Prairie Dogs on OSMP propertiesFrom:C Carroll
To:OSBT-Web
Subject:Prairie Dogs on OSMP properties
Date:Wednesday, July 12, 2023 4:23:00 PM
External Sender
I have lived north of the Steele open space properties for 21 years. In that time I have seen
those lands go from productive agricultural properties, hay and cattle, to a barren wasteland of
prairie dog mounds, bare earth, and invasive weeds.
The ditch that supplies that land runs through my property, and open space staff came through
about four years ago stating that they planned to start running water again to those properties.
We looked at the ditch that runs through my property, and they pointed out a couple of spots
where the sides of the ditch are thin and possibly in danger of collapse. They told me that they
would come back and help shore up the walls of the ditch and dig a deeper trench where
needed. They then proceeded to use dirt and rocks to block access spurs off the main ditch line
to the field of my neighbor without consulting the property owners. I have been promised
every year that OSMP open space staff would come around and help repair and maintain the
ditch that leads to the Steele properties. Every year I have been told that there is not enough
staff and that no one has the time to spend on the Steele properties. Then I heard that OSMP
staff had declared that the ditch was not viable and that the water could not reach the Steele
properties. This is a false assertion and indicative to me that they simply gave up. This is not
what I consider to be good-neighborly behavior.
When the Steele properties were supplied with periodic ditch water, it created a riparian
corridor along the ditch which provided wonderful habitat for insects, plants, and small
animals and established a more diverse ecosystem. There is a section of the ditch where the
water cascades down a fairly deep draw before entering the elaborate concrete head gate
system built by the Steele family. With the ditch water, this draw was a magical oasis in the
midst of the dry upland prairie, a wonderland of dragonflies, medicinal plants, flowers,
grasses, and small trees. It has now become a dry, trash heap of broken tangled branches and
unsightly junk with nothing green or diverse present.
I encourage OSBT to take action to restore the Steele properties to their former agricultural
utility and beauty. Why not lease the lands to someone who can help OSMP restore them?
Why wait until they are "ready" for agricultural use?
Thank you,
Constance Carroll
5160 Nelson Rd
Longmont 80503