8 - Recommended alignment for Trail #13 in the Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw Trail Study AreaCITY OF BOULDER
OPEN SPACE BOARD OF TRLJSTEES AGENDA ITEM
MEETING DATE: May 14, 2008
AGENDA TITLE: Recommended Alignment for Trail #13 in the Eldorado
Mountain /Doudy Draw Trail Study Area.
PRESENTERIS: Open Space and Mountain Parks
Mike Patton, Director
Jim Reeder, Land and Facilities Division Manager
Steve Armstead, Visitor Master Plan Implementation Coordinator
EXECL?TNE SUMI~Z~RY:
Staff has determined a recommended alignment for Trail #13, the last trail alignment
required to complete alignments for new trails in the Eldorado Mountain /Doudy Draw
Trail Study Area (E11~1/DD TSA). Trail # 13 will be a multi-use trail requiring equestrians,
bikes and on-leash dogs to stay on trail. Trail #13 is the northern half of the connecting
trails between Doudy Draw Trail and Fo«~ler Trail.
The recommended alignment for Trail #13 will join with Trail #14 near the old railroad
grade and use the lower alignment option to proceed west to Spring Brook and then
follo~~~ along the mesa above Spring Brook to connect to the Denver Water Board Road at
the merest end of Trail 14. (See map, Attachment A.) The recommended alignment stays
away from the edge of Spring Brook and avoids crossing Spring Brook. The staff
recommendation is lased on an analysis of environmental, trail and visitor experience
suitability and community input. Staff hosted a community field trip and posted maps of
alternatives and the suitability analysis on the OSNIP website for review and comment.
STAFF REC014IArIENDATION:
No action is requested. Staff is interested in any comments from the Open Space Board
of Trustees (OSBT) on the recommended alignment for Trail #13.
C"OMNIUNITY SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENTS AND IMPACTS:
• Economic: Open Space and Mountain Parks contributes to the economic vitality
goal of the city as it provides the context for the diverse and vibrant economic
system that sustains services for residents. The land system and the quality of life
it represents attract visitors and help businesses to recruit and retain quality
employees.
• Environmental: New resource impacts ri~ill occur during trail construction and
the associated increase in visitor use on net~~ trails. Providing sustainable trails
designed to encourage visitors to stay on trail is preferred over unmanaged use in
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sensitive natural areas and the impacts associated with off-trail travel and
undesignated trail dej~elop~nent. The proposed location of the trail and on-trail
policies should minimize many of these impacts and afford greater protection to
sensitive resources in the Doudy Draw Natural Area. A monitoring program will
allow on-going assessment of the success of management activities and allow
adjustments to be made, as needed, to ensure that resources are adequately
protected.
Social: The construction of Trail #13 will provide a desired trail connection
between Doudy Draw Trail and the Denver Water Board Canal Road. New
hiking, on-leash dog walking, equestrian and bicycling opportunities will become
available with the completion of the trail.
OTHER IMPACTS:
• Fiscal: Construction costs are expected to be under $10,000 and will include a
significant volunteer effort. A precise construction estimate will be possible after
site-specific trail construction details are determined.
• Staff time: This would be part of the normal work plan for trail staff with ;
significant contribution by volunteers.
PUBLIC FEEDBACIs:
Extensive public discussion and input on trails and conceptual trail corridors occurred
during the Trail Study Area (TSA) planning process and the alignment process. Staff
posted aligrunent alternatives and the draft suitability analysis on the OSMP website and
provided a public field trip on July 19, 2007 to look over and discuss the alternatives.
Staff received comments from many individuals and several community groups including
PLAN Boulder County, Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance (BMA}, Friends of Boulder
Open Space (FOBOS), Boulder County Horse Association (BCHA), Boulder County
Audubon Society (BCAS) and Boulder Area Trails Coalition (BATCO). Comments
included suggestions on the alignment minimizing impacts to native grasslands and
Spring Brook, addressing trail sections underlain by Pierre Shale, and considerations for
trail sustainability and visitor experience.
This item is being heard at this public meeting, advertised in the Daily Camera on May
11, 2008.
ANALYSIS:
Backgromid
Opportunities exist to enhance visitor access in the EM/DD TSA by providing new trails
to popular destinations that will lessen the impact. of current visitor use on sites with
sensitive natural and cultural resources. New sustainable trails will be built while
existing undesignated trails «~ill be reclaimed. New trails have been located to avoid
sensitive resources and minimize impacts. Trail objectives identif°ied for the conceptual
trail corridor and alignment in the EMi'DD TSA plan includes:
• Construct a multi-use loop trail that connects Doudy Draw trail to the Denver
Water Board Canal Road.
