Freestone Aquatics

What Freestone Aquatics does

Freestone Aquatics, Inc. is a privately held, design-build aquatic ecosystem restoration and construction firm headquartered in Littleton/Denver, Colorado, founded in 2007. The company delivers a turnkey service stack spanning nine interconnected offerings: stream restoration and enhancement, aquatic ecosystem evaluation, aquatic habitat design, aquatic habitat construction, stillwater management and construction, fisheries consulting, fisheries management, ranch management, and earthwork. Its underlying technology consists of ecological engineering methods, including proprietary bio-engineering streambank stabilization that integrates fish habitat during bank repair, two-stage channel designs for variable flow regimes, and process-based restoration using riffle-pool sequencing, boulder clusters, post-assisted log structures (PALS), and riparian plant community establishment. The company maintains in-house teams of fisheries biologists, hydrologists, engineers, and heavy equipment operators, and handles 404/Clean Water Act permitting through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Freestone generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts acquired via direct outreach, referrals, and partnerships. Pricing is project-specific and quote-based, with no public pricing. Customer segments include high-net-worth private landowners and ranches, private flyfishing clubs, government agencies (Colorado Parks and Wildlife, National Forest Service, Denver Water), and conservation organizations (Colorado Trout Unlimited and its chapters). Distribution is exclusively direct: all project acquisition occurs through website inquiries, phone, email, and referrals from outfitters, conservation partners, and sister organizations including Flyfish Colorado and Confluence Land Company.

The company has completed over 250 projects across the Rocky Mountain West and claims the deepest design-permit-build track record in its segment. Notable projects include the 2017 Fraser Flats River Habitat Improvement (with Denver Water and Trout Unlimited), the 2020 HEART accessibility project, the 2023 Running Wild Ranch two-stage channel restoration, the 2024 SH Ranch stream restoration (5x increase in angling opportunities), and the 2025-2026 Buffalo Creek Reservoir dam reconstruction involving over 100,000 yards of native material. The firm is founder-led by CEO Clint Packo, employs 11-50 people, holds no disclosed external funding, and operates with a small but expanding multi-state outfitter referral network spanning Colorado, Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, and Utah.

Name

Freestone Aquatics

Legal name

Freestone Aquatics, Inc.

Website

https://freestoneaquatics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Freestone Aquatics is a Colorado-based design-build firm specializing in stream and lake restoration, fisheries habitat construction, and aquatic ecosystem consulting for private ranches, fishing clubs, government agencies, and conservation organizations across the Rocky Mountain West.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquatic Construction and Restoration Services

NAICS

Aquaculture (11251), Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaculture Farm Services & Operations Support (net cleaning, diving, grading, harvesting) (AFAEAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intake/Outfall & Raw Water Abstraction Works (River/Sea Intakes, Outfalls) (IMAFAGAI), Hydropower Environmental & Fish Passage Solutions (EUACAEAJ)

Keywords

• Stream restoration services
• Aquatic habitat construction
• Fisheries consulting
• Lake and pond construction
• Riparian habitat design

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Aquatic Restoration and Construction Services: Freestone Aquatics generates revenue through professional services contracts for river and stream restoration, aquatic habitat construction, fisheries management, and related earthwork services. Projects are typically custom engagements involving evaluation, design, permitting, construction, and monitoring phases. Revenue is project-based with varying contract sizes depending on scope and duration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Freestone Aquatics is a design-build aquatic resource restoration and construction firm that delivers turnkey projects encompassing evaluation, design, permitting, construction, and post-construction monitoring for streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. The company specializes in streambank stabilization, spawning habitat creation, dam construction, pond and lake lining, fisheries management, and earthwork services, executing projects primarily for private landowners, fishing clubs, government agencies, and conservation organizations across the Rocky Mountain West. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services contracts covering the full lifecycle from initial aquatic ecosystem assessment through long-term fisheries management.

