Overview
The Rio Grande Corridor Restoration Project at Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge brings together the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), RGHRP, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), City of Alamosa, and private landowners to address challenges facing the Rio Grande by stabilizing streambanks, restoring riparian areas, and enhancing aquatic habitats. These activities will reduce sediment entering the river, improve riparian and aquatic habitat, while reconnecting the river to its floodplain and revitalizing riparian wetlands.
In September 2022, USFWS staff removed trash along the riverbanks in the project area. This included roughly 24 old cars bodies 200,000 lbs of concrete, 20 appliances, and many trailer loads of tires. In October 2022, Cooley and Sons Excavating mobilized and completed channel and bank shaping, installation of rock and rootwad stabilization and habitat structures, and planting of willows within the project area. Final construction activities and reseeding will take place in Spring 2023.
Project Activities
- Aquatic habitat enhancements: Construction of a low-flow channel, installation of rock clusters and root-wad structures, and trash removal will enhance aquatic habitat.
- Riparian habitat restoration and floodplain reconnection: Channel and bank shaping will reconnect the river to its floodplain. Additionally, revegetating the reshaped streambanks with native grasses, sedges and forbs, willow transplants, and cottonwood saplings will increase bank stability and restore habitat.
- Wetland restoration: The Project will result in restoration of a wetland adjacent to the river. Additionally, the bank stabilization and shaping described above will help support riparian wetlands.
- River access improvements: Project activities will enhance public open spaces and fishing opportunities by stabilizing streambanks and restoring riparian habitat. Existing river access points will be improved upon, and new access points will be created to allow better access to the Rio Grande for the Alamosa community.
- Community and volunteer engagement: Project partners will organize volunteer planting events to engage community members, complete riparian revegetation, and increase understanding of local watershed and stream health issues.