BY KAREN BOSSICK

Donors stepped up to the plate, and the City of Ketchum has met its $500,000 match for the Warm Springs Preserve.

The funding will allow workers to complete major infrastructure on the Preserve, also known as the Dog Park, before the snow flies. That includes building the restrooms and the welcome center.

Being able to complete the $6.6 million project this year saves significant remobilization costs, according to the city’s Senior Project Manager Ben Whipple.

The 65-acre project is a partnership between the City of Ketchum and the Wood River Land Trust, which contributed a half-million dollars to acquire the property and another million dollars for the restoration project. It is designed to restore fish habitat along Warm Springs Creek, restore the flood plain and enhance users’ enjoyment of the area. Wood River Valley residents' donations completed the remainder of the project.

It’s a fully balanced dirt project, said Whipple, as no dirt is being hauled in except for top soil at the end. Woody debris will be used in stream channel to create habitat for fish. There will also be a dog pond set aside from the creek so dogs and their owners won’t create erosion going to the creek. And there will be an ADA-accessible trail around the perimeter of the Upper Fairway.

The irrigation system will become automated, enabling irrigating to be done at night when watering is more efficient. Currently, the irrigation must be done manually, meaning the city can only irrigate during the day when staff is there to do the work.

Next spring the area will be planted with 27,000 native seedlings and trees, and the disturbed soil will be covered with native grasses.

The Preserve is being closed through Oct. 11 as workers race to get the heavy lifting done before the snow flies. The closure may be extended if inclement weather delays the work.