April 3, 2020 – Construction Activities Update

CRMC is thrilled to inform you that all recreational modifications and environmental mitigation work have been completed.  We can’t wait for you to visit the new Marina floating building, explore areas of the Park that you may not have visited since construction started over two years ago, and even discover new areas of the Park not previously accessible.

While we find ourselves in unprecedented times with the COVID-19 pandemic, CRMC remains optimistic that we will receive authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow for water storage in the new reallocation pool later this month.

As we have received several inquiries regarding the status of the project, we have prepared answers to some frequently asked questions in an e-newsletter, available in its entirety here.

For information on restrictions and closures at Chatfield State Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit Chatfield State Park’s website at: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Chatfield.

Below are a few construction-related excerpts from the e-newsletter:

What is left to do on the Project?

While all the recreational modifications and environmental mitigation have been implemented, you may see us out at the Park from time to time.  A large focus early this spring and summer will be to finish the revegetation efforts, including the replacement planting of trees, reseeding of certain areas, and weed management.  We encourage all visitors to please be mindful of these revegetation activities to ensure reestablishment of native grass and shrubs occurs. Throughout 2020, watering will continue along the South Platte River corridor where environmental mitigation occurred, including the planting of nearly 35,000 native trees and shrubs.

Will there be any further activity in the area once the Project is completed?

If any maintenance or repair work is needed that would impact an area built or modified as part of the reallocation project, we will be sure to keep you informed on our website at: https://chatfieldreallocation.org/construction/.  Monitoring activities will be on-going, especially in the environmental mitigation areas, for at least the next five years.

What are the stakes and PVC pipes along Plum Creek and South Platte River for and will they be removed?

Environmental mitigation occurred along both the Plum Creek and South Platte River corridors. About 54,000 native shrubs and trees were planted along Plum Creek and almost 35,000 native shrubs and trees were planted in the South Platte River corridor. The stakes indicate different planting groups identified by the paint color on the end of the stake. These were used by the contractor to identify where to plant certain shrub species. If you encounter any stakes, CRMC askes that you allow them to remain where they are. The PVC pipes are used to water the installed shrubs down to the root, as the shrubs and trees were deep planted in order to access the water table. Watering will continue in the South Platte area throughout late spring, summer, and fall. CRMC is working with the contractor to remove stakes and PVC pipes once environmental mitigation establishment criteria is met.