Why didn't Denver protect the Platte River from the beginning?

[Wheatridger]

You all must be newcomers, not to know the sad truth: This is the Platte River after its cleanup and restoration. When I arrived in '78, the central Platte Valley from Union Station to the river was a freight switching yard. A four-story car crusher sat beside Speer, on what's now the Elitch's parking lot. And that was after the first big cleanup, following the 1966 flood. Every bridge across the Platte was demolished, mostly due to the volume of old cars, lumber, trash and debris that washed down with it.

By 1980, Denver was proud of the continuous bike trail along the river. The first version of Confluence Park was in place, beside the Forney Museum (REI). I worked with a group that took children and stray tourists on a short raft trip through the rapids there, and it seemed like good times. Every year since, volunteers turn out to clean up the trash and tires and random stuff. To my knowledge there's no point source pollution left, but there's no way to ensure water quality when storms are running off. I'll never forget a kayak cruise I took after a heavy thunderstorm. The water was warm, recently run off from sizzling pavements, and speckled with tennis balls and dog balls and play balls.

Go out and enjoy the Greenway and its scattered spots of beauty. Know that every mile of bank and trail has been studied and engineered and modified. The latest incarnation of Confluence Park was delayed by a year after they found coal tar dumped right out the back door of that former streetcar powerhouse, requiring extensive cleanup. Denver's tried and tried again to make something of its river, but, in truth, it's not much of a river. The sight of Denver's stretch of the Platte River inevitably disappointments. Like Mark Twain said, "I was sorry to get there too late to see it. Some dog had come long and lapped it up."

[daprara]

years ago i remember reading the Platt water levels are augmented for that area in back of REI.
whatever;
splashing around in the water is fun but use caution bacteria viral levels could be extreme high