STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Representatives of the Wood River Land Trust are closing parts of the trails through Colorado Gulch Preserve this week and next as they work on their river restoration project in the area. They are also closing the parking lot there while the project is ongoing.

Hikers are asked to use the trailhead on Redfeather Way to access the river and hiking trails during this time.

“This project is a perfect example of reversing bad practices that happened to the river and enhancing fish and willie habitat,” said Ryan Santo, who heads up river restoration projects for the Land Trust.

A much-awaited bridge at Colorado Gulch to replace the one washed out during a 50-year flood event flooding in 2017 will have to wait one more year, however.

The Land Trust wants to see how the river behaves following the restoration before putting in a new bridge to ensure that they position it correctly so it does not wash away. It will likely go in in the fall of 2023.

The river restoration project will reverse decades of channelization to offer more habitat for fish. It will involve reconnecting historic side channels 1,200 feet in length by removing 1,300 cubic yards of rip-rap and artificial fill that protected the old Colorado Gulch road and bridge.

Disconnection of historic side channels has reduced rearing and spawning habitat, which has led to decreased survival and productivity of salmonid populations in the Big Wood River. The removal of rip-rap will allow workers to construct large woody debris structures to provide cover and enhance salmonid habitat.