1 Spring 2020 Newsletter - Laserfiche WebLink

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COMMUNITY PARK POND CLOSED The City has closed the Community Park pond to dogs to comply with reuse water regulations from the Colorado Department of Public Health (CDHPE). Since 2006, both residents and visitors have used the pond adjacent to Community Park as a swimming area for their furry friends. Although this pond is an amenity to the dog park, it is primarily a holding vessel for reuse water to accommodate the park's irrigation. Reuse water (also known as'reclaimed'or'recycled water') is wastewater treated for specific purposes such as irrigation, but is not suitable for drinking. In September, the City received information from CDPHE mandating the discontinuation of all recreational uses of reclaimed water in Colorado. The City drained the pond and filled it with potable water (also known as'drinking water') as a temporary solution to finish the season. On January 21, the City made the decision to permanently close the pond to ensure the safety and health of the community. The closure of the pond at Community Park will not affect other areas of the dog park or the Dog Off -Leash Area at Davidson Mesa. For questions or more infor- mation, please email ParksandRec@LouisvilleCO.gov or call 303.335.4735. OWL WEBCAMS ARE BACK! The Open Space Division has once again partnered with the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute (CARRI) to install outdoor web cameras in Great Horned Owl nesting areas on Louisville Open Space properties. These 24/7 cameras provide a live feed of local owl nests offering the possibility to witness the courtship, incubation, and feeding activities of local Great Horned Owls during the breeding season (January -May). This is the second year for this program. During the 2019 breeding season, the live camera feed had over 40k views as people tuned in to watch the owl pair court, incubate three eggs, hatch the eggs, and care for the chicks until all three eventually fledged the nest. Cameras this year have observed owls frequently visit- ing two of the nest box locations. As of January 30, all nest locations are empty with no signs of incubation. If the nests become active, anticipated incubation is mid to late February with chicks born sometime in May. The City of Louisville thanks the Colorado Avian Re- search and Rehabilitation Institute, Marty O'Connor, and the Wecker family for helping to make this pos- sible. Visit LouisvilleCO.gov/OpenSpace to see the owls. NEW TRAILS APP The Boulder Area Trails app provides access to all trail information in and around Boulder County. The app is designed to enable users to find trails by use or type, plan routes by connecting local community trails, and link to the appropriate agency websites for more information. The Boulder Area Trails app features include: • One app for all area trails: Provides a single source for all designated public recreation trails and trailheads in and around Boulder and Broomfield counties. Includes 295 trailheads and 1,440 miles of trail. • Real-time trail closures: Trail closures are posted as soon as they are announced by each particpat- ing agency. • Offline maps: The app will continue to work even when there is no cellular service. • Set favorites: Users can save favorite trails and trailheads for easy access. Visit www.TrailsApp.org to download the app. DAVIDSON MESA PRESCRIBED BURN PLANNED The Open Space Division is working with Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District to schedule a prescribed burn on a portion of Davidson Mesa this spring. Prescribed burns, also known as controlled burns, refer to the controlled application of fire by a team of fire experts, under specified weather condi- tions, to restore health to fire -adapted environments. The burn is tentatively planned for spring, between April and May, but timing is dependent on condi- tions such as crew availability, optimal tempera- ture, moisture, humidity, and wind speed. Detailed information about dates, locations, and trail closures will be published before the burn. The burn plan will be implemented with the highest standards to mini- mize smoke impacts and maximize resource benefits. The City successfully conducted its first prescribed burn at Aquarius Open Space in 2017. Approximately 14 acres were safely burned in two days. The prescribed burn resulted in consumption of dead litter material, reduction in cheat grass, and an increase in native grasses.These accomplishments were achieved by adding vegetative management activities to complement the burn. Prescribed burns are an essential part of the Louisville Open Space integrated land management approach and over the next few years, the City plans to use them as a tool to restore open space grasslands. Please contact Ember Brignull at EmberB@LouisvilleCO.gov for more info. Spring 2020 • Page 9