Background
In April 2021, a tanker truck rolled on U.S. 36 near Lyons, Colorado spilling about 2,000 gallons of petroleum product into the North St. Vrain Creek. The release killed more than 800 fish and damaged habitat within a five mile stretch of the river.
Settlement
In February 2023, the Colorado Natural Resource Trustees reached a settlement with the trucking company’s insurer for $245,000, which will be used to help restore the injured river and habitat.
Restoration
In November, 2024, the Trustees approved $250,000 towards the Lefthand Watershed Center restoration project to restore aquatic and riparian habitat on the North St. Vrain River. The project is designed to restore and enhance wetland, riparian, and aquatic habitat for fish and wildlife impacted by the 2021 tanker rollover. Efforts will focus on floodplain features such as side channels, backwater, and wetlands because they are critical reproductive habitat and refuge for fish as well as migratory birds, amphibians, and other terrestrial wildlife. The project is also designed to improve climate resilience by increasing ecological and geomorphic complexity in an unconfined, depositional river reach.
Contact
Jennifer Talbert
Remediation Program Manager
jennifer.talbert@state.co.us
720-766-6083