10-29-2010, 11:15 AM
IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A stream recovery project in downtown Idaho Springs has gotten an $80,000 boost from a Colorado Division of Wildlife Fishing is Fun grant.
For decades, the health of Clear Creek in Idaho Springs was seriously impaired by mining runoff, inadequate sewage treatment and channelization from adjacent road and highway construction.
But in recent years, a broad coalition including the city, county, major businesses and environmental groups have made significant investments to help mitigate and reverse the damage. The result has been a dramatic improvement of Clear Creek.
This summer, a DOW Fishing is Fun grant helped to further enhance fish habitat in a quarter-mile of Clear Creek as it runs through Idaho Springs and Courtney-Ryley-Cooper Park near the Argo Mine Superfund Site. The project created a new urban fishery whose benefits will ripple well beyond Idaho Springs.
At a dedication ceremony Tuesday, Colorado Department of Natural Resources Director Mike King applauded the collaborative spirit that led to the restoration of this stretch of Clear Creek.
"This is a tremendous example of local governments, private entities and environmental groups coming to together to make their community better," King said. "Now we have a great stretch of trout stream that is readily accessible not only to people in Idaho Springs, but is less than half hour from Denver. This is a model we need to repeat again and again across Colorado."
The Fishing is Fun grant was used to deepen the stream channel and install structural improvements to benefit trout such as boulder clusters, engineered pools and cross vanes. In addition, bank stabilization and revegetation work was performed on both sides of Clear Creek in the project area. The project also features access improvements for mobility impaired anglers.
One local business, the Albert Frei and Sons Quarry, provided indispensible support for the project in the form of tons of rock that was used to create structure and stabilize the stream bank. Additional support came from the Trask Family Foundation, the Henderson Mine as well as the West Denver chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Clear Creek Watershed Foundation, which oversaw the project on behalf of the city. Frontier Environmental Services of Arvada, which performed the construction, donated its services for preliminary design and project development.
The visibility and success of the project has helped build momentum for additional stream improvement work in Idaho Springs, according to Clear Creek County Commissioner Tim Mauck.
"This is one of those big success stories that you just love to talk about," Mauck said. "The partnership between the foundations, the county, the city, Trout Unlimited and our business community is exceptionally important to improving the quality of life here in Idaho Springs. Everyone really pulled together over the last few years to create some great fishing - and that helps to build Clear Creek's image as a destination fishery."
Now in its 23rd year, the Fishing Is Fun Program has helped local communities partner with the DOW and the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Act Program on 275 projects in nearly every county in the state. More than $17.5 million in grant awards, derived from federal excise taxes on the purchase of fishing equipment, boat engines and motor boat fuels, have been invested in angling resources throughout Colorado. With local matches, the total investment is more than $35 million. States determine how those funds will be used on angling programs, with oversight by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure funds are administered properly.
"Without the core support from Fishing is Fun, this project doesn't come together," said Miles Williams, a member of West Denver TU and the city's advisor on the project. "It helped all of our partners realize that we could really make this happen."
More information about the DOW's Fishing is Fun program can be found at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Reso...unProgram/
For more news about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us/news/index.asp?DivisionID=3
For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.
For decades, the health of Clear Creek in Idaho Springs was seriously impaired by mining runoff, inadequate sewage treatment and channelization from adjacent road and highway construction.
But in recent years, a broad coalition including the city, county, major businesses and environmental groups have made significant investments to help mitigate and reverse the damage. The result has been a dramatic improvement of Clear Creek.
This summer, a DOW Fishing is Fun grant helped to further enhance fish habitat in a quarter-mile of Clear Creek as it runs through Idaho Springs and Courtney-Ryley-Cooper Park near the Argo Mine Superfund Site. The project created a new urban fishery whose benefits will ripple well beyond Idaho Springs.
At a dedication ceremony Tuesday, Colorado Department of Natural Resources Director Mike King applauded the collaborative spirit that led to the restoration of this stretch of Clear Creek.
"This is a tremendous example of local governments, private entities and environmental groups coming to together to make their community better," King said. "Now we have a great stretch of trout stream that is readily accessible not only to people in Idaho Springs, but is less than half hour from Denver. This is a model we need to repeat again and again across Colorado."
The Fishing is Fun grant was used to deepen the stream channel and install structural improvements to benefit trout such as boulder clusters, engineered pools and cross vanes. In addition, bank stabilization and revegetation work was performed on both sides of Clear Creek in the project area. The project also features access improvements for mobility impaired anglers.
One local business, the Albert Frei and Sons Quarry, provided indispensible support for the project in the form of tons of rock that was used to create structure and stabilize the stream bank. Additional support came from the Trask Family Foundation, the Henderson Mine as well as the West Denver chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Clear Creek Watershed Foundation, which oversaw the project on behalf of the city. Frontier Environmental Services of Arvada, which performed the construction, donated its services for preliminary design and project development.
The visibility and success of the project has helped build momentum for additional stream improvement work in Idaho Springs, according to Clear Creek County Commissioner Tim Mauck.
"This is one of those big success stories that you just love to talk about," Mauck said. "The partnership between the foundations, the county, the city, Trout Unlimited and our business community is exceptionally important to improving the quality of life here in Idaho Springs. Everyone really pulled together over the last few years to create some great fishing - and that helps to build Clear Creek's image as a destination fishery."
Now in its 23rd year, the Fishing Is Fun Program has helped local communities partner with the DOW and the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Act Program on 275 projects in nearly every county in the state. More than $17.5 million in grant awards, derived from federal excise taxes on the purchase of fishing equipment, boat engines and motor boat fuels, have been invested in angling resources throughout Colorado. With local matches, the total investment is more than $35 million. States determine how those funds will be used on angling programs, with oversight by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure funds are administered properly.
"Without the core support from Fishing is Fun, this project doesn't come together," said Miles Williams, a member of West Denver TU and the city's advisor on the project. "It helped all of our partners realize that we could really make this happen."
More information about the DOW's Fishing is Fun program can be found at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Reso...unProgram/
For more news about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us/news/index.asp?DivisionID=3
For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.