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Wild View HOA Position Statement Concerning Little Gaynor Lake and Boulder County

Little Gaynor Lake has been designated by Boulder County as a Critical Wildlife Habitat since 1983. Boulder County purchased the lake and surrounding area of 28 acres in 1997 for Open Space preservation, in conjunction with the County’s approval of nearby housing development that comprises the WildView at Little Gaynor Lake Homeowners Association (the “Wild View HOA”). The Boulder County Land Use Department’s Boulder County Comprehensive Plan (amended and updated as of March 21, 2018) continues to identify “Gaynor Lakes” among 95 recognized Critical Wildlife Habitats in the County.

More recent changes in irrigation practices at the adjacent Boulder County-managed farm, coupled with the existing drought have severely impacted the water levels and the ability to properly aerate Little Gaynor Lake. These changes have likely adversely affected the lake’s health, as demonstrated by the lack of dissolved oxygen in the water. Additionally, decreased waterfowl visitations demonstrate that the lake’s ability to serve as a critical wildlife habitat has significantly degraded.

The Wild View HOA is engaging with Boulder County to uphold its contractual obligation with the Wild View HOA to properly maintain Little Gaynor Lake for the purpose of conserving this unique area of public Open Space for current and future generations. The WildView HOA expects that proper care of Little Gaynor Lake by Boulder County is necessary to maintain a healthy lake ecosystem, meet the County’s contractual commitments concerning proper maintenance of the lake, and warranted to achieve the County’s own goal of preserving its natural resources including its designated Critical Wildlife Habitats. This compliance is also in accordance with the County’s own Mission Statement, namely “to conserve natural, cultural and agricultural resources and provide public uses which reflect sound resource management and community values”.

Boulder County sees itself as a leader and takes pride in being a model for sustainability and the protection of the environment and wildlife. The Wild View HOA is seeking to hold Boulder County fully accountable to meet its responsibilities to both Wild View HOA and the public concerning this important part of Boulder County’s Open Spaces and Critical Wildlife Habitats.

Executive Summary

Little Gaynor Lake continues to deteriorate in health and is currently in a state where it has become mostly dried up with very little water in the lake’s center. This past winter, the County even tried to remove the Solar Bees that used to float in the lake’s water, but was unsuccessful due to the amount of mud and soil within which they remain stuck. In Q4 of 2020, the WildView HOA board formed a committee known as the Little Gaynor Lake Committee, aka the LGLC, to expedite efforts to resolve the issues at the lake. Since then, the LGLC has engaged in additional discussions with Boulder County representatives, and also commissioned a scientific study of the lake from the HOA 2021 & 2022 budget to determine health and composition of soil, water and plants. In Q1 of 2022, the scientific study of samples testing was completed. However, the study was conducted using only soil and plant samples from around the lake, as the water in the lake’s center was not accessible for sample collection due to the amount of mud and lack of water. Members of the LGLC met with Boulder county prior to receiving the testing results and again after scientific study results were received. The study was provided to Boulder County for review, and a follow-up meeting is scheduled to take place in late April of 2022. These efforts in 2021 and continuing into 2022 have been helpful to keep Boulder County engaged in discussions about possible remediation.

Findings and Next Steps

Boulder County – The county completed a phase 1 study of the land which is a environmental summary of the land. This is a county process and an initial step the county completes when looking at future actions of county property. The assessment results provided to the WildView HOA are that the land and lake were deemed to be in good standing. The scientific study was provided to the county as evidence that the lake requires attention, is not currently healthy for wildlife, and requires remediation to restore the lake’s health for future use by wildlife.

Scientific Study – The scientific study was commissioned by WildView HOA, and was conducted by a set of third-party consultants in Q1 of 2022. The study confirmed that the lake is not suitable for wildlife due to elevated water pH levels. However, there were no immediate concerns from the study that would cause trouble for the health of humans in the WildView community. An excerpt of the study’s findings is as follows:

“It is [the] professional opinion that the results of this study are not suggestive of profound toxicological impacts to wildlife at Little Lake Gaynor. Rather, Ensight believes that the existing conditions at Little Gaynor Lake (i.e., undesirable physical aquatic habitat and presence of mineral salts) are unlikely to support a healthy and diverse aquatic community. Currently, the declining water levels in a shallow endorheic lake, combined with the assumed absence of an aquatic community, do not provide desirable habitat or food base for waterfowl and shorebirds.”

The full study results will be provided to interested Wildview residents upon request through the HOA website. The LGLC will continue its research and due diligence to ensure that the most accurate information about the lake is provided to the community of homeowners

Next Steps – The LGLC will meet again with Boulder County in late April of 2022 to discuss the actions from previous discussions and a follow-up on the scientific study results. The goal of the LGLC is to provide the Wildview homeowners with the most accurate information regarding remediation of the problems at the lake. LGLC will be continuing its discussions with the county about options for engaging experts that are qualified to advise on potential mitigation measures for the lake. As more information is gathered in 2022, the LGLC and the WildView board will provide a complete update of proposed plans, options, or recommendations, including the full scientific study results and comprehensive due diligence of those results and other findings, if any. Any major decisions concerning the lake will be brought to the HOA for a thorough discussion and vote.

For any questions, please feel free to email or contact the Wildview HOA board on our website.