This week, Summit County’s design-build team of Ecological Resource Consultants/Tezak Heavy Equipment (ERC/Tezak) continues major earthwork operations on the Swan River Restoration project site. Recently, the project got some attention from our local moose residents inspecting their upgraded home in the Swan River Valley.

Most of the work this week will be focused on constructing the new crossing at the downstream (western) end of the project site and placement on areas where grading is complete.

Crews will continue excavating within the existing Tiger Road alignment in preparation for the installation of the new crossing. Prefabricated bridge footings are scheduled to arrive midweek, with installation scheduled concurrently. Installation of the new Tiger Road crossing is anticipated to be fully complete towards the end of September, or early October 2016. A temporary detour is now in place creating a new traffic pattern around this work zone. Please continue to exercise caution and courtesy while passing through the construction site.

Crews will continue to place topsoil across the project site where grading operations are complete. Thus far, approximately two thirds of the site has received topsoil in preparation for initial landscape revegetation work anticipated to commence next week. For this field season, much of the revegetation work will be limited to installation of soil amendments, seed, and mulch, as well as some willow plantings in especially sensitive areas of the site prone to erosion – e.g., cutbanks on the outside of channel meanders. Additional, more intensive planting in the riparian and upland areas will occur during the 2017 field season.

The site continues to be closed to public access while restoration activities are occurring. Open Space and Trails staff are harvesting timber from adjacent Open Space properties and installing buck and rail fence along the project site perimeter to further restrict unauthorized access. Please respect these temporary closures while the site is in a relatively fragile condition.

Recently, Open Space and Trails Director, Brian Lorch, and Resource Specialist, Jason Lederer appeared on a segment of Summit County’s monthly television show, County Connection, to discuss the Swan River Restoration Project history and current onsite activities. Like most projects of this scale, many years of planning, coordination, and work precede construction and this short segment is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the Swan River Valley's dredge mining past, years of restoration project planning, project partners, and what to expect for the rest of this year.

Work is scheduled to continue through November 2016, followed by a winter shut-down period, before recommencing in spring 2017. Additional information about Swan River Restoration Project is available at RestoreTheSwanRiver.com as well as on the Open Space and Trails Special Projects web page. If you have additional questions about the restoration project, you can contact Summit County Open Space and Trails Director Brian Lorch, or Open Space and Trails Resource Specialist Jason Lederer, or call 970.668.4060.