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Rock Dam Revitalization

by Douglas R. Laiho, Manager; Ayres, Associates, Denver, 3223 Arapahoe Ave., Ste. 315, Boulder, CO 80303,
Paula A. Fitzgerald, Parks and Recreation Project Coordinator; Parks and Recreation Div., Longmont, CO,


Serial Information: Civil Engineering—ASCE, 1998, Vol. 68, Issue 7, Pg. 60-61


Document Type: Feature article

Abstract:

Sometimes restoring an area to a natural appearance requires a little artificial help. When the city of Longmont, Colo., began creating the St. Vrain Greenway, a park and recreation area along the St. Vrain River, a dilapidated concrete dam stood in the way. The deteriorating dam was an eyesore and a safety hazard, as well as an obstruction to migrating fish and recreational boaters. However, the stability of structures upstream depended on the presence of the dam, which had raised the water level upstream significantly. To maintain streambed stability but restore the appearance and natural function of the river, the city installed two natural rock V-dams - low arch-shaped dams that did not impede the progress of fish or recreational boaters and that looked like a natural part of the stream ecosystem.

Subject Headings: Concrete dams | Rivers and streams | Water-based recreation | Rocks | Rockfill dams | Fish and fishery management | Ecological restoration

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