Black Canyon Creek Restoration Project
Trihydro supported the Black Canyon Creek Restoration Project’s stream restoration, habitat improvement, and water quality goals by providing a Low Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) design, permitting support, and construction oversight for restoration activities.
Larimer Conservation District (LCD) hired Trihydro to provide a Low Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) design, permitting support, and construction oversight for the Black Canyon Creek Restoration Project.
The project targets a 1.5-mile reach of Black Canyon Creek on property owned by the MacGregor Ranch, a working cattle ranch near Estes Park, Colorado. Black Canyon Creek was severely impacted by flooding in 2013. Upper portions of the project area were affected by debris flow, and lower portions were impacted by erosion, sediment deposition, and emergency post-flood repairs. Following the flooding and emergency repairs, the Black Canyon Creek main channel continued to degrade, becoming more incised and disconnected from the historic floodplain.
This stream restoration project aims to restore wildlife habitat within the riparian and wetland ecosystems, enhance vegetation, increase instream complexity, enhance floodplain connectivity to Black Canyon Creek, and improve water quality downstream of the project area.
This project will meet the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) 643 for Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities. It will also include NRCS CPS 382: Fence for cattle grazing management and NRCS CPS 390: Riparian Herbaceous Cover for riparian plantings.
Improving Irrigation and Grazing Operations
In addition to achieving stream restoration, habitat improvement, and water quality goals, a key component of the project is collaboration with MacGregor Ranch to help improve existing irrigation and grazing operations to complement the restoration plan.
Trihydro coordinated with ranch staff early in the project to inventory critical irrigation structures and cattle grazing operation locations to support this goal. As the restoration project nears implementation, Trihydro continues to work alongside LCD and NRCS partners to help the ranch update its grazing management plan to allow for an expanded and protected riparian corridor.
Supporting Beaver Habitat
Before the 2013 flood, Black Canyon Creek supported beaver activity and beaver dam complexes in several locations within the project reach. MacGregor Ranch and LCD shared the hope that this project would help support the return of beavers to the creek.
During an LTPBR design visit, beaver activity was noted in one of the target restoration complexes. Trihydro shifted the LTPBR design to allow the recent arrivals area to work, while also providing connections to nearby historic beaver habitat.
Completing LTPBR Design, Permitting, and Initiating Construction
Trihydro completed the LTPBR design along with a with a US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 404 Nationwide Permit 27 Pre-Construction Notification submittal package. The Nationwide Permit 27 was successfully verified by USACE in the fall of 2024.
Trihydro provided on-site support for the placement and design of the LTPBR structures throughout construction, and continued to offer monitoring and adaptive management support during the post-construction phase.
