Trail Creek Watershed, Colorado, 2010 – 2013
Assessed, designed, and began implementation of a master watershed and river restoration plan to reduce the accelerated sediment yields following the Hayman Wildfire in 2002 for the entire 16 mi2 watershed. Coordinated with Federal agencies and the Coalition for the Upper South Platte. An individual 404 permit was issued for the entire watershed restoration plan to be implemented over 20 years with trained federal, state, and local municipalities to continue implementing the watershed master plan.
Used WARSSS to quantify sediment loading by location and process to direct the master restoration plan.
BEFORE RESTORATION: Trail Creek before restoration showing an entrenched F4 stream type
AFTER RESTORATION: Trail Creek two years post-restoration showing a step-pool B4 stream type
BEFORE RESTORATION: Trail Creek before restoration showing an aggrading reach looking upstream from a sediment-buried box culvert (6.0 ft deep)
AFTER RESTORATION: Trail Creek two year post-restoration showing a step-pool stream
BEFORE RESTORATION: Trail Creek before restoration showing road and stream crossing
AFTER RESTORATION: Trail Creek two year post-restoration showing relocation
BEFORE RESTORATION: Pre-restoration condition of alluvial fan with entrenched stream system that routed sediment directly to Trail Creek
AFTER RESTORATION: Restored alluvial fan function with multiple sediment debris basins and braided channel to store sediment on the fan surface before entering Trail Creek
About Dave Rosgen, P.H., Ph.D.
Dave is a Professional Hydrologist and Geomorphologist with field experience in river work spanning 49 years, 20 of which were with the U.S. Forest Service. Dave has designed and implemented over 70 large-scale river restoration projects. Dave developed a stream classification system, the BANCS streambank erosion model, the FLOWSED/POWERSED sediment transport models, the WARSSS methodology for cumulative...
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