60% Design Plan Created for the South Arkansas River Restoration Project - 1.2 Mile Reach

Last month we received a 60% design plan for the entire 1.2 miles of river targeted by the UAWP's South Arkansas River Restoration Project (SARRP). The reach covers the stretch of river from County Road 107 to the confluence with the mainstem Arkansas River on the southeast side of the town of Salida, Colorado.

The 60% plan was created by WaterVation LLC and funded by a Water Plan Grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). Although work on this project started many years ago, the UAWP ramped up the efforts significantly in the last two years. The effort has been led by the Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Central Colorado Conservancy. After several years of work, this is an exciting milestone. However, as many of you know, it's also just a step in a long process between the idea and actual work on the ground.

The plan includes many exciting elements - reconnecting the river to its floodplain in spots by breaching a berm that has hemmed in the river for decades, creating pools and in-water wood habitat for fish, planting more native vegetation, removing a low concrete dam that prevents fish migration, opening small river areas to the public, creating new environmental education trails, documenting the wildlife using the area and more.

Although we have support from almost all the landowners and overall support for the project, no river enhancement project would be complete without a touch of controversy. However, we'll continue to work through those points, continue to meet with all the landowners to listen to their concerns and wishes, continue to talk to the public about what they'd like to see on the city-owned parcel in the former Vandaveer Ranch, and continue to move forward. This area is under incredible development pressure and we want to protect the river corridor the best we can while there is still time to do so.

Our next steps will be to move planning for two sections of the 1.2 mile project reach from 60 to 100%. The 100% design is the final step on paper before moving to construction. While this is happening, we'll be working hard to raise the funds to do the work. Although the actual work in and around the river can be completed fairly quickly, the planning and fundraising takes years.

We welcome you all to take this journey with us as we continue to make progress on this 1.2 mile reach in Salida. If you have questions, or would like to send us your thoughts, please contact us at info@uawp.org.