Eagle River Coalition: Mesic meadows are nature’s sponges and a key to a resilient landscape
The Current
Tucked between sweeping sagebrush landscapes lie small, critical pockets of green mesic wet meadows. These habitats occupy only a sliver of the ecosystem, but are vital lifelines for the land and wildlife.
Mesic meadows are often overlooked, especially when the background consists of Colorado’s Alpine vistas, but these seasonally wet areas serve as nature’s sponges throughout habitats dominated by sagebrush. By holding water in the soil and slowly releasing it throughout the growing season, they help sustain the land long after the snow has melted and runoff has subsided.
They are essential habitat for a wide range of species, including the iconic greater sage-grouse, migratory birds, big game and domestic livestock. The lush plant life and consistent water supply found in these meadows provide critical forage, nesting grounds and refuge during dry periods. In a region increasingly affected by drought, wildfires and climate uncertainty, these wet meadow systems are more important than ever.
These unique systems are part of the mid-elevation sagebrush ecosystem — a landscape rich in biodiversity but vulnerable to degradation. Unfortunately, many mesic and riparian areas have suffered from decades of land use practices that have left them scarred with erosion, incised gullies and dropping water tables. The result? Drying meadows, reduced wildlife habitat, and diminished forage for livestock.
Fortunately, local restoration initiatives aim to preserve these mesic meadows and riparian zones in a pocket of the greater Castle Peak area called Bohr Flats. Using innovative, low-tech methods developed by restoration experts Bill Zeedyk and Joe Wheaton, the Eagle River Coalition and the Bureau of Land Management, with help from the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, install hand-built rock and wooden structures to stabilize these critical systems.
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The structures are simple but powerful. By slowing down water flow, dispersing its energy, and capturing sediment, they promote the growth of water-loving plants and help raise the water table. Over time, the wet meadow begins to heal itself, regenerating plant cover, restoring habitat and improving soil moisture.
Unlike expensive infrastructure-heavy solutions, these “process-based” techniques work with the landscape, not against it. They harness natural hydrologic and ecological dynamics to jumpstart recovery in a sustainable and cost-effective way.
While the ecological benefits are clear, the broader impacts of this restoration effort ripple outward. By improving water retention in soil, mesic meadows help maintain streamflows and preserve water tables into the late summer months — an especially important benefit during drought years. This is a win for ranchers who rely on healthy forage for their livestock, as well as for the wildlife species that depend on moist, green spaces to survive in an otherwise arid landscape.
Improved hydrology also reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfires by keeping the land wetter, longer. This not only protects habitat but also helps buffer nearby communities from the devastating property loss and air quality issues associated with fire seasons that are becoming more intense with each passing year.
In an era marked by climate change, water scarcity and environmental stress, the restoration of mesic meadows and riparian areas in Eagle County represents a forward-thinking investment in the land’s natural resilience. These wetlands in pockets between the sagebrush may be small in size, but their impact is significant, supporting critical wildlife, reducing fire risks, and enriching our connection to the natural world.
By restoring what was once degraded, we are not only healing the land but securing a future where nature, people and wildlife thrive together. If you are interested in making a difference in our local watershed, please visit EagleRiverCO.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
