Eagle River: Squaw Creek to Hollingsworth Ditch

Current and Historical Drivers of Degradation

This section of the Eagle River is impacted by transportation corridors including Hwy 6 and the UPRR railroad tracks. This infrastructure bisects and fragments pocket floodplains and the water-quality buffering riparian corridor. Legacy floodplain modification (e.g., filling and grading) is apparent in unconfined areas around Wolcott.

Flows are altered on this reach by upstream water use and management. The frequency of years achieving bed sediment mobilization near Red Mountain Ranch declined more than 70%. Total annual flow volumes in dry years declined 23% from natural historic conditions. The frequency of peak flows equivalent to the natural 1-in-4 year flood declined more than 35%. Annual 3-day peak flow magnitudes declined 19%.

Nutrients are an emerging water quality concern. Ambient nutrient concentrations do not exceed regulatory standards for water quality but regularly exceed 50% of the standard value.

Report Card