The Upper San Juan Watershed Enhancement Partnership (WEP) is pleased to announce that mobilization and staging for the Pagosa Gateway River Project will begin Sept. 3, with construction underway by mid-September.
Major in-river work is expected to be completed by the end of the year, followed by planting of large container riparian plants in the spring of 2026.
Spanning approximately 2 miles of the San Juan River, beginning where the Town of Pagosa Springs’ future river recreation park will be located at 1040 E. U.S. 160 (at the junction of highways 160 and 84) and extending 2 miles upstream, this project is designed to restore river health, enhance aquatic and riparian habitat, improve recreational safety, and strengthen the river’s resilience in the face of drought and low-flow conditions.
This work directly complements the Town of Pagosa Springs’ planned river recreation park, which is slated for public river access in spring 2026.
The two projects work hand-in-hand. The recreation park will provide enhanced public access and amenities, and the Pagosa Gateway River Project provides a safer and more enjoyable recreation experience while improving the upstream river corridor, ensuring habitat and resilience enhancements.
The Upper San Juan River is central to our community’s way of life. It supports fish and wildlife, provides opportunities for recreation, and fuels our tourism-based economy.
In recent years, the river has faced challenges from reduced summer flows and rising water temperatures, which can stress fish populations and diminish recreational opportunities. This river reach has limited habitat diversity, unstable and eroding banks, debris from past flood events, and impaired riparian areas.
The Pagosa Gateway River Project addresses these challenges by:
• Reestablishing riparian vegetation to provide habitat, as well as shade and cool the river.
• Improving fish habitat and low-water connectivity.
• Stabilizing eroding banks with native plants to reduce sedimentation input.
• Providing safer conditions for recreational users.
• Supporting long-term river health and resilience.
The project is led by WEP in partnership with 18 private landowners and with design-build oversight by FlyWater Inc.
Funding support comes from the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Water Plan Grant Program, the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Grant Program and local partners, including the Town of Pagosa Springs, Pagosa Springs Area Tourism Board, Southwestern Water Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, San Juan Water Conservancy District, Trout Unlimited and Friends of the Upper San Juan River.
The WEP is a Pagosa Springs-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to collaborate on and implement projects that benefit watershed function and health, river-related recreation, and irrigated agriculture in the Upper San Juan River Basin. The work we do is vital not only for the river’s ecological health, but also for sustaining the community’s economy and quality of life.
For project updates, details, maps and answers to common questions related to the construction, please visit uppersanjuanwep.com and mypagosa.org.
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