• Equestrians, bikes, and dogs on leash are allowed only if they remain on trail.
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• Trail will be located on diverse terrain in grassland and forested environments and
will avoid sensitive riparian and mature forest areas.
• The trail will be routed away from and out. of sight of Lindsay Pond, ahigh-value
habitat area.
Staff, with the assistance of a trail design contractor, determined possible alignment
options based on the conceptual trail corridor identified in the Eldorado Mountain /
Doudy Draw TSA Plan. The conceptual trail cotY-idor for Trail # 13 proceeded from the
junction near Doudy Draw north and west around the side of the forested mesa and
crossed through Spring Brook to connect to the Denver Water Board Road. (See map,
Attachment B.) The recommended alignment does not cross through Spring Brook.
Staff recommends that the trail continue along the east side of the Spring Brook drainage
and connects to the west end of Trail # 14 and the location of the Goshawk Ridge Trail
pedestrian bridge over the Denver Water Board Canal. Staff evaluated two alignments,
an upper and lower alternative, along the north side of the forested mesa to connect from
Trail #14 to the Spring Brook section. Staff is recommending the lower alignment
option. (See rnap, Attachment A.) The lower alignment as originally aligned has been
modified (located lower on the slope) to improve the junction ~~ith Trail #14. The
adjustments reduce the need for a section of parallel trail between Trail #13 and Trail #14
on the mesa side which will likely reduce crosscutting and allow Trail #13 to avoid
crossing an existing soil slump. (See map, Attachment. C.) The alignment modification
requires minor adjustments to two drainage crossings that will not increase impacts to
vegetation or wildlife resources.
Trail 13 Alternatives and Recommendation
Upper Alternative
This alignment alternative connects with Trail #14 in a small ravine west of Doudy Draw
Trail and continues west up the side of the ravine to the rim of the mesa. The trail
follows north and then ripest along the escarpment of the mesa. (See map, Attachment A.)
Lower Alternative
This alignment alternative connects with Trail #14 in a small ravine west of Doudy Draw
Trail near the old railroad grade and contours across the side of the mesa north and west.
(See map, Attachment A.)
Staffrecomrnended ali ire rn~ent~. LowerAlternutive
Staff believes this alignment does the best to balance key issues by providing a trail that
«i11:
• minimize impacts to sites with abundant native grasses (old pediment grassland
communities),
• minimize the trail and wildlife impacts along the mesa's forested edge, and
• provide a sustainable trail that minimizes erosion.
The placement of the trail on a slope with less stable soils underlain by Pierre shale will
be mitigated by a sustainable trail design rr~ith adequate mater drainage, moderate trail
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grades and vegetated restoration of back slopes. Visitor advisement signs or temporary
trail closures may be appropriate during periods of persistent ~~~et and muddy conditions.
Alternative considered but not selected: Upper Alignment
This alignment is not the preferred alignment because:
• The trail ti~~ould cross two sections of the mesa where there are important native
grass communities (old pediment grasslands).
• The trail follows along the mesa and forest edge which is important wildlife
habitat used by ungulates for bedding and cover.
• The section of trail looping across the eastern most extension of the forested mesa
poses a high risk for cross-cutting 1~etween the trail sections through an area of
high quality grassland.
1~lonitoi~ng
Itilonitoring activities will help inform the success of implemention recommendations and
allo«~ adjustment of management approaches and activities as needed. Visitor
compliance monitoring will occur during the first t«~o years for on-trail requirements for
bikes, equestrians and on-leash dogs. Changes to the types of allowed visitor uses will be
considered if compliance with on-trail and dog control requirements do not meet
management goals. Assessing priority weed species in the trail corridor along with
treatment before and after trails are constructed and continued monitoring will provide an
adaptive approach to weed management. Wildlife and rare plant monitoring efforts will
provide information about sensitive natural resources and inform management actions
that can address observed impacts.
Submitted by:
Michael D. Patton, Director
Jim Reeder, Division Manager
Steve Armstead, VMP Coordinator
Attachments:
A. Trail #13 Recommended Alignment Map
B. Eldorado Mountain /' Doudy Draw TSA Plan Map
C. Trail #13 Alignment Alternatives Nlap
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