Earlier this summer around a small body of water in a small Colorado village, locals gathered and celebrated.

“It was a big celebration by Twin Lakes’ standards,” said one of those locals, Rick Akin. “I think there was 20 people and four dogs.”

The occasion was the return of that body of water.

It’s been known as Barn Pond, for the historic barn it has reflected along with the surrounding peaks — long admired by travelers on this end of Independence Pass. The idyllic scene has been widely photographed and promoted for tourism over generations. It’s been a scene of lunch stops, dog walks and weddings, a scene of inspiration for artists setting up easels.

But the scene was much different last summer.

Akin was among Twin Lakes locals who noticed the waterway they knew as Berrier Creek —

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