Next Steps on the South Arkansas River

By Nathan Ward, Upper Arkansas Watershed Partnership Coordinator

The Conservancy, and project partners through the Upper Arkansas Watershed Partnership (UAWP), continue to work on the South Arkansas River Restoration Project - 1.2 Mile Reach. Our most recent successful effort was to support the City of Salida and their work to remove a concrete weir that for decades blocked fish passage into the South Arkansas River system. The

city worked with HydroGeo Designs to remove the weir and replace it with a cascading rock vane designed to maintain the grade of the river and provide fish passage into the South Arkansas River system. Fish have already been spotted swimming upstream from the mainstem Arkansas River and nearby residents are reportedly happy to see them. 

Next, we plan to celebrate the life cycle of those trout, and the South Arkansas River, with a new series of interpretive signs to be installed along the Two Rivers neighborhood walking trail. The signs were designed by local graphic design firm Ovid Nine and the sign stanchions crafted locally at the Ark Valley Sign Company. Funding for the project was granted by the National Park Service

- Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, one of our project partners. 

We have also started the next phase of our bigger project - enhancing the aquatic and riparian habitat along 1.2 miles of the river. For various reasons we’ve divided the project into phases and the first phase will be to target the section of river east of Highway US 50 downstream to the confluence, around 1,700 river feet. We currently have what is called a 60% concept design. During the next phase we will progress to 100% design and secure the permits necessary to start construction. 

Our goal is to add structure and complexity to this reach of the river. Natural, healthy rivers include structure provided by large wood or rock features. This structure provides places for fish and other aquatic organisms to hide from predators and grow until they are large enough to survive in the larger system. We will add deeper pools, rock bars and riffles to improve habitat. Finally, we will work to remove invasive species in the riparian area and plant more native vegetation. 

In a natural system, the river would do most of this work itself as it surges in spring with high water, changes direction through erosion, and adds more wood to the system. However, in highly-modified urban rivers like the South Arkansas River as it passes through Salida, many of these processes don’t take place like they would naturally. Although we call this a “restoration” project, that term is misleading since we can’t really restore the river here to its unaltered conditions. It’s more accurate to think about the project as one to enhance river functions and the surrounding riparian ecosystem. Is it worth doing? We think so. 

This project is being co-led by the Central Colorado Conservancy and the Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited, as part of the Upper Arkansas Watershed Partnership. Funding for this project is being provided by the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Water Plan program and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Fishing is Fun program.