Rebuilding a Stream System One Increment at a Time
![watersheds](http://greaterparkhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/watersheds.jpg?w=230)
In a few of his Pogo cartoon strips having to do with pollution, cartoonist Walt Kelly told us, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” In The Best of Pogo, edited by Mrs. Walt Kelly and Bill Crouch Jr., Walt Kelly says of those nine words, he believed that “…we are all of us responsible for our myriad pollutions, public, private and political.”
I’ve explored some of the history leading to the Montclair Creek system of today. It’s certainly possible to identify specific problem areas, even specific projects, and beyond that, to identify specific culprits or “recipients of blame.” Putting that aside just for right now – not because it’s unimportant – I’ll turn to a question I was asked a few weeks ago.
“How do you actually make it possible for a project like restoring segments of Montclair Creek to get built?”
Just as a reminder, some potential components of a Montclair Creek restoration project might be:
•Redevelopment of the Mayfair Safeway/King Soopers area, incorporating a daylighted stream channel;
•Voluntary sale of selected floodprone properties from Colfax and Ivy toward 17th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard for conversion to accommodate open channel sections;
•Construction of an open channel at City Park, including low-lying areas at the Denver Zoo
I will be tackling the question of how such projects can happen during the remainder of 2014, and beyond. My simple answer is, “The same way we got into this situation, one increment at a time.” That means many or, at least enough of “us” have to take part.
For now, I’m moving to a watershed a little to the east/northeast for a partial demonstration. The Westerly Creek watershed lies east of Quebec Street, just outside Park Hill. The creek enters Lowry from Aurora and flows mostly to the north to Stapleton, eventually joining Sand Creek. There is a lot going on within the Westerly Creek watershed. Watch what is happening this year and next year. It makes me optimistic about Montclair Creek.
Four independent projects together highlight this coming of age of the Westerly Creek greenway corridor:
•The design process is well underway for North Westerly Creek and Uplands Park, between the confluence with Sand Creek and approximately 33rd Avenue at Stapleton. The Westerly Creek Greenway will tie directly into the Sand Creek Greenway.
•Immediately south of 26th Avenue along Westerly Creek (and partially in the creek) is the Stanley Aviation property, 22.5 acres with an existing industrial building on it. The property has recently been purchased by a group of Stapleton residents. They envision an urban marketplace. In the June issue of The Front Porch newspaper, one of the project partners, Mark Shaker, spoke of “… a literal and metaphorical bridge between two communities…” The segment of Westerly Creek from 26th Avenue to 23rd Avenue flows through the Stanley Aviation property.
•From 23rd Avenue to 17th Avenue, the City of Aurora is within a few months of starting construction on a project to replace the undersized culverts conveying Westerly Creek under Montview Boulevard with a bridge and to reintroduce stream channel meanders from Montview Boulevard to 23rd Avenue, along with a maintenance and bike/pedestrian under the bridge, next to the creek. A second project, in final design, will substantially change Montview Park and the segment of Westerly Creek and the accompanying trail within the park, between Montview Boulevard and 17th Avenue.
•Skipping four blocks to the southwest, Denver Parks is about to start on the design of greenway improvements from New Freedom Park at 13th Avenue & Xenia, extending to 11th Avenue, Kelly Road Dam, and the extensive open space along Westerly Creek at Lowry. Between 12th Avenue and Richthofen Place, and between Richthofen Place and 11th Avenue, Westerly Creek flows in an engineered open channel on unimproved land already owned by Denver.
All of this has happened one step, one increment at a time, and there is more to come.
Brian Hyde is an expert in floodplain management and stream restoration. He wants your feedback at westerly_connect_brian@comcast.net or 720-939-6039.