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As part of the SRPG Boards ongoing conservation efforts, Jim Nankervis (Blue Mountain Consultants) was asked to assess the Big Sandy & Little Sandy reaches for future improvements and direction in 2019. These reaches have a >100 year history of cattle usage and consequential damage resulting in erosion and river widening as well as heavy sediment deposition. Now that cattle have been restricted in these reaches, plans are in the works for river and trout habitat improvement projects. A great perspective from Jim Nankervis, it addresses the existing conditions and problems with practical recommendations going forward.
Thanks for posting this report. Very interesting. I saw the railcar/bridge has been brought to the property. Any time frame when that might be installed?
Also, I would be very interested in providing support/labor for any improvement projects on the list.
U R WELCOME.
Tentatively, 2021 is the timeline for getting the bridge done. We are still in the process of having Chaparral Construction from Colorado visit the site and give us a bid. The reason for this is that they work full time on rivers, riparian zones and roads for private, federal and state projects. Building bridges is one of their specialties and where we got the idea as they have built many here in Colorado.
Also, there is opportunity for possible cost share funds and Mike Adams is working on a grant proposal to that end. More to come.
Consultants, like Nankervis and Chaparral Construction, are necessary and valuable to the SRPG. They reaffirm valid conservation practices as well as bring new ideas to the table.
regards,
pat
ps-see photo of railcar (bridge) and proposed crossing (narrowing downstream of the Swimming Hole)I thought I would post up a shot of Chaparral Construction putting up a railcar bridge on the Yampa River as part of the Green Creek restoration project just a few years back. That project has been so successful that the neighbors are looking at restoration on their ranches along the Yampa. Chaparral is now working on the Green Creek (same ranch) to improve the spawning and young of year habitat. I hope to get up there this fall to see the restoration.
https://www.facebook.com/Chaparralconst.llc/videos/1438790799552382
I may have missed this but what is the primary use, or need, for the bridge? How wide will it be? Truck crossing? ATV/UTV crossing? Cattle crossing? Thanks!
Simply put, a bridge like this will be utilized for crossing cattle, simply ranching operation access (such as ranchers and crossing equipment like cedar cutting machinery), allow for membership access by ATV/foot traffic and fire equipment. There is a very good possibility of completion in 2021.
It is highly unlikely that any membership vehicles (aside from ATVs) will be allowed due the fragility of the west lands. Currently, vehicles are prohibited from driving on the west side, except for the road to Steer Creek on the North end through McKelvey Forrest. So, this long standing policy would, in all likelihood, remain in effect.
This would greatly further our goal of getting cattle 99.99% off the river. To say that crossing cattle on a bridge is easy is disingenuous. However, it is doable and the ranchers and SRPG are committed to making this work with the necessary actions. The crossing on the Little Sandy is so severely damaged that cattle and ATV crossing is becoming almost impossible and certainly hazardous. It is time for it to be allowed to heal.
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