Open Space Advisory Board Agenda and Packet 2021 08 11

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Open Space Advisory Board Information Item 6: Staff Updates Continued August 11, 2021 Page 2 of 4 exceptions. There have been physical evidence of people using the closed social trails at Aquarius and Warembourg Open Space. During the winter, ski tracks were spotted in the snow at Aquarius more than a few times, plus staff witnessed people walking up and down the closed social trail. At Warembourg Open Space, the staff witnessed people using sections of the closed social trail to connect to other social trails in the area. However, most Open Space users have respected the social trail closures. The existing signs will need to be replaced due to weathering and may need to be altered for a more long-term message. The re -vegetation of the sites has been more of a challenge than expected to get native species established, but there are signs of native growth. Most of the vegetation that is coming back is from the pre-existing vegetation that was on site from the start. The ground cover at the sites is around 25 to 40 percent depending on the locations. The restored trail at Aquarius is having a strong return with around 40 percent ground cover. Where Warembourg and Dutch Creek are showing more than 25 to 30 percent returning ground cover, additional seeding will occur in the fall. Natural Resources: 1. Staff is working on scheduling herbicide treatments for cheatgrass control on select Open Space properties in late August. 2. Open Space staff is developing text and design for an interpretive panel for Dutch Creek Open Space. The final design, graphics, and layout will be completed with a contractor. The goal of the sign will be to provide information regarding the Ecosystems of the Riparian Zones. Potential themes include ecosystem services, the 2013 flood, ecological transitional zones, sediments, wildlife and habitat, vegetation types, and soil characteristics. Staff will seek comments from OSAB on design, text, and graphics in November. Following approval of the panel layout and design, sign fabrication and installation will occur in 2022 along the Coal Creek Corridor. 3. Staff assisted two professors from Regis University in sampling Coal Creek for fish and benthic macroinvertebrates. Three sites were sampled: CTC Open Space, Dutch Creek Open Space, and the Coal Creek Golf Course. Seven fish species, all native, were recorded: Central Stoneroller, Creek Chub, Fathead Minnow, Green Sunfish, Johnny Darter, Longnose Dace, and White Sucker. Boyd Wright, a Native Aquatic Species Biologist for CPW, called the presence of Central Stoneroller "intriguing," as the species has declined in the Front Range and completely disappeared from South Boulder Creek. An additional M