Reach 4...A Healthier Purgatoire River

The Purgatoire River is a major headwater tributary of the Arkansas River, draining a large portion of southeastern Colorado.  From the headwaters on the eastern slopes of the Culebra Range, the river flows east for approximately 50 miles to the City of Trinidad.  Trinidad has through its history been plagued by several damaging flood events, and in 1958, the US Congress authorized construction of the Trinidad Dam and Reservoir (Trinidad Project) under the Flood Control Act of 1958.  The primary purpose of the project was to provide flood control, as well as storage for irrigation and recreational use. The Trinidad Project dam and reservoir have dramatically altered the natural flow regime of the Purgatoire River.  The pre-project river hydrology was principally snow-melt driven, with additional influence from high-intensity, short duration storm events during the summer monsoon season.  Prior to construction of the reservoir, the Purgatoire River typically experienced peak flows during the snow melt run-off in May and June, with additional storm driven peaks in July and August.  Base flows typically occurred from mid-September through early April.  Reservoir operations have flattened out the annual hydrograph, limiting the peak run-off flows below the dam, and significantly extending the period of higher than natural flows beginning earlier in the spring through the late summer into fall.  Releases from the dam correspond to a designated irrigation season, and flows during the non-irrigation season are limited, with the only flow in the river downstream of the dam coming from Raton Creek and a few other intermittent tributaries.

In 2010, the Purgatoire River Anglers Chapter of Trout Unlimited contracted with Fin-Up Habitat Consultants, Inc. to conduct an assessment of existing aquatic habitat conditions and a feasibility study for a cold water habitat improvement project on a segment of the Purgatoire River within the City of Trinidad.  Funding for the assessment came from a Trout Unlimited Embrace-A-Stream grant the Chapter had applied for in the 2010 grant cycle, as well as a small contribution from the Cheyenne Mountain Chapter of TU in Colorado Springs.  The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate the existing condition of the river, including available habitat for resident trout, to identify segments of the stream for restoration, and to develop a planning document for future projects.

The assessment was completed during the summer of 2011. The results of the assessment indicated that the severely reduced winter flows below Trinidad Dam are likely to limit the potential fishery in the Purgatoire River through the City of Trinidad, Colorado.  Interviews with long time residents and local fisherman, did indicate that a remnant population of trout does persist in the study reaches, and many of the river’s stakeholders in the region are convinced that the creation of an urban recreational fishery is in the best economic and social interests of the community.  Although a self-sustaining population of trout might be difficult to establish, there was an opportunity to create a seasonal “put-and take” fishery within the city limits of Trinidad, which would provide recreation enhancements including easier and more controlled access to the river corridor for residents.  While an enhancement project of this nature could not address the limited flow issue, the work would provide velocity shelter and in-channel holding cover for stocked fish during the sustained higher flow period.  A project could provide seasonal fishing opportunities from April through October each year, and would address many of the access, dispersed recreation, and bank stability issues.  Following this enhancement concept, the assessment analyzed the potential of each reach for a project of this type.  Concept plans for Reach 3, 4 and 5, in the central downtown area of the City of Trinidad were developed, and are described, in order of recommended priority.

The stakeholders for the Trinidad / Purgatoire River effort include a diverse mix - Purgatoire River Anglers – Trout Unlimited, The City of Trinidad, Pioneer Natural Resources Company, The Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District, The Trinidad Community Foundation, and Colorado Department of Parks & Wildlife.  The project stakeholders agreed that Reach 4 would be the first priority, and would be used as a demonstration project to assess the value of creating a “put-and-take” fishery in the heart of downtown Trinidad.  Planning for implementation of the project began in the summer of 2011, with a target date of completion by early summer in 2012.  Construction of the Trinidad / Purgatoire River Reach 4 Demonstration Project began on February 23, 2012.  The project began with the stockpiling of 600 tons of boulders at two sites near the upstream and downstream boundaries of the reach.  Boulders were then distributed to the individual habitat feature locations within the river channel by a loader.

Construction then began at the upstream boundary of the reach, under the I-25 bridge, and worked downstream to a point just upstream of the Colorado Division of Water Resources stream gauge at the North Commercial Street bridge.  Heavy equipment construction of in-channel habitat and stream-bank stabilization features was completed by Friday, March 9, 2012.

Following the heavy construction activities in the river and along the access trail, the Purgatoire River Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited organized a volunteer workday in the project reach on April 15, 2012.  Eleven volunteers worked to clean up the boulder stockpile sites, reseed disturbed areas, harvest willow cuttings, and plant willow and sedge along the newly constructed bank-full riparian benches.  A total of 41 hours of volunteer effort were utilized to put the finishing touches on the river work.  In early May, members of Trout Unlimited completed the final phase of the project, with the stocking of several hundred catchable rainbow trout throughout the project reach.

