Park County approves six Land & Water Trust Fund grants covering river restoration, trails, toilets, mine clean-up and conservation easement

Park County commissioners approved six Land and Water Trust Fund grant requests covering river restoration, trail and habitat projects, sanitation at a popular OHV trailhead, mine‑site reclamation and a conservation easement. The board later adopted a single resolution to authorize the set of grant agreements.

Approved projects and key details:

- South Platte River restoration at Lake George (CUSP request): Commissioners approved a $100,000 Land and Water Trust Fund request to remove an old dam/fish ladder above the town of Lake George, stabilize stream banks and limit future sediment migration. Staff and proponents said the existing fish ladder ‘‘has never worked’’ and is impeding stream health; the project was recommended by the advisory committee with a majority vote.

- Marksbury Gulch vault toilet / trailhead improvements (CUSP request): The county approved funding to install a 500‑gallon vault toilet at a newly created trailhead used heavily by the OHV community. Total project cost is just over $100,000 with partner cash match and in‑kind contributions; the Land and Water Trust Fund advisory board recommended not funding the project but the commission approved it 2–1, citing public health and safety concerns and heavy seasonal use.

- Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative (MRHI): A $199,185 grant request (with significant cash and in‑kind match) was approved for trail repair and wildlife habitat work at sites including Puma Point, Bristlecone Pine area and Lake Emma. The advisory committee recommended unanimous approval.

- Sacramento Gulch mill‑site reclamation (Trout Unlimited): Commissioners approved a request of $120,000 to remove or properly remediate mine tailings at an old mill site near County Road 14, with the applicant providing a strong cash match. The advisory board recommended unanimous funding; commissioners emphasized removing contamination near wetlands.

- Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV) Crooked Trout Creek Trail Phase 1 amendment: The board approved an $81,182 amendment request, conditioned on a contractual clause that would require WRV to return county funds if federal funding later covered the same work. The item was approved 3–0 and contract language will reflect that caveat.

- Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) Fourmile Creek conservation easement ("Hormel Creek property"): The board approved $59,855 for transaction and administrative costs associated with a conservation easement on a roughly 67‑acre property that includes a 0.033 cubic feet per second water right (about 18 gallons per minute), wetlands and Fourmile Creek. The landowner agreed to strike short‑term rental language from the easement and the board requested the land trust implement that change.

Commissioners discussed matches, maintenance responsibilities (particularly for the vault toilet), long‑term monitoring and the advisory committee recommendations; staff will prepare grant agreements and include the conditions discussed by the board. A single resolution approving the 2025 Land and Water Trust Fund grants was adopted by a 3–0 vote.