Clean, safe tap water relies on the protection of natural areas that supply drinking water. In Colorado, all water provided to customers comes from surface sources such as streams, rivers, and reservoirs. These sources are part of larger watersheds, which begin with snowmelt and precipitation before traveling through various waterways to treatment plants.
Many of Colorado’s watersheds face increased wildfire risk due to decades of forest overgrowth. Wildfires can lead to ash and sediment overwhelming streams and reservoirs, which impacts water quality. To address this issue, partnerships have been formed with the Colorado Forest Service to carry out fire mitigation projects focused on improving forest health. Efforts include thinning areas with heavy fuel loads and creating fire breaks, particularly on the North and South Slopes of Pikes Peak near local reservoirs.
In addition to ongoing collaborations with the Colorado Forest Service, a new project was launched this year using resources left by former Pikes Peak residents: beavers. Beavers build permeable dams that slow stream flows and help create riparian corridors—natural “green breaks” that can prevent wildfires from spreading.
Remnants of beaver dams were found above the North Catamount Reservoir. Using grant funds from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, these structures were rebuilt in the fall as Simulated Beaver Structures (SBSs). The SBSs are already slowing water flow and spreading it throughout the corridor above the reservoir.
This method is known as low-tech process-based restoration and is being used in other forested regions in the West where large wildfires have occurred in recent years. The expectation is that aspen and willow trees will return to areas where SBSs were installed; these tree species are more resistant to fire than conifers and are also favored by beavers for food.
It remains uncertain whether beavers will return to the North Slope of Pikes Peak. However, integrating beaver-inspired engineering into watershed protection plans is expected to help reduce risks to both water infrastructure and quality.
“Incorporating beaver ingenuity and engineering as part of our watershed protection plan will help mitigate risks to our water infrastructure and water quality.”
