A Year in Review: Restoration in the Kawuneeche Valley
January 2025
2024 flowed smoothly for the Kawuneeche Valley Restoration Collaborative’s (KVRC) work! Thanks to grant funding and a lot of hard work, we completed construction at our first demonstration site, adding structures that mimic the work of nature’s ecosystem engineers: beaver! At the site, we also made strides towards regrowth of tall willows that are essential for habitat health, natural cycles, and monitoring the ecosystem’s response. It’s all part of building a more resilient future. Here, we recap some of our 2024 highlights.
KVRC: A Collaborative Force for Restoration
KVRC is a team of organizations committed to strengthening the Kawuneeche Valley’s long-term resilience and health. Nestled between the towering peaks of the Never Summer Range in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Shadow Mountain Reservoir in Grand County, the Valley is a testament to the natural cycles and beauty in nature.
Once a thriving expanse of tall willows, wetlands, and biodiversity, this vital ecosystem now struggles to provide several of its historic ecological functions. Today, tall willow stands are nearly absent, and previous land uses have led to unnatural incised channels that are disconnected from the floodplain. During seasons when the Valley floor should be wet, it is dry. These changes ripple through the ecosystem, impacting wildlife, water quality, river flows, and recreational opportunities. KVRC is committed to restoring the Valley to ensure it continues to support the environment, wildlife, and communities that depend on it. Our collaborators include representatives from:
National Park Service, Rocky Mountain National Park
United States Forest Service, Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest
Northern Water
Rocky Mountain Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
Grand County
Town of Grand Lake
Colorado State University
Restoration is a collaborative effort and we strive to include diverse interests and expertise as we work toward a healthier Kawuneeche Valley. KVRC’s work is also supported by our partner Trout Unlimited.
Read Our Feature
In the Winter 2025 issue of National Parks Magazine, we were thrilled author Ben Goldfarb highlighted the history and ecology of the Kawuneeche Valley. In the feature, he explores KVRC’s ambitious plans to restore the Valley’s natural systems. Don’t miss this insightful article to learn more about our efforts to revive the Kawuneeche Valley!
Beaver Creek: A Milestone in KVRC’s Restoration Plan
In 2024, KVRC installed 29 instream structures and began installing 31 acres of temporary fencing, known as exclosure fencing, at the Beaver Creek project site. The instream structures mimic natural beaver dams, bringing several benefits, including restoring the stream’s natural flow. The exclosure fencing is placed around the site to protect mature and young willows from elk and moose browsing, giving the willows time to grow and thrive. We also began a treatment to manage invasive plant species, like Canada thistle, at the project site.
Our restoration approach is considered “low-tech and process-based.” This means we prioritize using natural materials like wood, vegetation, and soil, and processes that are as close to natural as possible. This approach will enhance biodiversity, support resilience to climate change and fire, enhance wildlife habitat and tall willow populations, and improve floodplain connectivity.
Restoring the tall willow population is a gradual process, and willow planting will begin in 2025.
Exclosure fencing installation and willow planting at Beaver Creek would not be possible without funding from the Windy Gap Environmental Fund, awarded by the Grand Foundation.
Types of Structures Installed at Beaver Creek
KVRC will use several restoration techniques to mimic the positive environmental effects of beaver dams and log jams, such as reducing river flows, creating pools, capturing sediment, reducing erosion, and raising the water table and stream levels. Ultimately, this will contribute to a healthier and more resilient stream and wetland ecosystems, which enhance natural cycles, wildfire resilience, and outdoor recreation opportunities. KVRC’s long-term goal is to create an inviting habitat so that beaver will occupy and maintain the structures (or improve upon them) indefinitely.
Simulated Beaver Structures (SBS) have the strongest and longest-term effect on stream flow, but they also require the most effort for design and installation. To install an SBS, untreated lumber is placed across the full width of a stream to pool water, just as a beaver dam would with natural materials.
Beaver Dam Analogs (BDA) are similar to natural beaver dams and are made with natural onsite materials such as wood, brush, and soil. They function like SBS’s to pool water, but may not last as long.
Post-Assisted Log Structures (PALS) mimic natural log jams and are more porous than the other structures. They use vertically driven untreated posts to secure interwoven logs and brush across the stream. They are intended to slow flow velocity and trap sediment and other material, allowing it to build up behind the structure over time.
Connecting with the Community: 2024 Outreach Events
Throughout 2024, we hosted several outreach events, including guided tours for participants to learn about our restoration plans and the low-tech, process-based methods we use to support healthy ecosystems. We also invited local media representatives to visit the Beaver Creek site during exclosure fencing installation. By the end of the Fall 2024 season, we hosted five tours and attended six events to speak about our restoration work, including the international beaver conference at the University of Colorado, BeaverCON, in October.
Interested in seeing our work up close? Watch for future engagement opportunities next season!
Grant Funding: Fueling Our Future
Our efforts are made possible by in-kind support from collaborators and vital grant funding. Each grant we secure reaffirms the value and importance of our work. Grants from Colorado Parks & Wildlife, RESTORE Colorado, Windy Gap Environmental Fund, and the Colorado River District’s Community Funding Partnership – Accelerator Grant funded much of our work this year. These funds as well as grants from the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program, North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), and Colorado Water Conservation Board will fund future projects at our Onahu Creek, Lower Baker, and Upper Baker sites in 2025, including design and engineering of restoration projects, and monitoring.
Assessing Site Conditions: Monitoring
In 2024, we continued monitoring to assemble detailed information about our restoration sites' shape and features, water movement and quality, vegetation, and habitat characteristics. This data helps us track changes in erosion, water flow, water quality, native plant growth, invasive species decline, and habitat conditions. Monitoring before and after implementing restoration methods allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of our strategies and adapt as needed.
A Message About the Year Ahead
As we reflect on all that KVRC accomplished in 2024, we know there’s still much to do. Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue monitoring Beaver Creek’s progress and other sites. Our next focus will be the Onahu Creek site in Rocky Mountain National Park, where we’ll use many of the same techniques as Beaver Creek—like installing exclosure fencing and instream structures—to restore the ecosystem.
Restoration takes time, but it’s always worth it. This year, we’re taking a page from nature’s master builder, the beaver, staying busy and doing everything we can to support the ecosystem we care for.
Beaver Insights: Nature’s Ingenious Engineers
Did you know that beaver are among the few animals that actively modify their environment? Often called “ecosystem engineers,” they create extensive, biodiverse wetlands and help slow water flow. This improves water quality and creates rich habitats where numerous other species can thrive, and helps retain moisture in floodplains that build resilience to instances such as wildfire and other natural disasters.
Thank you for your continued support in preserving and revitalizing the Kawuneeche Valley. Your engagement and interest are crucial as we move forward with our mission to restore this essential part of Colorado’s water landscape.