A Place for Fish to Thrive

MONTROSE – The bucket of a yellow swallowed large chucks of river bottom Tuesday, reshaping the flow of the Uncompahgre River with each pass. And that is the goal. Anglers who hunt texcavatorrout along the river will notice a significant difference in the appearance of the river as improvements to fishing habitat are compleeted.

Heavy equipment and surveyors with Ecological Resources Consultants Inc., based in Evergreen, have spent the last two weeks digging and carefully creating new aquatic habitat along a 1,500-foot stretch of the river. The project begins at Montrose Recreation District’s property behind the softball fields in Baldridge Park and extends north past the handicapped fishing bridge.

David Blauch, Vice President and Senior Ecologist with Ecological Resources Consultants, said the work will improve the aquatic habitat for all native fish species and create a better low-flow channel in the river.

Blauch explained that the river at 60-feet wide, was “one continuous riffle” and during low flow periods like winter, was too shallow for fish to thrive in.