We are excited to announce that construction is underway to close the largest trail gap on the High Line Canal trail! The Canal had an approximate three-mile gap from Colfax Ave. in Aurora, north to Denver’s Green Valley Ranch neighborhood. While trail users could walk along the old ditch rider's road, a two track [...]
Happy World Water Day! Today is the 30th annual World Water Day, a day of observance organized by the United Nations to promote awareness and inspire action for the world to unite around water. As water becomes increasingly scarce in the region, the Conservancy and our partners are working to steward the Canal through its transition [...]
On Feb. 23, 2023, over 50 regional partners from the Canal Collaborative, a regional public-private partnership, gathered for the Second Annual State of the Canal. Together, this Collaborative is leading the implementation of over $130M in trail improvements along the High Line Canal over the next 15 years, including: Improved access and safety Enhanced environmental [...]
Now 140 years old, the 71-mile-long High Line Canal (Canal) is outliving its historic function as an irrigation utility and has taken on new life as a stormwater management system, urban ecological corridor, and regional recreational trail. The Conservancy is partnering with Denver Botanic Gardens (the Gardens) to gain insight into the corridor’s ecology and [...]
What are habitat trees? Also called snags, habitat trees are dead or dying trees that are left on the Canal to support the wildlife that live along the corridor. As they decompose, habitat trees act as nurseries and foraging grounds for a variety of insects, birds, and small mammals. How do animals use habitat trees? [...]
Upcoming trail improvements are planned for to the High Line Canal trail between Parker Rd. and Havana St. The project intends to upgrade the existing 9-foot asphalt trail to a 10-foot concrete trail with an adjacent 6-foot crusher fines trail and meet ADA standards. The project is a partnership between Denver Parks & Recreation and [...]
The Conservancy is excited to partner with the Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) to perform nine weeks of Russian olive removal along the Canal corridor this spring and summer. This project will greatly advance the Conservancy’s work to protect and restore the Canal’s canopy as Russian olive is an invasive species that competes with trees [...]
The Stormwater Transformation and Enhancement Program (STEP) is bringing new life and renewed utility to the High Line Canal. Through the leadership of STEP, parts of the Canal are being transformed into a green infrastructure system to provide stormwater quality management. And we are getting noticed! STEP inspired the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to select the [...]
Canal trail users may have noticed brush removal projects along the Canal this year. Brush removal projects help keep water flowing in the Canal, whether irrigation water or stormwater, and mitigate the risk of wildfires. The Conservancy is thrilled to partner with South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) on these brush removal projects. This blog [...]
Welcome back, everyone! This is the second and final part of our blog series on the U.S. EPA’s Augmented Alternatives Analysis process and the High Line Canal’s role as a case study for it. As a quick recap, in the last blog post, we introduced the AAA process and the four goals that drive [...]
