In the Muddy Creek watershed in Wyoming — an important tributary to the Colorado River system — youth crews installed 98 new beaver dam analogs (BDAs), repaired 40 existing structures, and constructed a large riparian exclosure to improve stream habitat this summer.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins field office led the project, in partnership with Trout Unlimited, Wyoming Conservation Corps, and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. One of the main objectives of this large-scale work is to restore wildlife habitat. 

"Muddy Creek is home to many iconic Wyoming species," said Nick Walrath, Trout Unlimited Green River senior project manager, according to a blog post by the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management.

The Wyoming Conservation Corps, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, and local volunteers from the Saratoga 4-H chapter joined...

Posted by Bureau of Land Management - Wyoming on Wednesday 3 September 2025

He continued: "These projects will benefit both the native fish and the wildlife. More water, higher in the system, will benefit the cutthroat trout, flannelmouth suckers, bluehead suckers, and roundtail chub. The increased riparian areas throughout the work areas will benefit mule deer, elk, sage grouse, and a host of waterfowl and other migrating birds."

And the list of "lucky" species likely goes on.

According to Patrick Lionberger, management and program analyst for the BLM High Desert District office, results from the restoration were quickly apparent. "You see immediate changes," he said, per the BLM post. "Water depth increases, streambanks start soaking up moisture, and we've seen cutthroat trout swimming above a BDA minutes after construction."

Before this project, the decline of beavers led to stream downcutting, erosion, and reduced riparian habitat. As efforts like these prove beneficial, they can inspire other officials and volunteers to adopt similar projects elsewhere. For example, wildlife officials built more than 150 BDAs in Bighorn National Forest, the Cowboy State Daily reported.

As the BLM post noted, BDAs ultimately lead to improved water quality and create diverse habitats for fish and wildlife. They can also have a positive impact on humans, according to the American Society for Microbiology, which states that BDAs can help reduce pathogens in water that could cause serious diarrheal disease.

Youth crews from the Wyoming Conservation Corps and the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, who were joined by local volunteers, gained hands-on experience in stream restoration, Walrath said. And their contributions did not go unnoticed.

"Good work!!" one Facebook user wrote, commenting on a picture of the working group.

Future work is expected to include spawning gravel augmentation, channel restoration, riparian plantings, and fish barrier removal.

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