Biohabitats is completing a 15-month long collaborative conservation effort for High Line Canal Conservancy with 15 jurisdictional Canal Collaborative partners—including Denver Water, and Mile High Flood District—to find common goals and stewardship practices to develop a Natural Resources Management Plan for 860 acres and 71 miles of the High Line Canal corridor. The Plan protects the corridor by prioritizing strategies for habitat enhancements, integrating nature-based solutions for stormwater management, and coordinated maintenance to improve resilience, safety, and biodiversity. The Plan built on Biohabitats’ prior experience assisting the Conservancy and its partners develop an approach for transforming the Canal from its historical use as an irrigation conveyance to a model of smart stormwater planning and urban green infrastructure.
Development of the NRMP relied on ongoing inputs from jurisdictions throughout the process. Biohabitats clarified partner goals and strategies through iterative workshops that resulted in a framework for maintenance and restoration priorities. Unanimous goals among managers were community-focused, so recommendations included guidelines for communication, outreach, and operations. Other management goals varied based on location in the corridor, so the Plan addressed five segments of the Canal individually according to their unique conditions. The NRMP unifies the numerous jurisdictions around the Canal by integrating their expertise and providing a common reference to guide the next chapter of Canal management.
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