Summit County, CO
ERC was selected to restore a reach of Tenmile Creek that had been previously impacted by historic mining and other past land uses. The project, located on Forest Service property near the entrance to Copper Mountain Ski Resort, had been channelized and as a result was linear and entrenched and rarely able to access its historic floodplain. Design plans included returning the stream to a natural planform that included increasing the sinuosity from 1.05 to approximately 1.2 and creating repeating riffle/pool sequences over the 2,500 foot project reach. Design included development and construction of a natural channel liner to ensure the stream remained a gaining segment as this was critical to maintaining water rights in the area. The channelized stream channel that was abandoned when creating the meandering reach was converted to a wetland oxbow. Extensive riparian and upland reclamation was also undertaken as part of the overall system reclamation. After the success of the Phase I project, ERC completed the work as a design /build project.