Road Access Update For Colorado’s Blue River

Road Access Update For Colorado’s Blue River

One of the few public access points for fishing and floating on the Blue River–north of Green Mountain Reservoir near Heeney, Colorado–has been closed since mid-April 2025 due to unstable slope conditions, according to the Department of the Interior. The affected slope sits beside County Road 1812 near the Green Mountain Dam spillway.

Anna Perea, Public Affairs Specialist with the Bureau of Reclamation’s Eastern Colorado Area Office, explained:

“The Heeney area is underlain by shale that can be unstable, and when sloping, has the potential to ‘creep’ downward. County Road 1812, which provides access to the power plant and the river below the dam, was originally cut into the steep valley wall. Excess draining or ponding of water and physical changes to the hillside (such as road cuts) are activities that can cause ‘creep’ to occur more quickly.

Geologists and engineers determined that the slide area above the road is unstable. April’s landslides left the scarp undercut, with runoff now seeping from the slope’s midpoint. Additional rain could trigger further movement.

Reclamation is developing short-term and long-term alternatives to stabilize the slope and reopen the road. Short term mitigation is needed to ensure the safety of the power plant staff; a long-term solution is needed due to the high risk of future slides along the road.”

While the Bureau is considering “short-term” solutions, none have been finalized.

When asked for a timeline on June 27, Flylab was told, “They will know more in the next couple of weeks.”

Perea also confirmed the recent Bureau of Land Management land exchange with Blue Valley Ranch is “completely unrelated to the road access issue.” (BLM announcement).

The full 20-page geology report is available by clicking here.

Public comments can be directed to Anna Perea at aperea@usbr.gov.