January 30, 2024
ERO’s work on the Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project (project) was in full swing this holiday season. The project team began oversight of the next phase of removing trees that were previously identified as dead or declining. In November, small forestry crews removed trees accessible from the ground, starting at the North Boat Ramp and moving down toward Catfish Flats.
In December, helicopter activities began by cutting and stockpiling trees in Fox Run and working their way south toward Kingfisher. In total, the helicopter operation was able to remove more than 500 trees during a one-week demonstration period, far exceeding expectations. Additional helicopter work is slated to begin in mid-January and will continue through February. ERO’s project team will be on-site regularly to oversee activities and assist the foresters in avoiding impacts on high-quality vegetated areas and wildlife habitat. All downed tree material will be chipped on-site this winter and spring and transported to facilities for repurposing into mulch or aggregate material, while larger root wads and trunks may be reused in the Chatfield Reservoir watershed to aid in stream stabilization and enhance aquatic habitats. Reseeding efforts will also take place in the coming spring months. If you’d like to learn more about the project, check out the project website: https://chatfieldreallocation.org/