Big Dry Creek Stream Bank Restoration

Big Dry Creek Streambank Restoration Project

What’s Happening Now

The City of Westminster is teaming up with the Mile High Flood District to improve Big Dry Creek’s water quality and flood management capabilities through City Park. The project is currently reshaping the area south of the Sheridan Green neighborhood for two new water quality ponds. Crews will also remove the existing concrete channel and vault to install a new outfall pipe to the creek. This work is expected to last through fall 2024.  

Once this work is complete, we will remove the retention pond just upstream near the Westin Hotel. This will help us realign Big Dry Creek to its native path. When complete, a new 10-foot-wide concrete trail with a 4-foot soft path side will be installed through this area.  

Crews are also building two new water crossings along Big Dry Creek and realigning streambanks in this area. For your safety, Big Dry Creek Trail is detoured between the Armed Forces Tribute Garden and the Westin Hotel through the summer of 2025.  

What to Expect

• Crews will work Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• Saturday work will only occur as needed. 
• No work will be performed on Sundays or major holidays. 
• Crews and heavy equipment will be in the streambed, pond and project vicinity. The stream will be rerouted during construction. 
• Construction equipment, including trucks and trailers, may be parked on surrounding streets within the City Park area and not within the neighborhoods. Construction access points will be off Sheridan at 107th Ave. and off 104th Ave. near the Tribute Garden parking lot. 
• Trail closures will be necessary throughout the project. Detours and maps will be posted when applicable. 
• Traffic control signs and detour routes will be posted as needed for the safety of drivers, pedestrians, and trail users.  
• Following construction, the area will be seeded with native grass seed. Once complete, it will take a few years for weed control, growth of native plantings, and revegetation.  

The Big Dry Creek Project Team appreciates your patience during construction and understands these detours are an inconvenience. We are working as quickly as possible to restore and rebuild Big Dry Creek and many of the beautiful trail, picnic, and pollinator improvements this project is adding to the area.  

About The Project

The City of Westminster teamed up with the Mile High Flood District to make Big Dry Creek more resilient to intense storm runoff events. Together, we are repairing and stabilizing streambanks from 112th Avenue to Wadsworth Boulevard.

This project will address Big Dry Creek’s stream instability, flood management, and maintenance needs. Years of urban runoff have led to steep, unsafe streambanks and erosion encroaching on trails and water infrastructure. Mitigating the unsafe streambanks and improving the floodplain's resiliency will allow our community to continue safely enjoying activities along Big Dry Creek for years to come.

Typical project work includes:

• Local channel grading, stabilization, and replanting
• Vegetation management
• Trash and debris cleanup
• Weed and noxious vegetation control
• Tree thinning
• Sediment removal
• Revegetation
• Reconstructing or replacing grade control structures, box culverts and retaining walls

Once this work is complete, we will have installed a new 10-foot-wide concrete trail with a 4-foot-wide soft path on the side and five new water-quality ponds.   

For more information about City Park Pond, please visit the project webpage. 

Tree Removal and Planting

This project aims to build and support a healthy and thriving habitat for our native plants and animals. The first step is to remove the noxious and invasive tree species. Alive and dead trees will strategically remain for future habitat restoration and nesting. This project will plant and establish 425 trees, hundreds of willow whips, and thousands of native shrubs and plugs, build a wetland area, establish pollinator corridors, and install educational facilities. We ask for your patience as we work through these improvements to create these amenities for our citizens and wildlife. 

Project Phases

Big Dry Creek - City Park Segment Plan Map

City Park (Under construction)

This project will improve sections of Big Dry Creek between W. 104th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard near City Park and Highlands Creek near W. 104th Avenue. Reconnecting the natural floodplain along the Big Dry and Highlands creeks will result in the following benefits:

• Reduced maintenance costs
• A healthier stream
• Improved flood management
• Natural beauty
• More trees
• Nine new pedestrian bridges

Timeline: 

• City Park Construction – Winter 2024–Fall 2026
• City Park Vegetation Establishment and Growth – Summer 2026-2031

Wadsworth Boulevard to Westcliff Parkway (Substantially complete)

• Phase 1:

  • Wadsworth Boulevard to Westcliff Parkway Construction – Fall 2022-Spring 2023 
  • Wadsworth Boulevard to Westcliff Parkway Vegetation Establishment and Growth – Summer 2023-2026 
• Phase 2:
  • Wadsworth Boulevard to Westcliff Parkway Construction – Fall 2023 - Spring 2024
  • Wadsworth Boulevard to Westcliff Parkway Vegetation Establishment and Growth – 2025-2030
     

Before construction	After construction	Revegetation

Click here to view more project photos

Sheridan Boulevard to 112th Avenue (In design)

The Big Dry Creek will be reconstructed between Sheridan Boulevard and 112th Avenue. The project will include trail extensions and realignments to improve flow and trail access.

Timeline: To be determined. 

Detours: Trail detours will be noted once a construction plan is set.