SER and SER-RM sponsor events throughout the year, including scientific meetings, field trips, pub talks, and informal gatherings to connect and network. Follow the link below for regional events and the SER.org website for other news, webinars, and events.
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Mile High Flood District Stream Improvements Field Tour
August 27 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Join us on Thursday August 27, from 3:00-5:00pm for a special tour of two Mile High Flood District stream improvement projects within the Denver Metro Area, followed by a happy hour sponsored by the Society for Ecological Restoration at the Green Valley Beer Garden. The site tours will run approximately 2 hours, followed by the happy hour with complementary appetizers and table fare. We will be joined by two special guests from MHFD, David Skoudas the Education and Outreach Director, and KristiLee Halpin, an Environmental Specialist.
Registration is required and limited to 35 people. Click on the link below to register for this event!
The schedule of events begins with a tour of the improvements recently completed in spring 2025 as part of Phase 2 of the Uvalda Tributary to Irondale Drainageway Improvement Project. We will meet at the Uvalda Trailhead on the north side of the intersection of 56th Avenue and Uvalda Street in Denver. There is some trailhead parking, and additional parking in the neighborhood south of 56th Avenue.
Following the Uvalda site, we will convene at First Creek Park at 18874 Elmendorf Dr, Denver, CO 80249, for a tour of the First Creek Park Project which transitioned into long term maintenance in 2023. There should be ample street parking nearby.
Uvalda Tributary to Irondale Drainageway Improvements Phase 2 (Project Center Point: 39.796890, -104.835554)
- Drainage improvements designed to increase channel capacity and reduce flood risk within a residential neighborhood.
- Replacement of a concrete-lined channel with a natural channel-bottom system, incorporating enhancements that improve community value and ecological function.
- Successful design and construction within a constrained urban corridor, requiring coordination with numerous existing utilities and site constraints.
- Improved connectivity to the adjacent greenway and trail system.
- Increased green space and enhanced aesthetics within the surrounding residential neighborhood.
- Construction was completed in Spring 2025, and the site is currently undergoing vegetation establishment and monitoring.
First Creek Park (Project Center Point: 39.794544, -104.768531)
- Improvements to increase channel capacity
- Enhanced community value by establishment of First Creek Park with dedicated nature play features, including low water crossing to access the creek
- Construction was completed in 2019, and the site was transitioned to long-term maintenance in 2023.
The mission of the Mile High Flood District is to protect people, property, and our environment through preservation, mitigation, and education. MHFD proactively protects the Denver Metro Area from flooding repercussions through applying innovative solutions that address stormwater and watershed holistically.
KristiLee Halpin
KristiLee Halpin is an Environmental Specialist at the Mile High Flood District, specializing in wetland and riparian ecosystems within the Denver Metropolitan area. She brings extensive experience in stream restoration, spanning ecological design, environmental permitting, and vegetation establishment, with a focus on achieving high-functioning, low-maintenance systems with long-term resilience. KristiLee combines technical expertise with applied problem-solving and collaboration to advance sustainable, adaptive approaches to watershed and stormwater management.
David Skuodas
David Skuodas is the Education and Outreach Director at the Mile High Flood District, where he focuses on industry education, advocating for smart policy and infrastructure funding, and effective community engagement. Prior to this role, Dave worked for 25 years on both the private and public sides to deliver capital construction projects along Denver’s urban waterways. He’s a civil engineer by training and is the author of a book called The Effective Client: Why Being a Good Client is Smart Business in the AEC Industry.
CEC hours: 2 hours total of instruction from MHFD staff.