboat Springs model, Hanlon said the district would ensure clean water in the watershed and allow city personnel to monitor if and when there are pollutants in the water.
Bill Schuckert, U.S. Forest Service district ranger for Pike and San Isabel National Forests, said, “The agency supports protecting Salida’s watershed, but we’re concerned the city could potentially be overstepping boundaries in forest service jurisdiction.”[…]
Under the ordinance, new industries or businesses wanting to “engage in potentially damaging activities” would be required to obtain a permit from the city. Activities requiring a permit would include excavating, grading, timber harvesting, drilling, mining, discharging any pollutant into any watercourse and using pesticides and herbicides within 100 feet of a watercourse, he said. Permits would be valid two years. “Normal” farming and ranching activities, road maintenance by government entities, construction or maintenance of farm or ranch roads, noxious weed or insect control and removal of diseased trees wouldn’t require a permit. The full ordinance, list of permitted and non-permitted activities and a map of the watershed protection district is available at city hall.
More Arkansas River Basin coverage here.