Pine Creek Channel Restoration | Colorado Springs, CO

CLIENT:  Pine Creek, City of Colorado Springs, Colorado

PROJECT TYPE:  Channel Restoration

PROJECT LOCATION:  City of Colorado Springs

WaterVation was hired by the City of Colorado Springs to develop channel restoration plans for over 7,500 feet of Pine Creek that runs through the Pine Creek Golf Club, a premier golf course in Colorado Springs. This section of Pine Creek has rapidly degraded over the past 5 years as a result of hydrologic modification from upstream development and major flooding in 2015. The project goal was to employ a natural channel restoration approach that worked with the natural tendencies of the stream system while preserving existing vegetation and providing adequate stabilization to protect against catastrophic flood events. The project corridor is extremely constrained by the golf course to the south and development to the north, which limited restoration opportunities. Our team developed a natural channel restoration plan that was founded on restoring the natural stream dimension, pattern, and profile. This design was based on detailed geomorphic assessment data collected in the watershed and validated with three different sediment transport models. In-stream structure was designed to utilize natural materials found within the watershed such as log, woody material, and cobble riffle structures. One storm system and two bridge crossings were evaluated as a part of this project. A revegetation plan was developed based on utilizing the native plant species on-site. Catastrophic flood protection was designed by burying vertical and lateral grade control protection so that fail-safe measures were in place to protect infrastructure against a worst-case scenario.

Services; Stream Assessments, River Restoration, Natural Channel Design, Flood Control Design, Permitting, Construction Oversight