No, there is not a stretch of the Blue River in Breckenridge that just disappeared this fall — though it might have looked that way. 

Some might have noticed a stretch of the Blue River from the outflow of the dredge pond near Ollie’s Pub & Grub to the bridge on Ski Hill Road appeared dry this fall while part of the river that flows into the dredge pond itself seemed fine. 

Town staff members said it’s not an unusual occurrence. 

“That is something that we’ve experienced several times, (and in) some cases, several times a year,” Breckenridge Public Work Director James Phelps said, noting it can happen in the fall and in the spring before runoff season starts.

The reason the appearance of the water inflowing to the pond differs from that outflowing to the pond is due to a river liner the town placed near the outflow of the dredge pond below the surface, he said. When water goes to the outflow, the liner can cause it to get subterranean to the riverbed. He said the water is still in the channel even though it can’t be seen. The water then reemerges by the Ski Hill Road bridge. 

He said this year’s drought condition and lack of precipitation in the fall might have further contributed to the river flow appearing dry. 

“I can assure people that there is water that’s in the channel, and I can assure people that all entities that are utilizing water from the river are meeting the instream minimum flow requirements,” he said. 

He said prior to the town lining numerous sections of the Blue River in 1982, this would happen more frequently. The town began lining the river as a restoration effort, and he said it’s part of the reason there still is water flowing in the Blue River. 

According to the Breckenridge Historical Society, dredge mining that occurred on the Blue River in the late 1800s had lasting negative impacts on the river. An ordinance approved by Breckenridge Town Council in July 27 1982 allocated $16,000 to what was known as the Blue River Reclamation Project. In this project, certain areas of the river were lined to keep the flows above the surface and other areas were rehabilitated. 

Phelps said the town is currently engaged in a study examining that area of the Blue River and others that is meant to help inform the town on what can be done to improve the river’s conditions. The study folds into the town’s Blue River Pathways Project, which features a master plan centered around reimagining how the town interacts and recreates near the Blue River and includes numerous projects targeting different sections of town. 

Phelps said the sub-investigation of the Blue River Pathways project is focused on hydrology and what it would take to ensure there is water on the surface year-round. He said the town is anticipating a preliminary report in late 2026.