Black Gore Creek along I-70 between Vail Pass summit and East Vail exit.
Traction sand from I-70 clogs stream, which...
- degrades habitat,
- threatens wetlands, and
- reduces water supply capacity to Town of Vail
To date, we have...
- Colorado Department of Health and Environment
- Colorado Department of Transportation
- Eagle County
- Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
- RiverRestoration.org
- Town of Vail
- US Forest Service
- Vail Daily
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Black Gore Creek originates in the White River National Forest’s Gore Range on the West Slope of Vail Pass and flows northwest to its confluence with Gore Creek, which is a major tributary of the Eagle River. Interstate 70 closely parallels about 10 miles of Black Gore Creek from its headwaters at Vail Pass to the confluence of Gore Creek near the east end of the Town of Vail. The reach of Gore Creek from Vail downstream to the Eagle River has been designated by the Colorado Division of Wildlife as a Gold Medal Trout Fishery and provides an important recreational and scenic amenity to residents of, and visitors to Vail and Eagle County.
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Traction sand and antifreeze are spread onto I-70 during the freezing winter months to decrease traffic accidents. Unfortunately, for the last 30 years, used winter traction sand migrates down to the creek bed from I-70. This creates extensive sediment loading into the Black Gore Creek. Other sources of sediment accumulation are natural erosion and debris from exploded culverts, however traction sand is the most significant contributor.
Sediments, which are fine pieces of organic or inorganic material, degrade the health of the river by filling in spaces between rocks and other naturally occuring debris in the river. These spaces are the essential habitat of high-mountain bugs and fish. When their rock shelters are filled with sediment, these organisms cannot survive. The sediment also impacts wetlands and reduces overall water quality by disturbing fragile ecosystems.
In addition, the accumulation of sediment in Black Lakes, near Vail Pass, has encroached upon the storage capacity of water supply reservoirs that serve the Town of Vail and are used to maintain in-stream flows. Over time, these impacts could become more severe in Black Gore Creek and in Gore Creek downstream to the Eagle River.
Several photos of the sand deposits are shown below:
The Photo to the right [1] was taken in 2007 down at the creek west of mile marker 187.5. River Restoration.org constructed a sand trap in the Fall of 2006 that was already filled by the summer of 2007. The source of the sediment is a culvert originating on I-70.
The photo below [2] was taken in 2008 just off the bike path between mile marker 187.5 and 188. Trees have fallen into the eroded gully.
Photo [3], also taken in 2008, shows a gully formed by the failure of a culvert pipe along the interstate fill slope between mile markers 187.5 and 188. |
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Interestingly, CDOT had created a catch basin in the 70’s to capture sediment released during the construction of I-70. However, little maintenance money was available to do much regarding traction sand and sediment accumulation, and by 2000, the pond was completely filled as seen in the image below.
Photos below from CDOT Archives of Original Catchment Basin
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Site preparation began in the latter half of September with the construction of an access road, a diversion dam, and piping around the location of the new catch basin. Construction continued through most of October, 2008, along the Black Gore between mile markers 183 and 182.5. Two of the final efforts involved transplanting willows from the islands in the picture below and relocating about 50 fish.
These volunteers are having fun transplanting willows with Brian Healey (center, right photo) supervising
The re-creation of the catchment basin has been a great success characterized by the cooperation and willingness of Federal, state, and local entities working together toward the completion of a common goal. While the catchment basin is an acheivement to be proud of, other work remains. We have a renewed way to catch traction sand before it enters Gore Creek, but we need now to address some root cause issues…a number of broken culverts are causing erosion on the I-70 embankments…not only are the embankments in jeopardy, but the fill is washing down to the creek. If the bank erosion is controlled, upper reaches of Black Gore Creek will be protected from sediment fill, and the catchment basin will last much longer than its projected 3-5 year lifespan.
Gore Creek's Health: Measurement & Tracking
The Project in Pictures
The Basin: Before & After
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Beaver Dam Study
One measure of the impact of the traction sand into the Black Gore is to find and catalogue the condition of the beaver dams. Beaver are active in areas of healthy aspen and willow growth, but are not tolerant of ponds that are continually compromised by the quick accumulation of sediment. The creatures demand relatively deep ponds behind their dams for winter survival. They do not hibernate, but instead, create food caches of willow and plant shoots in their ponds and swim out to retrieve this sustenance during the winter months.
Therefore, the beaver dam study was begun in ERWC Beaver Dams Presentation 2006 (left click to open PDF presentation) and the fourth survey was completed last August, 2009. Surprisingly, 62 active beaver dams were found in 2006 from the Black Gore Lakes to the confluence of the Black Gore with the Gore, while the number was up to over 75 (see ERWC Beaver Dams Presentation 2007.) The number was up to 78 in 2008 (ERWC Beaver Dams Presentation 2008). The 2009 data is available as a PowerPoint presentation. With the creation of the new sediment catch basin (see below) three dams were destroyed and serveral others were abandoned, but the survey also found a number of new beaver dams upstream from the basin.
