Castle Rock begins pond and stream restoration near Paintbrush Park

Castle Rock Water began a $3.35 million restoration near Paintbrush Park on May 13, closing the historic pond and stream corridor along the 6400 East Tributary for a project expected to run through June 2027.

The work is aimed at a structure that first went up in 1960 for agricultural use and is now out of compliance with the State Engineers Office, according to the town. Colorado Division of Water Resources records describe it as an earth dam completed in 1960 with recreation and fish-and-wildlife purposes, measuring 285 feet long and 20 feet high.

Castle Rock is treating the project as more than a pond repair. Town officials say the rebuilt site must satisfy current safety and water-rights requirements while still remaining a neighborhood amenity, and they say the pond can also serve as a firefighting water source. The town says the community overwhelmingly supported keeping the pond during public input in 2022, which shifted the plan away from removal and toward reconstruction.

For nearby homes and park users, the immediate change is access. The pond, stream and nearby trails will be fenced off and closed to the public, although the town says no road closures are planned. Residents may still see construction traffic and temporary trail impacts around Paintbrush Park, which sits in The Meadows off Meadows Boulevard next to The Grange and includes baseball and softball fields, multipurpose fields, a paved bike path, horseshoes, a pavilion, a playground, sand volleyball courts and restrooms.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is scheduled to relocate fish and aquatic wildlife May 13 and 14 using traps, a boat and mild electrofishing before contractors temporarily drain the pond and redirect streamflow. The town also acknowledged that some wildlife loss can occur during work of this scale, a reminder that the project carries ecological costs even as it aims to improve habitat.

The construction is split into two phases. Phase one covers dam reconstruction and pond improvements, while phase two focuses on downstream drainageway rehabilitation and improvement. J-U-B Engineers designed the project, and 53 Corporation won the construction contract. The town says special riprap and riffle-pool structures are being designed to blend into the landscape, and a large cottonwood tree along the bank will be repurposed as embankment reinforcement.

When the fencing comes down, success will be measured in practical terms: a dam that meets state standards, a stream corridor with less erosion, drainage that works better during storms and a restored neighborhood space that still supports fishing, trails and habitat in one of Castle Rock’s most established areas.