Left Hand Creek Adaptive Restoration
We are advancing river restoration practices to include diverse climate adapted features and watershed science through applied restoration. Our key research question is how does a stage zero site increase geomorphic complexity, ecological resilience, and attenuation of fluxes? We are partnering with professors and students at University of Colorado Boulder to answer this research question by quantifying comparing ecological and geomorphic complexity at a stage zero and traditional restoration site.
As part of this project we are working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to introduce native fish, including Northern Redbelly Dace, Plains Topminnow, and Northern Leopard Frog to newly restored habitats and are monitoring populations over time. Check out our illustration of the project and all its site and features benefits below!
Climate adapted restoration in Colorado’s Front Range
Scroll through the Story Map below or open in a new window here.
Climate Adapted Restoration Image Gallery
Vegetative Bench Complexity
We experimented with various bench heights and planting pallets to see how plants adapt to variable conditions.
Beaver Dam Analogs
Beaver dam analogs (BDAs) slow flows, capture sediment, and create habitat.
Site Activated During High Flows
Site features such as BDAs and side channels are designed to activate each spring through early summer during runoff.
Off Channel Pond
The off channel pond is home to a naturally reproducing population of Northern Redbelly Dace, introduced in 2021.
eDNA
Monitoring the Northern Redbelly Dace population using novel and non-invasive eDNA technique.
Northern Leopard Frog
In 2023, the off channel pond became home to Northern Leopard Frog, a first of its kind relocation effort in the region.
Sediment Capture
BDAs have tremendous capacity to capture sediment across the floodplain.
Site Activates During Flash Flood
In June 2023, high flows and chalky red fine sediment spread across the floodplain and site features during a flash flood.
Project Partners
- The Andreas Family
- Biohabitats
- Boulder County
- City of Boulder
- City of Longmont
- University of Colorado- Boulder
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- Colorado Water Conservation Board
- Department of Local Affairs
- Community Housing Block Grant
- Innovation Center of SVVSD
- Left Hand Ditch Company
- Left Hand Excavating
- Left Hand Water District
- Ocean First Institute
- The Windhausen Family