CLIMATE RESILIENCE
REGULATING RUNOFF TO REVIVE RIPARIAN HEALTH
VAIL, COLORADO, UNITED STATES
Responsible travelers prioritize experiences that contribute positively to local ecosystems. “Restore the Gore” in Vail, Colorado, aims to protect one of its critical environments that visitors also use. It is a good model of an active approach to protecting waterways that you can take home.
What's
changing
Nearly 80% of Colorado's wildlife relies on riparian habitat that is increasingly threatened by pollutants from urban runoff. The volume of pollutants is increasing, and with less vegetation on banks, plants cannot filter runoff before it reaches the river. As urban growth continues, road salt, sand, brake dust, leaked oil and other contaminants degrade these critical habitats.
What's already
possible
Vail sits on the banks of Gore Creek, a tributary of the Eagle River which eventually flows into the Colorado River. The creek has been on Colorado’s list of impaired waterways since 2012, and for more than a decade, the town and local organizations have been working to rehabilitate the river through the “Restore the Gore” initiative.
Seizing
the opportunity
Efforts to restore the Gore take many forms. The organization places emphasis on restoring native vegetation along the banks to replenish the plants that have succumbed to pollution. Curtailing polluted water from entering via storm drains plays a role in maintaining the health of restored plants. The organization also works to advocate for better landscaping practices to prevent hazardous fertilizers and pesticides from entering the creek. With 60% of the Gore Creek watershed being privately owned, “Project ReWild” was launched to help owners restore their properties through a public-private cost-sharing program.
Standout
tactic
Vail has 1,100 stormwater inlets that flow into Gore Creek through about 550 outlets. To combat pollution, the city worked with Frog Creek Partners to install more than 278 Gutter Bins at key locations. The bins filter and capture pollutants like cigarette butts, tire threads, microplastics and road sediment, which often contains heavy metals and hydrocarbons. On average, each bin traps 40 pounds of pollution annually.
How
it helps
Since 2016, “Restore the Gore” projects have planted 25,000 native trees and shrubs along the creek. Invertebrate numbers, an indicator of river health, have been gradually increasing. Research conducted through the project has been able to determine the massive negative effect pesticides and fertilizers have on riparian environments.
Diving
deeper
Could the emphasis on individual actions, like improving landscaping practices and installing pollution filters, distract from the need for more comprehensive regulatory measures to address the causes of pollution in riparian habitats?
Increasing
impact
Frog Creek Partners provides avenues for anyone to donate its Gutter Bins to cities, towns or businesses. If tools like this were used on a large scale to prevent pollutants from leaving urban roads and flowing into streams in more places, ecosystems extending downstream would also benefit.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
