Aqua Canyon Gravel Quarry Restoration Project

Henry, Thomas

The Aqua Canyon gravel quarry was utilized by the park as a source of road construction materials during the period 1931 to 1943. Several acres were heavily disturbed by the removal of gravel. No attempt was made to reclaim the site, and after 40 years much of the site shows little recovery. Natural revegetation has been limited due to the lack of a soil base, slope instability, nutrient losses and the harsh altitude climate. Erosion has continued at an accelerated rate due to destruction of the normal slope contours and the lack of protective vegetation. The movement of eroded materials from the quarry site have damaged the surrounding forest. The park proposes to rehabilitate the site by reshaping slope contours and drainages restoring native vegetation, improving soil composition, removing foreign materials, dump piles and roadways, and by realigning and improving an existing trail that runs through the site.