Article and photos courtesy of Pete Gallagher, Fin-Up Habitat Consultants, Inc. To read the full project report, please visit this link.

Now Is The Time to Embrace-A-Stream

Embrace-A-Stream is the flagship grant program for funding TU's grassroots conservation efforts. Since its inception in 1975, EAS has funded over 1,000 individual projects for a total of more than $4.2 million in direct cash grants. Local TU chapters and councils contributed an additional $13 million in cash and in-kind services to EAS funded projects for a total investment of more than $17 million. In 2012, EAS funded 23 projects in 13 states. View the list of projects funded last year. TU is now accepting Embrace-A-Stream grant applications for eligible coldwater fisheries conservation projects. Chapters and councils are asked to submit proposals for conservation projects that best address the needs of native and wild trout following TU's protect, reconnect, restore and sustain conservation model.

Apply for an Embrace-A-Stream grant here.  The deadline for submission is Dec. 12, 2012. For further information or to participate in a webinar training on Oct. 29th at 8 p.m. EST, please RSVP to Rob Keith at rkeith@tu.org or 703-284-9425.

Scouts and Trout's

Trout’s Fly Fishing and the Denver Trout Unlimited Chapter (DTU) have quite a bit in common: 1)   The South Platte River is our home water

2)   We both are committed to helping improve and restore Denver's South Platte River

3)   DTU and Trout’s love to introduce new people to fly fishing - especially kids

That is why it made perfect sense when a local Cub Scout Troop who was interested in getting their Scouts on the water approached DTU and Trout’s.  Here is what we were able to pull off after a morning volunteering at the Greenway Foundation's fall river sweep.

We talked about the river needs: sustained flows, improved habitat, improved water quality.

We talked about the different species of fish that call the Denver South Platte River home: common carp, mirror carp, brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, walleye and catfish and others.  We also tried to find out what they ate.

We talked about the basics of fly fishing, stalking spooky carp, and sight casting to river fish.

Lastly, we showed the Scouts where Clint Packo almost broke his rod in 1000 pieces during the Carp Slam.

And then we had some fun in the river!

We’d like to thank Dr. Matt Esson who initiated this event as well as all of the other Dads and volunteers who joined us on the South Platte River.  We'd also like to give Randall Paetzold of R! Series Photography a big shout out and "Thank You" for volunteering his morning and taking all of these great images.

Reprinted with permission from Trout's Fly Fishing.

Join the Battle Against Post-Fire Erosion in the Poudre Watershed

The Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter of TU has helped establish the High Park Restoration Coalition (HPRC) whose mission is directly related to the restoration of targeted areas within the High Park Fire and Hewlett Gulch Fire burn areas.  These fires created a tremendous negative impact on the Poudre watershed and have also created water quality concerns throughout the Northern Colorado Community.  All of us can help lessen those concerns and begin a procss of ecological healing by simply committing a little time and energy.  As winter approaches, and snow pack increases, the stage is being set for a springtime of more soil erosion accompanied by landslides, flooding, road closures, and threats to fishery habitats in the Poudre. The HPRC is now focused on recruiting volunteers to implement near-term plans for carrying out preventive erosion measures. The complex scheduling, training, supervision, and support required to implement these measures is being coordinated through Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, a HPRC partner.

YOU CAN HELP!  The HPRC needs volunteers to provide labor and support for the remaining projects before the snow accumulates.  Project dates are Friday, October 19th, and Thursday, October 25th.  One hundred or more volunteers are needed for each of these days.

If you are concerned about the impact the fires have had on this wonderful area we are so fortunate to live near, please volunteer to help with these restoration efforts!

To register as a volunteer for either of these projects, please visit Wildlands Restoration Volunteers Sign Up.

Once you have reached the site, scroll down the 2012 projects list to the High Park Post-Fire Restoration project on the date(s) you want to volunteer. These two projects are near the end of a long chronological list of all 2012 Wildland Restoration Volunteer projects.  Click on: "Register Here" and then sign in. When completing the registration form, in the box titled Group Name, enter: RMF TU, and the Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter will be recognized for your participation.

We hope to see you there!

Photo courtesy of CNHP/Michael Menefee/LightHawk.

Greenbacks, West Denver, and BBBS Come Through for the Kids

The past two weekends were about the kids. Colorado Trout Unlimited, with the help of Jake Lemon, and Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Colorado, with the help of Kaity Talmage-Bowers, teamed to create a unique experience for over a dozen boys and girls, along with their ‘bigs’. The first week was chalked full of stream entomology and biology, while the second focused on fly-tying and getting some lines in the water. On the first weekend, with the help of Charlie Horn of West Denver TU and Greenbacks volunteers, the kids and their ‘bigs’ got their feet wet collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates in the South Platte River at Reynolds Landing Park in Littleton.  Adults and kids alike showed great interest in the previously unknown world living under water and rock in their local river.  After sorting the bugs and discussing various physiological characteristics, the kids and their ‘bigs’ worked together to identify what they had found.  Following a brief lunch, the junior scientists worked in groups of three to investigate the behavior of aquatic macroinvertebrates.  Using brine shrimp as their subjects, they set up experiments to test the effects of light, gravity, and temperature.  After collecting and consolidating their data, they shared what their results told them about instream macroinvertebrate habitat and behavior.