Product overview

Freestone Aquatics is a design/build aquatic resource restoration and construction firm offering a unified suite of nine interconnected service offerings. The core portfolio centers on Stream Restoration and Enhancement as the primary service, supported by three foundational phases: Aquatic Ecosystem Evaluation (assessment), Aquatic Habitat Design (engineering), and Aquatic Habitat Construction (implementation). Stillwater Management and Construction extends capabilities to lake and pond ecosystems. Fisheries Consulting and Fisheries Management provide ongoing biological expertise and resource planning. Ranch Management and Earthwork services round out the portfolio by addressing broader property needs. Collectively, these services form a comprehensive turnkey approach from initial evaluation through construction and long-term management of aquatic resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stream Restoration and Enhancement Turnkey stream restoration services encompassing evaluation, design, permitting, construction, monitoring, and customized consultation for creeks, streams, and rivers. Delivered primarily to private landowners, fishing clubs, and government agencies in the Rocky Mountain West.
• Aquatic Ecosystem Evaluation Assessment of present conditions and dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, ranging from simple sampling to intensive multi-season analysis to determine project potential. Provides the evaluation phase of the firm's design-permit-build model.
• Aquatic Habitat Construction Construction services for stream and stillwater habitats including aquatic habitat enhancement structures, streambank stabilization, multi-flow regime channel and habitat creation, spawning habitat creation, dam construction and restoration, pond and lake construction and lining, wildlife island creation, and wetland bench creation. Includes 404 / Clean Water Act permitting through U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Aquatic Habitat Design Stream habitat design services that increase water quality, macroinvertebrate populations, sediment transport, and trout habitat through collaborative design involving landowners, wildlife professionals, hydrologists, engineers, and permitting agencies. Employs proprietary bio-engineering streambank stabilization that incorporates fish habitat during bank repair, and two-stage channel designs for varying flow regimes.
• Stillwater Management and Construction Lake and pond restoration, construction, and management services including fish population management, spawning habitat enhancement, vegetation management, custom lakebed aeration, dam construction and restoration, pond and lake lining, new lake and pond construction, existing lake or pond enhancement, wildlife island creation, wetland bench creation, multi-lake system creation, and floodplain connectivity interventions.
• Fisheries Consulting Aquatic resource consulting including aquatic species inventory, aquatic resource consulting, and riparian vegetation management plans for property management optimization. Delivered to private landowners and clubs seeking professional biology and resource expertise.
• Fisheries Management Fisheries management planning for landowners, private clubs, or outfitting businesses including sport and forage fish stocking, native plant management, aeration system design, and recreational use planning.
• Ranch Management Property management services for ranch and crop producing assets including bridge design, facilities construction, headgate structures, culvert installation, fencing, and agricultural land management.
• Earthwork Heavy equipment earthwork services including land grading, excavation, roadbuilding, pathway construction, retaining walls, high water protection, and agricultural land improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5x increase in angling opportunities on restored river stretches (SH Ranch project: pre-restoration limited to a handful of locations; post-construction over 30 angling locations)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Flyfish ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization that provides connections to network of outfitters and guides, enabling property owners to monetize fishing opportunities on privately-held aquatic resources through fly fishing outfitters partnerships.
• Confluence Land CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization providing real estate services for buyers and sellers, assisting in property procurement and water-use rights management to maximize property value.
• Colorado Trout UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Colorado Trout Unlimited and its local chapters on habitat improvement projects. Freestone provides expertise and construction capabilities for conservation initiatives.
• Denver WatermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Denver Water for Fraser Flats river restoration project, addressing water management and habitat needs.
• National Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Lower Blue River project working with private landowners and public land managers to restore aquatic habitat.
• Colorado Parks and WildlifemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Gold Medal fishery restoration projects, working to regain fishery status on restored waterways.
• Devils Thumb RanchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fraser Flats river restoration project with Trout Unlimited and Denver Water.
• Coalition for the Upper South PlatteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner focused on Upper South Platte watershed protection and restoration.
• Roaring Fork ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner focused on Roaring Fork watershed health and aquatic resource protection.
• Grand County Learning by Doing Cooperative EffortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative conservation effort in Grand County focused on watershed education and restoration.
• Colorado Riparian AssociationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on riparian habitat conservation and education.
• South Platte Enhancement BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnhancement board focused on South Platte River watershed improvement.
• Western Native Trout InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner focused on native trout conservation in western United States.
• Trout and Salmon FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation foundation supporting fisheries restoration and education.
• Bonefish & Tarpon TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization focused on bonefish and tarpon research and habitat restoration.
• Wild Steelhead CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on wild steelhead conservation and habitat protection.
• Skagit FisheriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFisheries conservation organization focused on Skagit River watershed.
• Colorado Outfitters NetworkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of fly fishing outfitters including Landon Mayer Fly Fishing, North Fork Ranch Guide Service, Front Range Anglers, Angler's Covey, and others across Colorado who recommend Freestone services to clients.
• Headhunters Fly ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMontana-based fly shop that is part of the outfitter referral network.
• WorldCast AnglersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIdaho-based fly fishing outfitter in the partner network.
• Fishheads San Juan River LodgeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Mexico-based fly fishing outfitter partner.
• Spinner Fall Guide ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUtah-based fly fishing guide service partner.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Trout Unlimited: National coldwater conservation nonprofit that is a long-standing Freestone partner and a frequent co-funder/co-planner of stream restoration projects. Functions as a buyer, partner, and demand source rather than a competitor.
• Flyfish Colorado: Freestone-affiliated outfitter/guide network that monetizes restored private-water fisheries. Not a competitor but an ecosystem partner that channels landowners toward Freestone's restoration services.

Broad incumbents

• Tetra Tech: International consulting and engineering firm with deep water-resources, environmental, and ecosystem-restoration practices. A natural competitor for federally funded stream restoration contracts that Freestone also targets.
• Resource Environmental Solutions (RES): Large-scale ecological restoration and water-resource infrastructure platform delivering stream, wetland, and mitigation projects nationally. Broader scope and significantly larger capitalization than Freestone, but overlapping project types and customer base (government, private, conservation).
• Stantec: Global environmental engineering and water-resources consulting firm with substantial stream restoration, fisheries, and river engineering practices. Competes for the same government RFPs and large private-sector engagements, though as part of a much broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Normandeau Associates: Environmental and ecological consulting firm providing fisheries, aquatic habitat, and water-quality services to government agencies and private clients. Directly comparable on the fisheries science, assessment, and habitat management service lines.
• Cramer Fish Sciences: Fisheries science and consulting firm specializing in salmonid, trout, and native fish population assessments, habitat evaluation, and management planning. Direct comparability on the fisheries consulting and habitat assessment side of Freestone's portfolio.
• River Partners: California-focused river and floodplain restoration nonprofit/enterprise that delivers large-scale habitat design-permit-build projects. Closely aligned mission and project delivery model, though structured as a nonprofit with different capitalization.
• Biohabitats: National ecological restoration firm offering stream, wetland, and habitat design-build services. Directly comparable to Freestone in core service mix (aquatic restoration, design-permit-build delivery) though operating at a much larger multi-regional scale.
• Wildlands Engineering: Stream and wetland restoration contractor specializing in design-build stream restoration, riparian stabilization, and aquatic habitat enhancement across the Southeast U.S. Highly comparable in technical approach and customer segments (private landowners, government agencies, conservation partners).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freestone-aquatics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freestone Aquatics