The Blue River Watershed Group is seeking community input as it pursues a river restoration project downstream of the Dillon Reservoir.

The Blue River Habitat Restoration Project aims to address the significant decline in habitat quality on the Blue River below the dam, according to a news release from the Blue River Watershed Group.

Back in 2016, when sections of the Blue River had their Gold Medal fishing status revoked due to declining habitat, the local environmental nonprofit partnered with Trout Unlimited to study the degraded ecosystem and provide restoration-based solutions, the release states. This resulted in an Integrated Water Management Plan that laid the groundwork for the habitat restoration project.

Now, as design of the habitat restoration project begins, the Blue River Watershed Group says community input is paramount. The design team has developed a substantial outreach plan that includes stakeholder interviews, a design workshop, public meetings, a technical advisory team and an iterative design process, according to the news release.

The habitat restoration project will address two sections of river: one through the town of Silverthorne and another 7-mile stretch north of town near the Blue River Campground, the release states.

The project aims to enhance degraded aquatic habitat and to restore the Blue River to a more sustainable and healthier ecosystem, according to the Blue River Watershed Group. Enhancements will likely include channel shaping in overly wide or shallow areas, creating appropriate pool-riffle-glide spacing, adding fish habitat features, planting riparian vegetation, importing gravel for fish spawning habitat and improving trails, stairs and ramps for all recreationalists.

The town of Silverthorne has also expressed interest in evaluating its recreational in-channel diversion water rights for potential coordinated releases from the Dillon Dam, which could enable significant improvements for rafting and kayaking on the river, according to the news release.

The design will also prioritize compatibility of features such as a whitewater course, a freestyle hole or a standing wave, with the project’s goals of enhancing aquatic habitat and providing for fish passage, the release states. Other aspects of the project include consideration of federally-regulated floodplains, the need to address current stormwater infrastructure concerns, a possible new pedestrian bridge and a new bridge downtown to alleviate pressure when the town is inundated with traffic during Interstate 70 closures, according to the news release.

Anyone interested in providing input in the project design should visit BlueRiverWatershed.org/blue-river-habitat-restoration-project.html. For more information, contact projects@blueriverwatershed.org or 719-838-1525 or nancy.johnston@tu.org or 970-262-6750.