With their interest in fish and bugs piqued during the first week’s activities, the kids were ready to fish the following Saturday. With help again from Charlie Horn, the kids first sat down at a table next to Overland Pond to try their hand at tying some flies. Charlie is such a good teacher, and when given the chance to tie a second fly or eat lunch, most hands were raised to stay put.

After the tying session, the kids were provided a gift courtesy of Denver Parks and Rec and the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife      – a brand new spinning rod they could take home and use in the future. We rigged the rods while they took a break, and then they were off fishing on Overland Pond – some with their own flies that they had tied.

It was great to walk around the park and watch these kids pull little fish in left and right. There wasn’t a huge number caught, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that these kids got the opportunity to work with people that care about them. From their big brothers and sisters, to Trout Unlimited, to Denver Parks and Rec and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, kudos to all your efforts to team-up and create a unique experience that these kids will never forget. And maybe, just maybe, a few of these kids will become life-long anglers and the next generation helping to keep our waters clean and fishy.

Kyle Perkins, Compleat Thought

A Great Day for Bear Creek

On a day cloaked with freezing drizzle and fog, nearly four dozen brave souls headed to Bear Creek to get some work done. Before even realizing the incredible importance of the now known, one and only, greenback cutthroat trout population in the creek, folks from the angling, motorized, mountain biking communities and the general populace committed to showing up on October 6th . The goal was to clean up trash, restore stream banks, plant native vegetation and install signs about how to behave appropriately in a sensitive watershed. Two large sites that had been denuded of all vegetation and generally mistreated were chosen for the brunt of the work, along with numerous user-created trails that were contributing sediment to the stream and encouraging inappropriate behavior. These sites were cleaned of debris, seeded with a native seed mix, planted with native shrubs and had erosion control matting installed. The net result was some constructive progress towards better managing this precious creek.

This day came together after folks from Trout Unlimited, the Colorado Motorized Trail Riders Association and the Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates (a mountain biking club) joined together to ask for actions to protect the creek and to preserve the fish and recreation opportunities. We collectively asked Colorado Springs Parks (owners of this piece of land) to allow us to get a crew together to get out and address some of the easiest-to-fix problems.

Of course, much more needs to be done to ensure the legacy of the Greenback and of the unique recreation opportunities found in the Bear Creek watershed. The drainage holds one of the very few single track motorized trails on the Front Range, a world class mountain biking trail and a great hiking trail, very close to Colorado Springs. The fish and the recreation make this drainage a real treasure for both Colorado Springs residents and the general public alike. With these ideals in mind, the above-mentioned groups also asked the managing agencies to complete a few tasks that will both retain the recreation opportunities and preserve the fish. We have asked for a reroute of the trail to a less impactful area in the drainage, restoration of the creek and a remedy of the problems associated with a nearby road.

Once completed, these tasks will ensure the longevity of an amazing fish and tremendous recreational opportunities, and we be hailed as a true community effort. We at Trout Unlimited are proud to be part of efforts like this and hope that collaborative efforts where folks reach out to one another to get things done becomes the new paradigm. We think wild places, wild critters and people will all ultimately benefit.

Successful Clear Creek Cleanup for West Denver Chapter

On September 22, the West Denver Chapter of TU enlisted 15 ladies from the Colorado Women’s Fly Fishers organization and 5 students from the Colorado School of Mines Earth Works Environmental Club.  They were teamed up with 19 West Denver volunteers to pick up trash on Clear Creek and the adjacent U.S. 6 highway. The group started at Mayhem Gulch and worked its way up to the Mountain Gateway Mercantile store, approximately 10 miles upstream.  After the trash pickup, volunteers were treated to a cookout in the parking lot of the store (brats, baked beans, potato salad and soft drinks provided/cooked by West Denver volunteers).  Apple pie was furnished by the store’s proprietor.

West Denver’s chuck wagon was visible from Interstate 70, and grill activities furnished a tasty meal for anyone who stopped at the store. A good day was had by all!

