The original item was published from November 15, 2016 10:23 AM to November 15, 2016 10:24 AM
This week, Summit County’s design-build team of Ecological Resource Consultants/Tezak Heavy Equipment (ERC/Tezak) is completing this year’s revegetation work on the Swan River Restoration project site. Crews from Western State Reclamation are installing the final soil amendments, seed, and erosion control devices.
Last week, the Tezak team fully demobilized from the site. This marks the end of heavy construction on the Reach A restoration area. All project partners are elated with the results and we look forward to seeing site evolve in 2017 as this year’s seeds begin to germinate and we work to supplement the plantings with potted and container plants. For the first time since construction started in early June, I was able to take a walk around the site in the absence of major earthwork and really take in the magnitude of the landscape transformation. Below are several photos taken over the last few days around the 30 acre restoration site.
Brookies living happily in some of the deep pools,but not giving away info on the good fishing holes yet!
Completed channel through (above) the
mine waste area discovered in July 2016.
Grading of riparian areas is complete, with seed, soil amendment, and erosion control installation underway.
Grading of upland areas is complete - seed, soil amendment, and erosion control installation is underway.
Revegetation crews anticipate their work being completed by this Wednesday, just in time for a snowy forecast. Though the warm, dry weather has felt odd, it has certainly benefited us in being able to complete our work this year in favorable conditions.
The onsite crushing operation is nearly complete as well. Crews anticipate beginning to demobilize from the site this week, leaving behind a pile of road base for the State Highway 9 (SH 9) realignment project. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) anticipates the SH 9 project to be substantially completed during 2017, so this remaining pile will likely be gone by this time next year.
By the end of this week, all construction-related activities will enter into a winter shut-down period before recommencing with final planting work in spring/early summer 2017. Things are quickly winding down onsite and this is likely the penultimate Swan River Restoration Project blog post for the year.
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.