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<br /> <br />How Did the Blue River Turn Into the "Rockpiles"? <br /> <br /> <br />The Blue R.ivet Reclamation Ptoject, notf:h 0 downtown Bteckentidge, <br />statf:ed in 1985. The 'rockpiles' were the tesult of 50 year.; of dtedge mining <br />in and along the Blue R.ivet. <br /> <br />From 1898 to 1942 five miles of the Blue River <br />near the mining camp of Breckenridge were mined <br />extensively by dredge boats. In removing gold from <br />the gravel and cobble deposits, miners made little <br />effort, if any, to reclaim the disturbed areas of the <br />valley. Fine material and topsoil were either washed <br />downstream or buried under the exposed spoil piles. <br />Because the dredge spoils were so porous and coarse, <br />the Blue River exhibited surface flow only during the <br />high runoff period. Vegetation was sparse, because of <br />the poor soil conditions and the harsh climate. <br /> <br />- ,. ~;r;.;-- ,.;~~} ';.'>:;:--"1", 'f., ;'~>"',' ,.;<:s:; ;:::""" ,,~,j:~ . <br /> <br />How Was the Reclamation' Project Designed and Implemente~? <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />lththe gatheririg of <br />e information..J <br />s, channe1flow , <br />psport data collection, <br />interviews with local <br />ation on str~,am behavior. A <br />eY" was conducted todeteqp.int!' <br />nts for plant estab],ishment' ~d <br />I <br />l <br /> <br />The design process beg <br />baseline hydrologic and veg <br />Groundwater observation <br />measurements, sedimen <br />topographic surv~ys, <br />residents provideq' <br />"growth medium <br />minimum requir <br />surv~val.;.:,i~:' ' <br /> <br />On e baseline data had been gathered and <br />analyze e design began. Because the land <br />availaplfwas relatively narrow, the stream could not <br />mtt~,der as much as might have been desired. D~op <br />~~ctures an~ ,liplited bank protection easements were <br />;:ftcorporated'to minimize channel erosion. <br />Groundwater levels determined the elevation of <br />overbank areas for wetlands gro~'th. A 25-year <br />channel (750 cfs) was designed. Channel.stabilization <br />measures were des,igned for floods on the order of 50- <br />ye(j.r to 100-year Frequencies. Removal of dredge <br /> <br />'fl <br /> <br />#:,.:" ',' " ,"'" ' ",i:i/~, <br />mater~fils in '.' new channet'amd/adja-(;.ent:~)~~rb~~ <br />areas \Vas entral feature of the desfgH~ .' . <br />.l\, .___ " <br />hrough extensive inteI'~i6ns b~J~en the ' <br />d' engineer and the reveget(:l;tton special~t. for the <br />"";W~tl,a!ltls were incofl?t>fated -whereveii <br />ossi~f~~'~e locations within ~project W~~;;i'~i:' <br />," ;uIlsuite;ble;for:W~~lIl~creatioIl~beq(use,the~were' l, <br />'. ',iniend~~primarily i~r~ RQ~iconveya~~orl:>'tcause <br />ih€;~,!~re too far above s~iisonal water levels~ <br />Crea:til!g..ar fUn:ctioning subalpine riverine wetl'~d <br />i system '\:Va,s a significant challenge to the design team. <br />t"-:. <br />In 1985 constructioI,1 of the project began. <br />First dredge spoils were removed to allow the <br />l.approximateshaping ofa river~haIl~l. Next 21 <br />structures were co~cted t~ s~bilize the ne <br />channel. Overbank are~s adjace(lt to the ch. <br />were built, Then topsoilland planting fo <br />took approximaFely 5 years tocconst;ru <br /> <br />The Blue River <lfter Recl<lm<ltion Prof <br />