Silt River Preserve Restoration & Wetland Enhancement
MCWC partnered with the Town of Silt and Aspen Valley Land Trust to restore wetland habitat and native vegetation at the 132-acre Silt River Preserve along the Colorado River.
Why It Matters
Once part of a massive planned subdivision, this land is now protected as open space forever, home to nesting bald eagles, grazing mule deer, river otter and numerous other species along a scenic stretch of the Colorado River. Restoring the Silt River Preserve required more than planting trees, it required navigating conditional water rights, decree modifications, and multi-phase engineering to sustain a functional wetland long-term. MCWC coordinated that technical work across every partner involved.
Impact Numbers
A 132-acre property with junior, conditional water rights required years of technical groundwork, and significant community effort, before restoration could succeed.
132 acres restored along 0.6 miles of the Colorado River
415 native trees and shrubs planted by more than 30 volunteers
Narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia)
Plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
Redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea)
Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata)
Threeleaf sumac (Rhus trilobata)
Rocky Mountain willow (Salix monticola)
Silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea)
3.01 acres of freshwater ponds enhanced into functional wetland habitat
10,000 square feet regraded to support long-term wetland function
Budget
Funded through the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and Colorado River District (CRD), supported engineering, water rights analysis and restoration work that took place from 2022 through 2024.
Timeline
Restoration began in 2022 with invasive species removal and initial revegetation; revegetation around Pond 8 was completed in October 2022. Completed project work in 2023 included additional native plantings, fence removal, and vegetation management, alongside Wright Water Engineers' technical analysis of water rights, ditch infrastructure, and pond hydrology. In June 2024, the Town of Silt approved a plan to augment pond evaporation, including use of roughly 12 acre-feet of Ruedi Reservoir contract water. A Slug Test analysis of the alluvial aquifer marked the final piece of work funded through MCWC's grant, completing MCWC's role in the project.
Connection to IWMP
This project advances MCWC's Aquatic & Riparian Habitat focus area, demonstrating the technical coordination required to restore wetland habitat on land with complex, conditional water rights.
Beneficiaries
| Town of Silt | Local community members |
|---|---|
| MCWC's technical coordination gave the town a clear path to modify decrees and sustainably manage the preserve's water rights long-term. | A trail with river access, built and maintained by volunteers, keeps the preserve open to the community that helped restore it. |
Location
Silt River Preserve, Silt, Colorado (132 acres along the Colorado River)
Status
Completed (MCWC grant-funded scope, 2022 to 2024). The Town of Silt continues to manage and maintain the preserve.
Funders & Collaborators
Town of Silt
Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT)
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV)
DHM Design
Wright Water Engineers (WWE)
Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB)
Colorado River District (CRD)
