Ouray County Alerts

BE PREPARED BEFORE AN EMERGENCY STRIKES!

Ouray County Alerts is used to communicate critical public safety topics including evacuations, wildfire, flooding, and other emergency notifications. All residents, visitors, and family members living in Ouray County are encouraged to sign up for alerts at: https://ouray.genasys.com/portal/en/register. 

During the registration process, you can choose the types of alerts you receive and how to receive them, including landline phone, cell phone, text/SMS message, and email. Please be sure to enter your physical address so that you will receive geo-targeted (location based) messages. If you do not enter a physical address, you risk missing critical messages.

Registration Error Troubleshooting: Click on the Forgot my Password? link to reset your password using your phone number that can receive text messages, or an email. You will receive a text or email with a link to reset. Once it has been reset, try to log in again using the new password.

Troubleshooting FAQs are below if you get a message that your phone number/email is already registered. View our FAQs

Ouray County officials encourage ALL residents, business owners and their families, to sign-up for notifications through Ouray County Alerts - Sign-up NOW!

You can also TEXT ourayalerts to 65513 to sign-up. Be sure to follow the instructions and enter your home address.

***If you have already registered but didn't register an address, please go in and add an address so you can be sure to receive emergency alerts for your neighborhood! You can log-in HERE***

If you have trouble with your registration, please email pio@ouraycountyco.gov

Follow Ouray County Alerts on Facebook

SNAP Benefits Are Changing after February 2023!

SNAP households will see a reduction in monthly SNAP benefits in March 2023 due to the recent congressional action. SNAP households will see a reduction in their monthly benefits to the pre-pandemic amount. Benefit amounts are calculated based on the individual household circumstances. 

A few helpful tips:

• Roll over EBT benefits to the next month, if you are able to. This may help cushion the impact of the reduction in benefits. 
• Stock up on non-perishable items now, while you have the additional benefits. (View tips on stocking your pantry in English or Spanish.)
• Stretch food ingredients and plan to use them in more than one meal. This helps to save money and reduce food waste. (View tips on stretching ingredients in English or Spanish.)
• Consider freezing produce to make fruit and vegetables last longer. (View tips on freezing food in English or Spanish.)
• Look at unit prices to compare similar products at the grocery store. (View tips on comparing prices in English or Spanish.)

This is a change enacted by Congress and is not appealable.

On the road with Road & Bridge

Watch the February Road & Bridge Report

Ouray County Emergency Medical Services Offers Scholarships for Ouray County Seniors for Academic Year 2022-2023

Ouray County Emergency Medical Services (OCEMS) is pleased to announce its scholarship program to support Ouray County seniors. These awards will be made for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The principal aim of this scholarship is to offer financial support to current senior students in the Ouray or Ridgway School District. OCEMS will award $1,500 to one senior from each school.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

·       Must be currently enrolled as a student in one of the Ouray County School Districts;

·       Must currently possess senior status as determined by his or her school;

·       Must attend a College, University, or Certification Program within the next school year;

·       Must obtain two (2) written recommendations with at least one coming from a member of the faculty or staff at the school at which he or she attends

To apply, OCEMS requests that the applicant complete the scholarship application, located on the County’s website: www.ouraycountyco.gov/143/Emergency-Medical-Services. The application must include a maximum one page essay in which the applicant shares an attribute, quality or skill that distinguishes them from other applicants.

Applications are due by April 28, 2023 and can be mailed to OCEMS Scholarship, PO Box 572, Ouray, CO, 81427.

View and print application

Dropbox damaged in vehicle accident

The County dropbox in the City of Ouray (on the corner of 6th Ave and 4th St by City Hall) was damaged in a recent vehicle accident. Until we can get it replaced, please bring any payments and correspondence to the Courthouse or use our dropboxes in Ridgway or Colona.

US 550 Roadway and Safety Improvement Project South of Montrose

The Colorado Department of Transportation and contract partner Elam Construction of Grand Junction will begin roadway and safety improvements along US Highway 550 on February 6.

The project will take place at three locations along the 8.5-mile section of US 550. The project limits begin at Otter Road south of Montrose, at Mile Point 126, and will continue to the Ouray-Montrose county line, at MP 117.5.



WORK

The US 550 corridor safety improvements include the following:

•Southern Section - County Line to Centennial RV Park, MP 117.3 to MP 118.8

•Deer fence, jump-outs and deer guards at each access

•Left-turn deceleration lane at Centennial RV Park

•Central Section - Uncompahgre Road to north of Trout Road, MP 121.3 to MP 123.1

•Trout Road intersection realignment

•Passing lanes at Trout Road

•Long left-turn lane from Tulare Road to north of Ridge View Drive

•Northern Section - south of Solar Road to Otter Road, MP 123.4 to 126.1

•Solar Road intersection realignment

•Solar Road left-turn deceleration lanes

•Long left-turn lane at Rose Road and Riverside Road

•Racine Road intersection realignment

•Full Length of Project - County Line to Otter Road, MP 117.3 to 126.1

•Access control

•Frontage road right-of-way fence

The new passing lanes will improve traffic flow and provide safer operational conditions while the auxiliary lanes will provide vehicles a safe path to decelerate to an appropriate speed before exiting the highway. The project is expected to last through October.

Learn more HERE

Ouray County Vegetation Management

Weed of the Month

MUSK THISTLE



How to Identify Musk Thistle: 

· Rosettes 2-3 feet wide, leaves usually with distinctive white midrib

· Large pink to purple flowers, which are flatter and the size of a half dollar.

· Mostly lacks hairs on the upper surface of leaves. Leaves are waxy, with a yellowish to white spine at tip.

· Large thick taproot that is hollow near surface

· At maturity 1-6 feet tall, nodding when mature

· Reproduces by seed. Up to 120,000 seeds per plant which may remain viable in the soil for up to ten years

Musk Thistle causes these effects in the environment: 

· Highly competitive weed which will out-compete native vegetation in the area

· Reduces forage and wildlife habitat because livestock and wildlife rarely graze it

· Majority of the seeds fall to the ground, creating dense patches

· When left unmanaged has the ability to take over and transform landscape

Ouray County Vegetation Management urges all county residents to manage any Musk Thistle infestations with elimination in mind.

Weed control is a community effort!

 Please do your part.

See the Ouray County Vegetation Management website for an identification tool, to help you identify all weeds of concern in Ouray County.

For questions about noxious weeds, please contact Julie Kolb, Ouray County Vegetation Manager: jkolb@ouraycountyco.gov 

What's new with Public Health?

Watch the February Public Health Update