Shawnee Meadows

In May of 2020 Freestone aquatics began the implementation of a Restoration Project on the North Fork of the South Platte that aimed at restoring natural riffle-run-pool sequencing to an overwide featureless 1-mile reach.  The NFSP displays a wide range of flow conditions as flows are managed based on water usage demands of the Denver Front Range. Through full spectrum baseline study and detailed flow analysis, Freestone generated a thoughtful design that provided proper stream configurations at flows as low as 30cfs up to 800cfs.  Low-flow habitat was a critical component of the design for annual fish retention and the promotion of recruitment across the project reach.  We incorporated large woody debris into the design that allows for greater macroinvertebrate production while providing diverse habitat.  This project highlight’s Freestone ability to introduce a heterogenous stream channel into a drainage known for a lack of habitat diversity.

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