CPW to begin work on second phase of Kemp-Breeze State Wildlife Area Colorado River aquatic habitat improvement project
Rachael GonzalesNorthwest Region Public Information Officer
970-773-8587 / [email protected]
Twitter: @CPW_NW CPW to begin work on second phase of Kemp-Breeze State Wildlife Area Colorado River aquatic habitat improvement project
The Kemp-Breeze SWA Colorado River aquatic habitat improvement project is about to begin. To ensure safety, the Colorado River downstream from the Kemp-Breeze bridge will be restricted to unauthorized personnel. The closure area is marked in red . Click on the image for a large image size.
HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS, Colo. - Work is set to begin on the Kemp-Breeze State Wildlife Area Colorado River aquatic habitat improvement project on Tuesday, August 1. The State Wildlife Area will remain open to the public during the project. However, the section of the Colorado River within the wildlife area boundaries downstream from the Kemp-Breeze bridge will be closed to unauthorized personnel. The section of the river within SWA boundaries upstream from the Kemp-Breeze Bridge will remain open during construction.
The second phase involves narrowing the Colorado River channel with a combination of alluvial material and wood structures to increase river flow depths and encourage flushing of sediment. Additionally, the installation of engineered wood structures will provide habitat and induce geomorphic function and resiliency of the river channel. River channel and river bank grading along with ecological plantings of vegetation will promote floodplain connectivity.
Once complete, the in-river and river bank work will improve the aquatic habitat of the Colorado River for all life stages of trout and mottled sculpin, as well as aquatic invertebrates, especially the giant stonefly. Construction at the State Wildlife Area is expected to last through early November.
“We want to thank our anglers for their support and patience while working on phase one last year,” said Jon Ewert, Hot Sulphur Springs Area Aquatic Biologist. “As we move into the second phase of this project, we appreciate your continued patience while we complete this important project to improve the aquatic habitat of the Colorado River, benefitting anglers for years to come.”
Anglers looking for an alternative location to fish can reach out to the CPW Hot Sulphur Springs Office at 970-725-6200 or by viewing our 2023 Fishing Brochure.
The Kemp-Breeze Colorado River aquatic habitat improvement project is part of the Upper Colorado River Habitat Project, which is intended to help restore the Upper Colorado River between Windy Gap Reservoir and the Kemp Breeze State Wildlife Area. This work is being done in cooperation with Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District’s Municipal Subdistrict, Denver Water, Grand County, and Trout Unlimited and the related agreements associated with the Moffat and Windy Gap Firming Projects.
Learn more about the Kemp-Breeze State Wildlife Area on our website.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.