The Number of Beaver Dams Along Black Gore Creek Increased since 2006
An inventory of the erosion and sediment sites was a new database that was begun in 2008. To open this PowerPoint presentation, left click this link: BGC Erosion and Sediment Issues 2008.
A portion of the increased beaver activity is no doubt due to an expanding population, but nonetheless before the study was initiated the opinion had been that few dams would be found. Finding 20 active dams in 2006 was quite a positive surprise. It was also during 2006, CDOT began to make serious efforts in retrieving spent traction sand.
Total Maximum Daily Load -- Sediment TMDL
Since 2005, ERWC has enlisted RiverRestoration.org to survey Black Gore Creek and determine the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) with respect to sediment washing down the Black Gore and potentially into Gore Creek. This work has been spearheaded by Jason Carey and Crystal Young. For example, Photo [3] above shows the failure of a culvert on the I-70 eastbound fill slope and the consequent erosion caused by this failure. The eroded material ends up in the Black Gore. RiverRestoration.org prepared a field guide in 2005 and conducted a survey the same year (BGC TMDL Report 2005). Surveys have been conducted and documented every year since: 2006 (BGC TMDL Report 2006), 2007(BGC TMDL Report 2007), and 2008 (BGC TMDL Report 2008). Later this summer, the 2009 survey will be executed. The information generated has allowed us to quantify the sediment washing down the creek and also has allowed us to conduct meaningful discussions with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) with respect to sediment control.
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Before
After
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The Black Gore Creek Steering Committee was formed to allow concerned stakeholders to meet and discuss the issues of safe I-70 operation and sediment issues. A number of local, state, and federal entities are members of this Committee:
- Colorado Department of Transportation
- Eagle County
- Eagle River Water & Sanitation District
- Eagle River Watershed Council
- River Restoration.org
- Town of Vail
- US Forest Service
- Vail Daily
Since the late 90s, the Steering Committee has met numerous times and Jason Carey, principal of River Restoration.org, advanced the idea of dredging the silted-in pond as a sediment catch basin. This concept was encouraged by Steering Committee advocates, fleshed out and taken to the Highway Commission in the Spring of 2007. CDOT Resident Engineer Peter Kozinski, to the delight of all, was intrumental in obtaining a nearly $1million grant to execute the project. The Eagle River Watershed Council works as a facilitator to organize Black Gore Creek Steering Committee meetings.
A number of individuals and entities have played an active role in the basin development. For example, Brian Healy of the US Forest Service spearheaded the efforts to execute the various environmental requirements, while Andrea Holland-Sears, a Hydrologist with White River National Forest secured other environmental permits. The Town of Vail worked with CDOT to provide a location for the sand that was removed. This turned out to be a win-win proposition; CDOT had only to move the sand a short distance to the north side of I-70 in East Vail, to augment existing sound barriers. After the final environmental issues were addressed work began in September.
Although sand migration from the interstate to the creek remains a problem, it should be pointed out that CDOT has been sensitive to the sediment increases. They measure both the amount of traction sand distributed on the pass and the amount picked up after the weather warms. The intent is to collect at least the previous winter’s deposition and hopefully more. They also purchased a “sucker truck,” which is capable of vacuuming the sand from the coffers along the interstate. Perhaps most importantly, CDOT became a willing member of The Black Gore Steering Committee
CDOT managed the project; key individuals are listed below:
| Peter Kozinski |
CDOT I-70 Mountain Corridor Management Team
Sought & received funding for the project
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| Barry Blakeley |
CDOT, Design Engineer and the Project Engineer for construction
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| Paula Durkin |
CDOT Region 3 Planning and Environmental Design Phase
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| Stuart Gardner |
CDOT Hydraulics Engineer
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| Peter Lombardi |
CDOT Project Engineer, Construction oversight
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| Martha Miller |
Resident Engineer for the Eagle engineering residency
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| Gary Spinuzzi |
CDOT Region 3 Planning and Environmental Design phase
Some environmental permits
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| Jason Smith |
CDOT Materials Engineer
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| Mark Vessely |
CDOT Geotechnical Engineer
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America West was subcontracted by CDOT. Shown in the photo below is (left to right): Gary Boyd (RockSol--Project Consultant and former CDOT employee who participated in the initial basin creation at the time of I-70 construction), Robert Kieser (Way Sign and Safety--flagger), Randy Crawford (Way Sign and Safety--Supervisor), Troy Hervey (American West--Foreman).
Thank You CDOT and ALL PARTNERS!!!
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