Larimer County natural resources staff lay out yearlong work plans; Chimney Hollow boat ramp to be built before reservoir fills

Dalen Figgs, director of Larimer County's Department of Natural Resources, told the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 10 that the department's annual work plans for the Openlands Advisory Board, Parks Advisory Board and Land Stewardship Board will guide grant work, land acquisitions, restoration projects and park improvements over the coming year.

The plans center on grant-dependent capital work and land‑acquisition strategy, Figgs said, and include early design and on‑the‑ground trail work at Chimney Hollow Reservoir ahead of larger construction in 2026. "It is an open space. So really the planning process has been under the purview of the open lands," Figgs said, adding that for Chimney Hollow "we have to do this year, namely, putting a boat ramp in before the reservoir gets water in it." He said longer lead work such as parking lots, trailheads, restrooms and boat docks is scheduled to begin in 2026 and will rely on grant writing to cover costs.

Why it matters: Chimney Hollow and other reservoir projects intersect recreation planning, water management and federal grants, and the department's decisions will affect trail access, boat launches and capital budgets across Larimer County.

Figgs also outlined restoration work planned this year, with an emphasis on a riparian restoration project at Red Mountain Open Space and a larger, more expensive River Bluffs project that may be delayed. On Red Mountain, staff plan to restore a section of Box Elder Creek: "We're working to put the water back in the Box Elder Creek and do some riparian restoration up there. We do plan to do that this year," Figgs said. As part of that project, the county plans to convert one of its older water rights to an in‑stream flow dedication to keep water in the creek permanently.

The department will continue work on trails, an ecological adaptive‑management approach for agricultural lands, and an aquatic nuisance species program for reservoir parks. Figgs said the parks team has renewed its contract with Carter Lake Sale Club and is pursuing a text‑park pay system supported by improved connectivity in low‑coverage areas; staff are exploring Skylink for better hotspots to support a text‑based payment system. Figgs said federal projects tied to the Federal Lands Access Program — including an East Carter improvement project — are currently on hold pending federal work, and that the county will likely pause an East Carter project funded in part with ARPA dollars until federal timelines are clearer.

On marinas, Figgs said the county opened a second‑year lottery for slips and is awaiting final counts from marina operators before drawing winners; he estimated the final notice will likely fall near March 1 but said that date was approximate.

Land stewardship work includes ongoing noxious weed early detection and rapid response, funded in part through a recurring grant, and about $150,000 annually in contracts related to fire‑scar recovery with the U.S. Forest Service. Figgs said these contracts are being monitored for classification under the department's federal‑funding concern list.

Commissioners asked for regular updates and for staff to return with a plan for how the combined Openlands and Parks advisory boards will meet. Figgs cautioned his presentation was prepared prior to the board discussion to combine the two advisory boards and said he will return with senior leadership recommendations on joint meeting logistics and a follow‑up work plan.

Looking ahead, Figgs said the department will continue yearly financial reviews over 1‑, 3‑ to‑5‑ and 5+‑year horizons and noted that many projects depend on federal grants and other external funding sources. He also said Northern Water has asked Larimer County to participate in planning conversations about Glade Reservoir; "they're hoping to begin construction as early as '27," Figgs said, noting that legal challenges and court processes are still underway.

Staff and board members will report back with more detailed schedules and design work as grant timelines and federal project plans become clearer.