Posted on April 5, 2022
OMAHA, Neb. —
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced on Tuesday that $350 million in funding will be allocated to Denver’s Urban Waterways project, officially referred to as the South Platte River and Tributaries Project.
The USACE Omaha District, in partnership with the city of Denver, will work together to restore the ecosystem of a 6.5-mile portion of the South Platte River which runs through Adams and Denver counties. In addition, this civil works project will provide an extra measure of flood protection for approximately 350 homes near the river, as well as help reduce flood risks along the Weir Gulch and East Harvard Gulch tributaries.
“This project presents a unique opportunity for the Omaha District Corps of Engineers to partner with an extremely dedicated sponsor to restore a highly degraded river that would provide a significant boost in nationally significant habitat and habitat connectivity, while also providing flood risk reduction to hundreds of structures within both the Harvard and Weir Gulch Communities,” Col. Mark Himes, Commander, USACE Omaha District, said.
This project is part of the USACE ‘Public Private Partnership’ pilot program as directed by the Honorable Michael L. Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
One of the primary goals is to demonstrate the viability of new delivery methods that significantly reduce the cost and time of project delivery.
“This project has been a 10-year engagement effort with the city of Denver and its partners, and we are honored to be a part of this transformative Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration & Flood Risk Management Project,” Himes said.
According to Denver city officials, this project is expected to create approximately 7,000 jobs across the metropolitan area. Funding was requested last November by Denver U.S. State Representative Diana DeGette.
USACE funding for this civil works project came from money received through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
For more information on the Omaha District’s civil works and environmental restoration and remediation projects, visit: https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/
