Phase 5 is the fifth round of our Streambank Stabilization and Riparian Restoration Program.
The Problem - In Alamosa County, the Rio Grande is suffering from heavily eroding banks, degraded riparian areas, sedimentation, and a shallow channel. Phase 5 of the Streambank Stabilization and Riparian Restoration Program will address these issues on several bends upstream of Alamosa through bank stabilization, channel shaping, and revegetation.
Accomplishments to Date - In 2019, the Restoration Project received a $200,000 Resilient Communities Grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Wells Fargo Foundation for Phase 5. Along with grants from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund, San Luis Valley Conservation Connection Initiative, American Forests, and community donations, funding was secured for four project sites upstream of Alamosa. These sites were surveyed and engineering designs were completed by Riverbend Engineering to create unique solutions for each location. Robins Construction began work in the winter of 2020 restoring streambanks within the Alamosa Riparian Park. In the spring of 2021, The Restoration Project held a volunteer planting work day at the Riparian Park, where community members helped plant saplings and native seed on the newly restored banks. In 2022, restoration efforts along 4500 feet of streambank were completed by Absmeier Construction on private lands upstream of the Riparian Park.
The completion of these four sites will have the added benefit of connecting previously restored sections of river, creating a restored reach of the Rio Grande nearly 4 miles long! Collectively, these efforts have resulted in improved bank stability and water quality, reconnected floodplains, restored riparian vegetation and aquatic habitat, and improved flood and drought resiliency.
If you are interested in having streambank restored on your property as part of future rounds, please contact Emma Reesor.
Check out this time-lapse video of a rock barb installation!
Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project
San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District
Riverbend Engineering
City of Alamosa
Private Landowners
Colorado Open Lands
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund
American Forests
San Luis Valley Health
623 4th Street, Alamosa, CO 81101
719.589.2230
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