Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch Watershed Improvement Project: Sweetwater Creek Restoration Phase I

Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch Watershed Improvement Project: Sweetwater Creek Restoration Phase I

Watershed Artisans, Inc. and Oxbow Ecological Engineering (OEE) collaborated on the assessment, design, and construction of a project to restore stream function, stability, and habitat to a 1,000 foot long reach of Sweetwater Creek. As part of the work, a new section of meandering channel was constructed, along with new stream facets (riffle, run, pools, glides) and expanded floodplain, in a formerly straightened and incised reach of the creek, that was also actively headcutting upstream. OEE completed field work and a geomorphic assessments for the ecologically and geomorphically impaired reach, including a Rosgen Level II analysis and topographic surveys. As the Engineer of Record, OEE coordinated closely with Watershed Artisans in the development of permitting and construction plans for the channel and landforming design, low impact stream structures (cross vanes, one rock dams, constructed riffles/runs, crossover transitions, and boulder stepdowns), and native revegetation zone delineation. OEE also provided construction layout/staking services for the project. Watershed Artisans was the project contractor and completed construction in 2016. Currently this reach of Sweetwater Creek is being evaluated as a site for reintroduction of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarki pleuriticus).