Work to reclaim the century-old Pikeview quarry northwest of Colorado Springs is nearing completion
Remediation work at the Pikeview Quarry northwest of Colorado Springs is nearing completion. The huge terraces of red sand look very different than they did over 100 years ago, when limestone was mined there to help build the city.
Jerry Schnabel, who manages the quarry, said that’s because they rolled out straw-colored, wood-based mats to hold the many pounds of freshly planted seeds and tens of thousands of small trees and shrubs in place.
“It’s really just a temporary erosion mat that will be green next year,” he said. “Then in the third year it starts to decompose and you see a grassy slope that looks as natural as possible.”
He said most of the work to prevent landslides and secure the steep slope has been completed – and the company monitors it hourly, even after heavy rains.
Shanna Lewis/KRCC News
“After seven inches, there was no movement, no deposition, no sign of change,” he said. “We’ve had a number of smaller rains this year … if something changed up here, we would know.”
Schnabel said they are completing some drainage work, including moving rock they have been storing for five years to areas that will direct water that runs off the quarry into retention ponds and building a pipe system that will filter out debris before it enters the city’s stormwater system. He expects the work to be completed by mid-September.
Shanna Lewis/KRCC News
“Then we just water the grass and wait for it to grow,” he said. “And then we monitor the slope and the vegetation for a year.”
Later next year, they plan to begin the process with the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety to announce the permits and bond requirements.
“Mining without recultivation is simply wrong,” said Schnabel. “Here you can see an example: This mine was opened 120 years ago and is now finally being recultivated. In the future, these two things should go hand in hand. Mine a little, then recultivate. Mine a little (and then recultivate). So that the visible scar does not remain as large as this one.”
Once the state approves the redevelopment work, the city will likely have the opportunity to add the park to its park portfolio and possibly convert it into a mountain biking area.
