ERC Under-Promises, Over-Delivers

In spite of a two week delay in getting started due to snow conditions, Ecological Resource Consultants (ERC) completed the heavy construction work a few weeks ahead of schedule!

Over 650 tons of boulders and riprap were delivered to the stream and strategically placed to create prime habitat for trout and prevent erosion of the banks. This first photo shows the trackhoe placing large boulders to create slack water in one of the bend pools. The pools are very deep to allow fish to survive the low flows typical of winter at the ranch.

This second photo shows a stretch of bank reinforcement near the downstream end of the BPR property. Erosion was a big issue the river was cutting into the hillside and causing severe erosion problems. Sections of the hillside were literally sliding down into the river. ERC reinforced the bank and placed medium-sized boulders in a long line to gently redirect the river’s current away from the bank.

The construction work was just completed and the weather wasn’t very good, but I grabbed my 5-weight and drove out to the ranch on May 10th. The new structure looked fantastic and I was sure there were several large trout in each hole. But after several hours without so much as a strike (I refuse to count the one that tried to eat my indicator), I had to conclude that it was just too soon for the fish to have come back.

It was disappointing, but it won’t be for long. Any fisherman with eyes can spend five minutes on BPR and see that it has the structure to be an outstanding fishery. The guys at ERC - Troy and Dave in particular - are to be commended. Stay tuned for a posting regarding volunteer days, most likely in July!

Rick Matsumoto
Communications Manager

CTU Names Eberle Vice President

At Colorado Trout Unlimited’s annual Spring Rendezvous last week, Sinjin Eberle was elected Vice President. Sinjin has been a CTU member for five years and previously served on the board as Secretary. It’s nice to see that his peers see the same enthusiasm and dedication that make him such a great director on the BPR stream restoration project. Congratulations Sinjin!

More information on CTU’s officers and directors is available on CTU’s website.

Rick Matsumoto
Communications Manager

Construction Plan Adapts to Changing Weather

Ok, so you knew the announcement that construction was starting on April 1 was a joke, right? No? Well, neither did we! Today, however, is a different story. Warmer weather has been steadily melting the abundance of snow and ice that was suffocating the river and our plans are changing accordingly.

Troy from ERC reports the work will officially begin on Monday, April 21. Construction begins with creation of the staging area, followed quickly by the delivery of boulders and riprap. I had to ask what “riprap” is, so now I can share that it is crushed rock. It is used in areas where we are trying to protect the stream bed from erosion.

Two trackhoes (backhoes on tracks) will be working in the water starting on Tuesday.  Between the later-than-expected start and the need to finish the major work before runoff becomes an issue, it was decided to use an additional trackhoe. Sinjin and I are going to the ranch on Thursday to see the action in person!

In other news, the City of Aurora is now showing some interest in addressing the cattle grazing problem more proactively. Though initially resistant to removing the existing fencing, which is very deteriorated, they now seem open to the idea. In addition, they are considering not allowing any grazing on BPR for the remainder of 2008. This would be fantastic as it would give our revegetation efforts a healthy chance to take hold.

Rick Matsumoto
Communications Manager

Weather Freezes Crews Out

Recent storms and cool weather have inhibited ERC from getting equipment and materials in safely (safe for the equipment and the health of the site). Looks like the weather will improve dramatically over the next week, so hopefully we can get rolling. It is not currently a huge concern - if needed, we could put two crews in the water at the same time to catch up.

As a result, we have not yet set a firm date for the first volunteer weekend, nor are we likely to until we get some rocks in the water. Here are some photos from last week.

Sinjin Eberle
Project Director

Lease Agreement Finally Executed

That’s “executed” in the everybody-that’s-supposed-to-sign-it-signed-it sense of the word. Even a fly fisherman is allowed to use legal jargon once in a while, particularly when it’s for the benefit of a fishery!

The lease agreement basically designates BPR as property with public access, which in turn allows the Division of Wildlife to proceed with the stream restoration project. The City of Aurora finally signed it on March 31st. Sinjin immediately added his signature and forwarded it to the DOW, just in time for our April 1st project start. Whew!

ERC did in fact start the project today. Sinjin and I are enjoying a glass of wine to celebrate - please join us! Equipment and boulders were mobilized to the site. The first step is to set up the staging area and get the lay of the land. The amount of snow and condition of the soil are factors in determining when the equipment is actually moved into the stream. Ideally, the ground remains frozen while much of the snowpack has melted. This would allow the heavy equipment to get into the stream with minimal damage to the banks. More on that as soon as we get a report from Troy at ERC.

