FLOOD10354

• County: Mesa
• Community: Grand Junction
• Stream Name: Colorado River
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Title: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Waterfront Redevelopment and Design - A Case Study of the Colorado Riverfront
• Date: 6/1/1988
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

Salvage Yards at Confluence of Colorado and Gunnison Rivers

of the project were established and included:

- Visually improving the appearance of the river corridor,
especially near the downtown area, including the removal or
screening of junk and trash and revegetation of visually critical
areas.

- Providing increased recreational opportunities by develop-
ing riverside hikelbike trails, picnic areas, and boating access
points, while retaining the majority of the river environment
in a natural state.

- Reducing public and private losses caused by flooding; pro-
tecting developed areas while maintaining a viable river
environment.

- Creating an attraction designed to encourage redevelop-
ment of adjacent industrial and business areas, providing focus
and strong ties to the downtown area.

Cooperative Efforts

A major ingredient to the future success of the Grand Junc-
tion Riverfront Project will be the coordination of all the
various entities involved, There are several other major projects
underway in the valley which could benefit the river revitaliza-
tion effort. The community needs to take advantage of those
opportunities to maximize the benefits received.

Department of Energy

A major impetus for the project is the Department of
Energy's (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action
(UMTRA) program. In 1951, the Climax Uranium Company
(Climax) began milling uranium ore in Grand Junction. The
mill, located at the eastern edge of the urban riverfront, closed
in 1970, Climax left approximately 1.9 million cubic yards of
uranium mill tailings in a large pile covering about 57 acres.
Additional tailings, removed from other properties throughout
the valley, have been deposited at a temporary State repository
east of the Climax pile.

.

The DOE has been authorized to clean up the pile sites as
well as other properties contaminated with tailings. Costs of
the project are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions
of dollars, funded 90% by the federal government and 10%
by the State. The City sees a unique opportunity to combine
its efforts with the DOE to accomplish the entire clean-up of
the river.
The mill site and state repository, totalling approximately
140 acres, will be reclaimed in accordance with local river-
front plans and used for public recreation purposes upon com-
pletion. The DOE has also agreed to cooperate with the City
on the overall clean-up of other riverfront properties
contaminated with tailings.

Corps of Engineers

The designated 100-year floodplain in the urban area is quite
extensive. If redevelopment of the industrial area is to occur,
flood protection must be provided. The Corps of Engineers
is currently conducting a section 205 Small Flood Control
Study in the 5th Street bridge area. A proposed flood con-
trol levee would extend from the Denver & Rio Grande
Western Railroad bridge, just west of the 5th Street bridge,
to the ClimaX uranium tailings pile. The Corps has also agreed
to work with the DOE to extend the levee across the tailings
site during reclamation.

Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) is currently working
on a project to reduce the salinity of the Colorado River Basin
by lining or piping irrigation canals and laterals. The Bureau
will mitigate the loss of wetlands, resulting from the lining of
canals, by acquiring 2,090 acres of wetlands elsewhere, which
will be managed by the State Division of Wildlife. Continued
funding will ensure acquisition of r~arian habitat along
portions of the river corridor.

Colorado State Parks

The Colorado River, through Mesa County, has been
designated as one of four recreational sites in Colorado for
a future State Park. Several sites along the river are being con-
sidered for acquisition and development, including the Climax
uranium mill tailings site and state repository. Funding
provided by the Division of Parks will help alleviate some of
the local financial burden.

Department of Local Affairs

The Riverfront Project had been selected for concentrated
community development assistance through the Department
of Local Affairs (DLA). This program offers technical assistance
from the DLA and its interns. Interns have prepared concep-
tual drawings for the proposed riverfront development,
researched junkyard removal/relocation, and conducted a
transportation study.

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