TOWN OF PONCHA SPRINGS
Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
May, 2009
Where: South Park Recreation area in Poncha
Springs CO
River Corridor, Picnic Area, and Town Frisbee Golf Course
Requested by: Homeowners of Hot Springs
Rd in Poncha Springs
Town
of Poncha Springs
Acreage: Approximately 20 acres to be
treated
Vegetation: Riparian area with high grasses,
cottonwoods, alder, gamble oak, juniper, pinon pine, Virginia creeper,
and wild rose
The town of Poncha Springs and an adjacent homeowners group request
grant monies to improve the recreation area of South Park. The
reasons for improvement include the following:
Wildfire Safety: The Poncha Creek corridor
has an extreme fuel load with a large amount of ladder fuels, fine/flashy
fuels, heavy dead and down trees, and viotile fuels. Currently
there is no fire-break and the fuels are continuous and very dry. The
prevailing wind would push a fire down the canyon and right into
the town of Poncha Springs. Homes lie in the corridor towards
the end of the canyon. The town of Poncha Springs has a history
of fire. There have been two events that have burned the
entire town of Poncha with a wildfire.
Watershed Protection: Poncha Creek flows
directly into the South Arkansas River, which is the water supply
for the town of Salida and Poncha Springs. A wildfire event
in this corridor would highly damage the water quality as a result
of sedimentation in the creek. The creek also supplies the
water to Harrington ditch, which is a water source for ranch lands
and open space. Aquatic habitat would also be highly compromised
and possibly destroyed.
Public Safety: The area is a high use recreation
area. It if frequented by Frisbee golfers, picnickers, and
traveling public that could be unfamiliar with our wildfire danger
and the hazard tree danger that exists here. The high public
use is evident by the existence of fire rings, vehicle parking
areas, and picnic tables.
Hazard Tree Removal: There is an extreme risk
of danger with the hazard trees that exist in the area. There
are many “widow-makers”, standing-dead, leaners, snapped
trees, and top-heavy/rotten cottonwoods. This poses a very
large liability risk for the Town of Poncha Springs.
***This area has been examined by the State Forest Service
and is deemed a high fire priority and safety issue.
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