Eagleridge Creek Restoration and Highway 47 Channel Repairs

Pueblo County, Colorado

Project Details

  • Project Channel Length: 5,000 linear feet
  • Projected Project Cost: $4.4 Million
  • Completion: July 2025 
A winding river flows through a landscape of grasslands and greenery, with a small town visible in the distance under a clear blue sky.
Drone view of Eagleridge in July
Map of the Eagleridge Focus Area project area with colored zones indicating different restoration scores and areas, with a legend and coordinates.
Eagleridge focus area map.
Construction site with workers in safety gear and machinery, surrounded by trees and a river under a blue sky.
View of Eagleridge project site in June.
A river flows between two muddy banks with the sun shining in a clear blue sky.
View south overlooking Fountain Creek diversion at Eagleridge Project site.
Sign installed on the Fountain Creek Eagleridge Project in Pueblo, CO; project to be completed in Spring 2025 for $4.46 million; lists project benefits; and lists the project partners FCWD, Matrix, and HOLCIM
Project sign installed at the Fountain Creek Eagleridge Project in Pueblo, CO.
A narrow river with rocky banks, partially covered in snow, under a clear blue sky.
View north overlooking Fountain Creek diversion at Eagleridge Project site.
Three people in hard hats and high-vis vests stand on a snowy construction site.
FCWD staff during Eagleridge Project site visit in personal protective equipment.
Pipes stacked on dirt at a construction site with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.
Bollards removed from Fountain Creek which were causing substantial debris catching.
A person in safety gear observes a large, damaged pipeline on a muddy construction site under a clear blue sky.
FCWD staff member indicating abandoned waterline removed at Eagleridge Project site.
A dirt path through barren trees and snow, with orange fencing along the side.
View of Eagleridge Project site.
Three people wearing hard hats and safety vests smiling outdoors near a river.
FCWD staff near Fountain Creek diversion in personal protective equipment.
A river with surrounding snow-covered banks under a clear blue sky.
Additional view south overlooking Fountain Creek diversion at Eagleridge Project site.
A winding river flows through a landscape of grasslands and greenery, with a small town visible in the distance under a clear blue sky.
Map of the Eagleridge Focus Area project area with colored zones indicating different restoration scores and areas, with a legend and coordinates.
Construction site with workers in safety gear and machinery, surrounded by trees and a river under a blue sky.
A river flows between two muddy banks with the sun shining in a clear blue sky.
Sign installed on the Fountain Creek Eagleridge Project in Pueblo, CO; project to be completed in Spring 2025 for $4.46 million; lists project benefits; and lists the project partners FCWD, Matrix, and HOLCIM
A narrow river with rocky banks, partially covered in snow, under a clear blue sky.
Three people in hard hats and high-vis vests stand on a snowy construction site.
Pipes stacked on dirt at a construction site with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.
A person in safety gear observes a large, damaged pipeline on a muddy construction site under a clear blue sky.
A dirt path through barren trees and snow, with orange fencing along the side.
Three people wearing hard hats and safety vests smiling outdoors near a river.
A river with surrounding snow-covered banks under a clear blue sky.

 

Summary

The Eagleridge Creek Restoration and Highway 47 Channel Repairs Project restored approximately 5,000 linear feet of Fountain Creek near Eagleridge and I-25 in Pueblo County. The project was identified as a priority restoration effort following evaluations completed in 2021 and 2022, which determined that channel stabilization, floodplain reconnection, and removal of abandoned waterline infrastructure were needed to improve creek function and protect nearby infrastructure.

Construction began in Fall 2024 with Holcim as the contractor and funding provided through FCWD’s Monetary Mitigation Funds. The project included channel stabilization, repairs connecting the restoration area to the Highway 47 project, removal of an abandoned waterline and associated infrastructure, installation of two riffle structures to maintain channel grade and reduce sediment loss, and improvements to floodplain connectivity.

During construction, Fountain Creek was temporarily rerouted to allow work on different portions of the project site, including channel improvements and bank stabilization. Despite delays caused by intense summer storms, the project progressed successfully and was completed in August 2025.

Restoration efforts included planting more than 13,000 willow stakes, 125 cottonwoods, and applying hundreds of pounds of native seed to stabilize streambanks, restore riparian habitat, and support long-term ecological resilience. The completed project improves creek function, enhances floodplain connectivity, and protects critical infrastructure along the Highway 47 corridor.

The project was completed approximately $55,000 under budget, demonstrating effective planning, collaboration, and adaptive project management. Recent high-flow events have highlighted the resilience of the restored channel and the success of the restoration approach.

Why This Project ?

Located near Eagleridge and I-25 in Pueblo County, the Eagleridge Focus Area was evaluated in 2021 and 2022 and identified as a priority for restoration. Previous channel instability, limited floodplain connectivity, and abandoned waterline infrastructure reduced the creek’s ability to function naturally and increased risks to surrounding infrastructure.

The project was designed to stabilize Fountain Creek, reconnect the floodplain, and extend the benefits of the Highway 47 restoration work. These improvements reduce erosion, improve riparian habitat, increase flood resilience, and support a healthier watershed for the future.

Colorado College Eagleridge Storyboard

In the Spring of 2024, FCWD partnered with a Colorado College Landscape Processes and Evaluation class and their professor Dr. Sarah Schanz. FCWD Executive Director Alli Schuch provided an introduction to FCWD, its work, and an overview of the Fountain Creek Watershed. Students spent time in the field observing and measuring some of FCWD's projects and developed three storyboards. These storyboards provide an overview and evaluation of FCWD's work around erosion control, the erratic nature of the creek, and thoughts on future projects.  Access the CC Eagleridge Storyboard.