Little Snake River Restoration on Three Forks Ranch

The Three Forks Ranch in Routt County, Colorado was purchased by David Pratt in 1999. Dave Rosgen of Wildland Hydrology was later hired to improve the hydrology and habitat conditions of a 10.5-mile stretch of the Little Snake River flowing across the property. The largest privately funded river restoration ever undertaken in the U.S., the project included interventions to improve channel dynamics and water quality; streambank stabilization measures; and a host of habitat enhancement actions. Five years of post-project monitoring have shown that, despite higher-than-usual flows in 2005, the river is functioning as expected, and the fishery is benefiting from more dynamic habitat conditions.