Saturday, October 11, 2025
 
 
Major River Restoration Project to Begin at Heagle Park
Loading
Cory McCaffrey, the Wood River Land Trust’s river program director, tells Sage School ninth-graders what to expect when they help with the upcoming river restoration project. COURTESY: WRLT
   
Saturday, October 11, 2025
 

BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Heagle Park entrance to the Colorado Gulch Preserve in Hailey will be closed beginning in mid-October to allow work to transform a degraded stretch of the Big Wood River into a healthy habitat.

Closures will remain in place for the duration of the project, which is expected to wrap up in mid-November, said Meg Pulliam, communications director for the Wood River Land Trust, which is partnering with the City of Hailey and Flood Control District No. 9 on the project.

The Heagle Park Floodplain Restoration Project will address a section of the river that once was home to the Riverside Wastewater Treatment Plant.

It was severely altered by past land uses, including the construction of riprap levees and an old effluent pipe, which has resulted in highly unstable banks, limited floodplain function and increased flood risk to the City's wastewater lift station.

The project will remove artificial confinement, such as the riprap and the exposed effluent pipe. Workers will replace armored banks with naturally occurring materials like log jams. They’ll also reestablish floodplain connectivity and improve side channels to provide more spawning habitat for fish.

In a unique educational partnership, ninth-grade students from Sage School will participate in the project this October, installing native plants along the restored riverbank. The hands-on experience aligns with the students' coursework on natural systems and ecology while providing essential erosion control for the long-term success of the restoration.

“This project is a great example of how to use nature-based solutions to improve habitat and mitigate flood risk,” said John Wright, the Flood Control District #9 commissioner.

The entrance to Colorado Gulch Preserve is also closed at Colorado Gulch Road for the construction of the County’s Colorado Gulch bridge. But public access to the Colorado Gulch Preserve will remain available via the Red Feather Way entrance.

For alternative options for river access and hiking/walking during the closures, visit https://www.woodriverlandtrust.org/public-access-preserves.

~  Today's Topics ~


Novice and Her Dog Work Their Way Into Sheep Dog Competition

Spur to Launch Purposeful Giving Program

Major River Restoration Project to Begin at Heagle Park
 
 

 

 

 
Website problems? Contact:
Michael Hobbs
General Manager /Webmaster
Mike@EyeOnSunValley.com
 
Got a story? Contact:
Karen Bossick
Editor in Chief
(208) 578-2111
Karen@EyeOnSunValley.com
 
 
Advertising /Marketing /Public Relations
Leisa Hollister
Chief Marketing Officer
(208) 450-9993
leisahollister@gmail.com
 
Brandi Huizar
Talent / AE
(208) 329-2050
brandi@eyeonsunvalley.com
 
 
ABOUT US
EyeOnSunValley.com is the largest online daily news media service in The Wood River Valley, publishing 7 days a week. Our website publication features current news articles, feature stories, local sports articles and video content articles. The Eye On Sun Valley Show is a weekly primetime television show focusing on highlighted news stories of the week airing Monday-Sunday, COX Channel 13. See our interactive Kiosks around town throughout the Wood River Valley!
 
info@eyeonsunvalley.com      Press Releases only
 
P: 208.720.8212
P.O. Box 1453 Ketchum, ID  83340
LOGIN

© Copyright 2023 Eye on Sun Valley