By Shannon Lukens.
In a flooding update from the Town of Hayden…
Sandbags and sand are still available at the Hayden Police Station and the entrance to the dog park. Third Street Park is still closed due to flood risk and damage. Dry Creek Park is open but the trail system has been closed. Dumpsters are available for flood victims at the Hayden Center, if needed. If you have extra water, only pump it into storm drains or culverts. The Town of Hayden will be working with the Routt County Building Department to do damage assessment to homes. Take pictures of everything that is damaged. Hayden will also be setting up a dedicated website with resources and updates.
The heavy snow in Northwest Colorado has caused a delay in some campgrounds from opening. Those in our area are the parks and campgrounds at Steamboat and Pearl Lakes, also Yampa River State Park, and Stagecoach. Staff at those parks are hoping to get them open as soon as possible but Colorado Parks and Wildlife expect it might be mid-May.
- Stagecoach State Park: Office hours 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, phone 970-736-2436
- Steamboat Lake and Pearl Lake State Parks: Office hours 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, phone 970-879-3922
- Yampa River State Park: Office hours 8 a.m.- 4:15 p.m. daily, phone 970-276-2061
HEAVY SNOW DELAYS OPENING OF SOME LOCAL CAMPGROUNDS
The Open Burn season has been extended because of the deep snow. It was supposed to end last weekend in Routt County, but Steamboat Springs Fire Marshal Doug Shaffer says they will evaluate conditions on a week-to-week basis. If you want to have an Open Burn, get a burn permit from Routt County Environmental Health. It can’t be bigger than 10 feet in either direction. There has to be six inches of snow on the ground at the burn site. You have to start the burn before 11 a.m. and monitor it at all times. And you have to let Routt County Communications know before starting your open burn.
Moffat County does not have a specific burn season. You can have an Open Burn in Moffat County any time, unless the county is under fire restrictions.
The Colorado Senate approved a pair of bills Monday sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, and Senator Perry Will, R-New Castle, to support Western Slope ranchers and their livestock by mitigating the impacts of wolf reintroduction in Colorado.
The 10J Rule Bill would allow Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers to manage wolves with more flexibility, and would permit ranchers and property owners to also use lethal action if necessary, if their livestock or working animals are in danger. That bill passed 28-6 in the Senate.
The second bill is a bill approving a dedicated Compensation Fund where livestock owners can be compensated for the loss or injury of their animals from wolves. It passed unanimously in the Senate.
The two bills will soon be heard next in the Colorado House.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife is accepting public comments through today, April 18. It’s about the 10J rule, which is lethal management for wolves. Comments can be submitted through www.regulations.gov Search Docket number FWS-R6-ES-2022-0100.
The new Moffat County Courthouse is open for business with county employees in their new offices today. The old Kmart building was remodeled for all county offices, except for Road and Bridge and the libraries. Work is still being done on the exterior. The Moffat County Courts, Probation, and DA offices will reopen to the public on Wednesday.
NEW MOFFAT COUNTY COURTHOUSE IS OPEN TODAY
There is a blood drive in Craig Tuesday afternoon and then again Wednesday morning. The blood drive is in the Pavilion at the Moffat County Fairgrounds.
- Tuesday, April 18 from 12:30 – 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 19 from 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
BLOOD DRIVES ARE SCHEDULED FOR MOFFAT COUNTY
Check out what’s happening in the Yampa Valley on the Community Calendar.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.