The Dolores Ranger District of the Forest Service has released an application and prospectus for the operation of a commercial marina on McPhee Reservoir.
A private operator will be chosen in June of this year, at which point a marina could be installed and opened for business.
The special-use permit will be for a marina at the McPhee Boat ramp area, and be for 10 years, at which point, it would be reviewed for renewal.
Applicants will be participating in tours of the site with forest officials, and must submit permit visitation numbers, seasons of use, fluctuating reservoir levels, potential revenue, logistics, safety plans, and cost of operations.
“It is on the street for the two interested parties and for whoever else wants to apply,” said forest recreation planner Tom Rice.
The business proposals will be reviewed by the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center, and a final operator will be selected by District Ranger Derek Padilla.
Rocky Mountain Recreation Inc., which operates Forest Service campgrounds, and Stan Folsom, a former marina operator at Vallecito Lake, have expressed interest in the McPhee marina permit.
The successful applicant is asked to provide, at their own costs, some or all of the following services: boat slips and/or mooring facilities, boat rentals, mobile fueling facilities, courtesy docks, and convenience store facilities, including limited food services.
The noncommercial portion of the marina site (boat ramp, picnic sites, forest service docks, vault toilets, drinking water, reservoir, breakwater, parking area, and access road) will continue to be available at no charge to the general public who are not doing business with the marina.
The marina operator must hold insurance and submit monthly activity reports to the Forest Service on rentals and revenues. A commercial-use fee to be paid to the U.S. Forest Service is 3 percent of gross revenue.
Year-end performance reviews will also be conducted. The permit holder is required to follow all aquatic invasive species control protocols and cooperate with on-site boat inspectors.
The fuel station must comply with standards with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and all spills be immediately reported to the forest service and fire and law enforcement.
Applicant Stan Folsom has urged the Forest Service to allow a marina at House Creek area of the reservoir because a cove there is more protected from the wind.
According to the prospectus, a successful permit holder for the McPhee marina, “is authorized to operate the marina at a different location on McPhee pending National Environmental Policy Act clearance and authorization by the Forest Service.”
Applications are due May 29, and a decision will be made by the district ranger on the successful applicant by June.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com