Rick Matsumoto
Communications Manager

Snow Has Aurora Shivering

Kathy Kitzman at the City of Aurora expressed some concerns about our April 1 start given all of the snow and ice remaining at the site:

1. Getting in and moving heavy equipment around on thawing and soggy ground could create a real mess and tear up the site more than is acceptable.
2. Anchoring the stream features into frozen banks is problematic in that when the banks thaw, anchors could change or fail and damage or destroy the features in the process.
3. Money must be budgeted for repairs to the staging area.

As you can see in the accompanying picture taken March 20, there is plenty of reason for Kathy to be concerned. Like most of Colorado, Park County is receiving well above average snowfall this year.

Fortunately, the guys at ERC (Ecological Resource Consultants) have some experience in dealing with weather-related challenges. After a call with Troy Thompson, Senior Water Resource Engineer at ERC, Sinjin provided details about how Kathy’s concerns will be addressed:

1. We will move in with all of the heavy equipment and boulders while the ground is still frozen, minimizing the damage done to the staging areas. If feasible - we won’t know this until we’re on site - we may actually move the heavy equipment into the stream so that the machinery is placed in the channel before the banks thaw. This minimizes any travel across soggy ground. Once in the stream, the equipment moves within the stream channel to prevent further impact to the banks.
2. We agree that we should not be anchoring into frozen banks. The anchors will be set once the banks have thawed and, in the meantime, there is plenty of other work that can be done.
3. The cost of repair and re-seeding of the staging areas was already budgeted. In addition, Troy confirmed that it is ERC’s responsibility to keep the site in as good condition as possible. If there is major damage that is determined to be the result of ERC’s negligence, ERC would absorb the repair cost.

Rick Matsumoto
Communications Manager

April 1, No Joke!

April 1st might be a day for fool’s, but it happens to also be the day that the DOW has given us permission to start the project!

As early as today, the lease agreements between the City of Aurora, the Colorado DOW and Colorado Trout Unlimited will be complete and we’ll have the authorization we need to begin the construction. In anticipation of this:

1. I’ve had numerous discussions with the City of Aurora, Park County and the Coalition for the Upper South Platte - they are all fully supportive and excited for the project to start. The City has the fencing plan done, which dictates how the project area will be protected from grazing cattle.
2. I recruited Rick Matsumoto, former newspaper journalist and avid fly fisherman, to help with the information outreach for the project.
3. Our contractor, Ecological Resource Consultants (ERC), is conducting a staging meeting with the subcontractors to plan the mobilization of equipment to the site in late March.
4. And, maybe most importantly of all, the recruitment of volunteers starts now!

I am guessing that the first Volunteer Weekend Camping Extravaganza may be May 31-June 1 or June 7-8, and at least one other weekend in July. Please stay tuned for details and contact me if you have questions.

Sinjin Eberle
Project Director

Lease Agreement To Be Signed March 1

Some of you may remember that a missing lease agreement between the City of Aurora and the Colorado DOW stalled the project. I’ve been working hard through the holidays to get the lease agreement going and finally have some positive news to report.

A couple of weeks ago, Troy Thompson at ERC let me know that the DOW granted us permission to start work on the project early in 2008 instead of the fall, as we had previously planned. That prompted me to nudge the City and DOW again on the status of the lease agreement. So…

David and I met with the City and DOW folks face-to-face and worked out the general framework of the lease agreement, how the contract would be structured and between what entities, and details around the fencing plan. The upshot is that we got a commitment from both to have the lease agreement drafted and signed by March 1!

It sure appears as if the City and DOW are still very interested in the project and want it to move forward. I am optimistic that they will get this done. We are tentatively planning to begin construction April 1st and continue through mid-May. There are, of course, some hurdles remaining, but at this point the sky looks pretty blue!

Sinjin Eberle
Project Director

Missing Lease Agreement Stalls Project

In August, just as we were preparing to mobilize equipment and begin the reconstruction of the stream, we had one final meeting with the DOW and the City of Aurora. The idea was to check over everything to make sure we had all our ducks in a row and were approved to move forward. Digging would begin five days after that.

Turns out, neither the DOW nor the City of Aurora could find a copy, or any record of its creation, of the Access Lease agreement for the property. There is a great deal of correspondence between the DOW the City, but no lease agreement.  Without that lease agreement, there is no guaranteed public access to the property. This means no Fishing is Fun grant and no BPR stream restoration project.

So we put the project on hold. Almost three months after that meeting, no progress has been made. I have been gently poking people to try to raise the issue and break the logjam. I’m afraid that’s all I have for now.

Sinjin Eberle
Project Director

CUSP and Park County Step Up

More good news!  The Coalition for the Upper South Platte and Park County have added a few thousand dollars of support.  A big Thank You goes out to Jonathan Bruno and CUSP for working with Park County to secure that funding at a critical time.

We are in the final throes of putting together the contracts between the DOW and the City of Aurora.  Once this is complete, we should be about ready to go.

Sinjin Eberle
Project Director