Volunteers Help Restore Fish Creek

Members of the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Youth Group from Chicago work to install a series of stakes that will provide structure for a dam made from woven branches.  

The 2013 floods took a devastating toll on our region, and some areas are still suffering negative effects a decade later. The upper section of Fish Creek (a tributary of Lake Estes) was hit particularly hard, as the raging currents cut a deep channel through the surrounding wetlands, robbing them of surface water and drying out the entire valley. The result was a devastating loss of beaver habitat, which further resulted in the warming and sedimentation of the faster-flowing creek, now unimpeded by natural breaks.  

Aspen branches cut from a nearby hillside are woven through the stakes to mimic natural beaver dams.

Fortunately, Cheley Camp, the owners of the affected property, have been very proactive in their response, and have partnered with EVWC to carry out restoration projects designed to slow the water down and help restore the lost beaver habitat. To that end, we recently hosted two large volunteer groups who worked tirelessly to help build natural dams, plant willows, and remove invasive species in an effort to draw beavers back to this area. 

Various native shrubs were also planted to help stabilize the newly-shaped riverbanks.

This nearly-complete dam has already begun holding back water.

We would like to sincerely thank Fair Oaks Presbyterian Youth Group (Chicago) and Flatiron Construction for their vision, hard work, and commitment to restoring our natural resources. It's difficult to over-state the impact of their accomplishments over just 48 hours: we built several new simulated beaver structures to slow down the water and give it more time to soak into the ground, planted over 300 willow stakes to help shade and cool the water, and removed countless invasive plants that gained a foothold as the valley dried out. While there is still much work to be done, our community is a better place thanks to their volunteer efforts.

The Flatiron team celebrating a job well done!

Thank you to the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Bureau of Reclamation, Northern Water, Cemex , and Fly Fishers International for the funding support to make this project happen.