Trout Unlimited West Denver chapter is about to begin restoration on about three-quarters of a mile of Clear Creek, just below the Colorado 119 and U.S. 6 junction.
Glen Edwards, Trout Unlimited director, said “(We’ll) go down in the stream, move some of the natural rocks to make for better winter habitat — deeper holes and feeding lanes and just places for fish to survive the winter,”.
About 15 different elements will be used, Edwards noted, including cross vanes, U-shaped large rock structures, which create turbulence that constricts stream flow and deepens the channel to create spawning beds and wintering pools.
“For so many years, Clear Creek has been abused and not really thought of as a recreational treasure or an environmental treasure, and it’s both,” Edwards said. “We’re not a fishing club, per say,” Edwards said, “we want to get people to think about water conservation and taking care of their natural resources.”
Seems well-intentioned enough. I am happy this will help the wild-life survive the winter.
Can't move huge rocks without æffecting the run somehow (if you don't mind change, it could even be considered an improvement when all is said in done, but opinions will vary), but I'd rather that, than half a dozen reservoirs, like on the Platte.
I'm happy I will be able to say I have paddled all of upper clear creek in its current state, before any major changes came down the pipe.
I guess we(boaters) don't have an argument in this situation seeing how we build WW parks all over the state with only our kayaking needs in mind. The fishermen get to manipulate the river as we do.
Good for them. Taking care of the river is a good thing regarless of who does it. That stretch is rarely paddled except when folks connect upper clear creek through blackrock (usually at high water), so its really not a big deal to boaters.
The rawhide fly fishers modified the streambed in the north fork of the south platte at the bailey put in, and it made the waves and drops better for the most part. I would guess that the clear creek work would be a new positive for recreational users of clear creek
There's nothing natural about Clear Creeks riverbed. Most of it has been altered by mining and road building so any new features would probably be a plus for the fish as well as boaters.
Just a tid bit. Trout Unlimited stopped the whitewater park in Spokane Washington from being built. They said moving rocks was a bad thing and distroyed trout habitat.
Play nice buzzards. That section is currently BORING!! Until just before the black rock section.
If we are really lucky maybe we'll get something like the first part of the dumont section (but I doubt there is the same gradiant for that)
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