Cleaning up the Colorado and Roaring Fork

By all accounts, this year’s Glenwood Springs River Cleanup, on Saturday, August 25, was a success. About 85 volunteers, including almost a dozen in boats, turned out to pick up trash from an estimated nineteen miles of public riverbanks along the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers.   The event was organized by the Glenwood Springs River Commission, a nine-member citizen board that advises Glenwood’s City Council on issues related to the rivers and the City’s River Trail system. The River Commission credits the excellent volunteer turnout largely to a series of ads in local newspapers, mostly financed by a substantial gift from the Ferdinand Hayden Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Volunteers met at Two Rivers Park to register for cleanup assignments. Fueled by coffee donated by Starbucks, volunteers on land picked up trash along the Glenwood Canyon bike path from the Grizzly Creek rest area to the west end of the Horseshoe Bend tunnels, as well as from about three miles of riverbank along the Roaring Fork and Colorado within the city limits. Boaters reached from their boats and scrambled onto shore to pick up litter and larger trash along the south side of the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon and on both sides of the Colorado from the city limits to the South Canyon boat launch ramp west of town. Other boaters combed less-accessible stretches of the Roaring Fork within Glenwood Springs.

American Rivers, a nationwide nonprofit that advocates for healthy rivers, provided the trash bags, and the Colorado River District chipped in additional cash for the project. The trash, which amounted to several truckloads, included everything from the smallest pieces of foil wrappers to pallets, culverts, and an artificial Christmas tree complete with lights. The most common items were water bottles, soft drink cans, and fast food cups. City of Glenwood workers picked up full trash bags left at work sites by land-based volunteers, and hauled them to the landfill.

After the work was done, volunteers were treated to a community barbecue made possible by the generosity of Glenwood Springs businesses. Rick Wernsmann of the 19th Street Diner donated burgers and sausages and cooked them on a commercial-sized grill. The burgers and brats were accompanied by side dishes stirred up by six Glenwood Springs restaurants. Glenwood Canyon Brewing furnished the beer, and soft drinks were donated by the local Coca Cola distributor. Through it all, the volunteers were serenaded with smooth country-rock music provided by a Carbondale-based band called “All the Pretty Horses.”

This was the second annual community-wide river cleanup, and with the success of this year’s event, it’s pretty certain the River Commission will continue to promote a cleanup day into the future.

Article and photos submitted by the Ferdinand Hayden Chapter of TU.

Volunteer and protect Colorado's only greenback stream

 A new genetics study revealed that Bear Creek, near Colorado Springs, holds the only remaining wild population of greenback cutthroat trout - and TU volunteers with the Cheyenne Mountain Chapter are already rolling up their sleeves to help protect the creek with an October 6 workday!

To help reduce the sediment entering Bear Creek, restoration work will focus on soil decompaction, seeding, transplanting, naturalization, split rail fence installation, and sign installation. We have a lot to do in one day, so we need a big turnout of volunteers. We need 40+ volunteers!

In conjunction with the Bear Creek Roundtable, CMCTU's partner, Rocky Mountain Field Institute ("RMFI"), recently completed a site visit on the lower section of Bear Creek and has developed the Roundtable's "plan of attack" for closing multiple sediment producing social trails and campsites located on the City of Colorado Springs property adjacent to Bear Creek.Interested in participating in this important restoration work?  Want to actively get involved with protecting the threatened Greenback Cutthroat Trout in Bear Creek?  Then join us on October 6.  Please contact RMFI's Liz Nichol at 719-471-7736 or rmfi @ rmfi.org to sign up!

 

Where & When

Saturday, October 6, 2012

8:00AM-4:00PM

 

Starting from the caretaker's House at the bottom of High Drive in Colorado Springs (intersection of Gold Camp Road and High Drive/Bear Creek Road)

Ferdinand Hayden Chapter Cleans Up!

One of the best ways to involve TU chapter members and the community as a whole in an event that gives back and gets great exposure is through a river cleanup day.  This year, through ongoing support from Teva Footwear, Colorado TU has launched the Great Colorado River Cleanup. Communities all across Colorado are coming together to improve the rivers that are so important to these towns.  This year, the Ferdinand Hayden Chapter was the kickoff chapter for these events – and they started off with a bang! The chapter partnered with the City of Glenwood Springs and helped turn out more than 90 citizens to gather trash along the banks of the Roaring Fork and Colorado Rivers. Andrew McGregor, head of the Glenwood Springs Department of Community Development said “I really appreciated the support and participation from Trout Unlimited.  It’s a great partnership.”

Teams of volunteers scoured steep banks and dense vegetation to get at the trash -   enough to fill more than two and half big dumpsters!  A BBQ at Two Rivers Park was held after the cleanup for all the well deserving volunteers – social time as well as satisfaction for a job well done.

The Ferdinand Hayden Chapter also partnered with the Roaring Fork Conservancy earlier in the year and participated in cleanups with the Town of Carbondale on the Crystal River and on the Frying Pan in Basalt.  Certainly a great way for the chapter to get exposure and contribute to their local waters at the same time.

Great work, Ferdinand Hayden, and stay tuned for more cleanups coming soon!

Article and photos by Ken Neubecker.