For Immediate Release

Back to Littleton Press Room

City Council Approves South Platte River Enhancements

Enhancements to the South Platte River through South Platte Park will start soon in an effort to support the life that depends on the river for sustenance and the community that enjoys the recreation the river provides.

The Littleton City Council and the South Suburban Parks and Recreation (SSPR) Board of Directors approved a concept plan in mid-December prepared by Ecological Resource Consultants (ERC).

Dave Blauch, Senior Ecologist for ERC said, “The plan we developed is a conceptual design for the ecological enhancement of the South Platte River through South Platte Park. The plan was developed based on the identification of limiting factors within the aquatic and riparian environment. Due to many surrounding influences, the channel is out of balance with its natural equilibrium and low flow conditions are one of the single most limiting factors within the system. The enhancements focus on those factors that would best improve the overall ecological condition.”

Since the construction of Chatfield Dam and the associated controlled water release, peak annual flows have been reduced from 4,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to an average of 650 cfs.

Littleton Mayor Debbie Brinkman said, “This is a very ambitious project but it comes with a long-term payoff. As custodians of the river we are committed to maintaining its health and vitality. Since construction of the Chatfield Dam, the river’s flow has been altered and we must make adjustments to support its fish and wildlife habitat.”

The total project cost is estimated at more than $4 million. Phase I will begin later this year at a cost of $433,000. Funding partners include: The City of Littleton, SSPR, Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and Trout Unlimited. The partners will explore additional grant opportunities.

Phase I includes creating a connection between Redtail Lake and the river to improve passage for fish from the river to the lake for winter refuge. A wetlands habitat will also be developed along a portion of the fringe of the lake. This will benefit the overall aquatic habitat and help stabilize the shoreline. The Phase I pilot project will also include a section of bank stabilization and the creation of a riffle-pool sequence – a natural feature in a stream that creates shallow, fast-moving water and deep slower moving pools that provide refuge for fish and other aquatic life.

Later phases will include reshaping the in-stream channel to help concentrate low flows within the existing channel. In the late summer and early winter, the low stream flows combined with the width of the river make it too shallow to adequately support most fish and aquatic life. Reshaping of the river will be accomplished by creating alternating point bars that will concentrate low flows into a narrower meandering channel thereby improving the environment for aquatic life.

“People who love the park are certainly going to notice the construction activity over the next few years,” Brinkman added. “To do nothing is to let the river die and that is not an option.”

The final plan will be available on the city’s website by the end of January.