Lake Pueblo State Park

A large-scale stream habitat improvement project was completed during 2013 and 2014 along the Middle Arkansas River Basin below the Pueblo Dam. The project, a collaboration between Fishing is Fun, the City of Pueblo, Trout Unlimited, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, was designed to improve stream function and fish habitat. RMFI was contacted by Fin-Up Habitat Consultants, Inc., the project management firm overseeing habitat improvement work, to design and construct properly aligned trails to provide bank stabilization and allow suitable river access for anglers. Additionally, RMFI was asked to close and restore improperly aligned and redundant trails to minimize stream damage and stream bank erosion.

RMFI worked a total of 957.5 hours over 9 days at Lake Pueblo State Park between September and October 2014. Utilizing community volunteers and a Mile High Youth Corps Crew, RMFI completed high priority trail construction and closure along the Arkansas River near the Valco Ponds below the Lake Pueblo Dam. RMFI constructed or stabilized 7 fishing access trails and closed and restored 7 unsustainable, user- created trails. Trails were constructed approximately 300 feet from each other where feasible.