Lake Nighthorse Construction Commences

A new entrance and decontamination station will be ready for the 2025 Lake Nighthorse season, with overall updates, as well as new traffic decongestion efforts. The 70th Annual Gem and Mineral Show will kick off July 12th at the La Plata County Fairgrounds and Event Center. The family friendly event has something for everyone. And four Durango based nonprofits to receive grants from El Pomar Foundation for general operating support. You're watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by Kroegers Ace Hardware and Sky Ute Casino. I'm Sadie Smith. The city of Durango has begun construction on a new entrance station at Lake Nighthorse. The project, a cost share program with the Bureau of Reclamation, will help install an updated motorboat decontamination system and open the entrance station. The current entrance station has no room for traffic overflow, causing traffic to back up onto County Road 210 on busy days. Additional upgrades to the entrance station will include a new ticket booth, storage for equipment, an office for lake personnel, landscaping and a storm water quality and detention pond. Colorado requires all motorized and trailered watercraft to be professionally inspected by state certified personnel to prevent the spread of invasive species like the quagga mussel, zebra mussel, New Zealand mud snail and Eurasian water snail. The most effective way to ensure decontamination is the use of high pressure and hot water, up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. But the current system at the lake is not able to hold precise temperature. The new station will be able to maintain temperature and gallons per minute flows. Construction will continue into December, with everything planned to open for the 2025 season. Parking should not be impacted by the construction. The Four Corners Gem and Mineral Club present the 70th Annual Gem and Mineral Show at the La Plata County Fairgrounds and Event Center, July 12th through July 14th. The show will feature over 60 local and international dealers, showcasing everything from raw materials to finely crafted jewelry and art. Stop by between 10 AM and six PM Friday and Saturday, and 10 AM and four PM Sunday to participate in the silent auction and explore the various vendors. There's also a variety of kid friendly activities, like gold panning and geode cutting. Admission is $5 for adults, kids 12 and under get in free. Four Durango nonprofits were recently awarded a total of $20,000 in grants from El Pomar Foundation. Know Your Dough, a nonprofit that focuses on financial literacy for children and young adults received $2,500. The United Way of Southwest Colorado received $2,500 for its Pagosa Outreach Program. Trails 2000, an organization that helps build and maintain trails and educate trail users, received $5,000. And the San Juan Symphony received a $10,000 grant. El Pomar is one of Colorado's oldest private foundations, and contributes a $250,000 in grants annually. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Sadie Smith.