Left Hand Creek & Habitat Restoration Project (Boulder County, CO) 2018-2020
OVERVIEW: Located on private property downstream of Boulder County’s Brewbaker-Sorensson Open Space property on Left Hand Creek, this ½ mile (11 acres) reach of Left Hand Creek Left Hand Creek is part of Boulder County’s Plains Cottonwood Conservation area, which suffered considerable geomorphic (channel incision and narrowing) and ecological damage during the 2013 floods.
This area also a history of agricultural abuse and riparian habitat degradation over the past century. Working with private landowners, AloTerra and WaterVation designed and constructed natural channel (NCD) elements and floodplain grading, revegetation, bioengineering, and maintenance treatments within the regulatory floodplain and adjacent upland habitats. Restoration treatments included natural channel design, vegetated soil lifts on toe wood, seeding, installation of herbaceous and shrub containers, willow cuttings and cottonwood poles, crack willow (invasive tree) removal, and soil surface protection.
