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 reduced sediment entering the river, improved 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 took place in the fall of 2023, including a community volunteer day to plant native shrubs, clean trails, and protect existing riparian growth.
Project Activities
- Aquatic habitat enhancements: Construction of a low-flow channel, installation of rock clusters and root-wad structures, and trash removal enhanced aquatic habitat.
- Riparian habitat restoration and floodplain reconnection: Channel and bank shaping reconnected the river to its floodplain. Additionally, revegetating the reshaped streambanks with native grasses, sedges and forbs, willow transplants, and cottonwood saplings increased bank stability and restored habitat.
- Wetland restoration: The Project resulted in restoration of wetlands adjacent to the river. Additionally, the bank stabilization and shaping described above helped support riparian wetlands.
- River access improvements: Project activities enhanced public open spaces and fishing opportunities by stabilizing streambanks and restoring riparian habitat. Existing river access points were improved upon.
- Community and volunteer engagement: Project partners organized volunteer planting events to engage community members, complete riparian revegetation, and increase understanding of local watershed and stream health issues.