Unnamed Tributary 3 (UT3)

 

Project Overview

Unnamed Tributary 3 (UT3) is a 210-acre sub-watershed that was severely burned in the High Park Fire. UT3 is located  above the Poudre River, CO HWY 14, and the Munroe Tunnel. Since the fire, and during the 2013 flood and subsequent high flow events, debris flows from UT3 covered HWY 14 and caused blockages in the Munroe Tunnel. Debris flow risks from this small tributary continue to threaten the river and other important infrastructure. Shortly after the fire, the upper portions of UT3 were treated with directional felling of trees, mulching and seeding with native plants. Since 2016, CPRW has worked with AloTerra Restoration Services to complete a design for restoring the main tributary channel. Construction is set to occur in fall 2018. During the summer of 2017, work was completed to stabilize a problematic gulley in the watershed with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and Odell Brewing.

 

Project Partners

  • Private landowners

  • City of Fort Collins

  • AloTerra Restoration Services, LLC

  • Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

  • Odell Brewing Co.

 

Project Goals

  • Stabilize & reduce erosion risk in a large gulley 

  • Reduce bank erosion potential and lateral bank migration to pre-fire levels

  • Increase the potential for sediment trapping in the main channel & contributing gullies

  • Promote sustainable sediment transport balance without aggrading or degrading the channel

  • Increase channel and bed diversity

  • Reduce the risk of flooding to the private roadway and HWY 14 by upgrading culverts and improving road crossings

  • Establish native herbaceous and woody riparian/wetland vegetation

  • Reduce overall risk to private road, HWY 14 and the Munroe tunnel

 

Completion date

Spring 2019