Pueblo and Trout Unlimited are preparing an application to Colorado Parks and Wildlife for a Fishing is Fun grant to do further work on the Arkansas River through Pueblo.

    “What’s driving it is the higher quality fishing on that reach of river,” said Scott Hobson, assistant city manager for community investment. “We are seeing more fly fishermen in the winter months when streams in other parts of the state are inaccessible.”

    The city wants to add boulder clusters in the Arkansas River from the Juniper Bridge just below Pueblo Dam to Dutch Clark stadium. Agreements reached among water users in 2004 provided greater assurance of flows in winter months by curtailing exchanges when river levels are low.

    A new project, which could cost up to $300,000, would make improvements to the banks, add J-hook jetties and revegetate some areas. Improvements on the previous work and other features would be added.

     The features allow fish to survive and feed during a variety of conditions along the river.

     “The state grant would be $200,000, but we’re still deciding on whether to break up the project in a couple of parts,” Hobson said.

    The rest of the money would come from fines collected by the state and a small amount from Trout Unlimited.

   The grant is expected to be submitted in March.

    The first part of the restoration of the river was done in 2005-06 as part of the Arkansas River Legacy Project, a long-term effort to improve the river.