THE PLEASANT VALLEY PROJECT

​Pleasant Valley Project

This year the Yampa Valley Stream Improvement Charitable Trust completed the Pleasant Valley/Hubbard Cabin Project on property owned and managed by BLM on the Yampa River. The Project enhanced a very unique section of the River between Sarvis Creek and Lake Catamount, a section of river that naturally supports the Harrison Hofer Rainbow trout population. Seven years of planning, design and implementation has finally been completed.  The time spent working with our partners, including the FlyWater/Stillwater Team, BLM, CPW, Yampa River Fund/TNC, Healthy Rivers Fund, Colorado Water Plan, Fishing is Fun and the Yampa Valley Community Foundation has been well worth it and will benefit the community for years to come.

The property was acquired by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from Western Rivers Conservancy. The location required coordination and cooperation from local, Federal, and State agencies.  A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BLM and YVSICT was executed in 2019.  Input from BLM, CPW, Routt County and FlyWater were taken into consideration in fashioning and coordination of the Project. It was supported by the entire community and is accessible for use by the general public for recreation and enjoyment. The design takes into consideration a 100-year flood plan so as to stabilize the affected area for generations to come. The benefit to the environment, watershed, and fishery is its intended purpose.

The YVSICT utilized grants to help fund this project from Fishing is Fun ($70,000), Colorado Healthy Rivers ($20,000), Colorado Water Plan Environmental Fund ($117,990) and the Yampa River Fund/Nature Conservancy ($34,560) totaling over $242,500. We greatly appreciate the support from these organizations and the community in helping us complete this project. 

The YVSICT and YVFF have performed numerous habitat improvement projects since 1985 including participating with the City of Steamboat Springs in creation of handicap access to the river, stocking of the Yampa River for senior citizens, construction of informational signage, and improvement structures not only to the Yampa but to its tributaries King Solomon Creek, Elk River, Burgess Creek, and Sarvis Creek. In the course of those various projects, the YVSICT, in conjunction with the YVFF, have worked not only with the City of Steamboat Springs, DOW/CPW, and Routt County, but also with local contributors including the Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce, Steamboat  Ski & Resort Association, U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, each of the local fly shops, local restaurants/merchants, schools, and citizens. At several of the projects, turnouts were in excess of 100 persons (many school children) for plantings and river rehabilitation work. Incorporated is a copy of the History and Achievements of the YVSICT.