Fountain Creek Watershed Projects
or Related Projects
 
 Upper Fountain Creek E. coli study

A study to document the locations, magnitude and sources of fecal contamination was conducted on a 12-mile stretch of Fountain Creek, a high-gradient stream on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. This study area focused on Upper Fountain Creek from Green Mountain Falls to the confluence of Fountain Creek with Monument Creek in Colorado Springs.

This study was a collaborative effort funded by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Colorado Springs and Colorado Springs Utilities.

The study was initiated because E. coli was listed on the 2006 303d List for Upper Fountain Creek. The 303d list is a list of water-quality-impaired stream segments throughout the state. E. coli is a type of bacteria normally found in the human and animal gastrointestinal tracts and is an indicator of other illness-causing bacteria and pathogens in the waterway. E. coli is listed as a high-priority parameter because of public-health-related issues and concerns.

This was a two-year study which began in 2007 and ended in Fall 2009. E. coli samples were taken at 16 sites, after which five samples sites were selected to track fecal contamination in more depth:
• Upstream from Manitou Springs
• Within Manitou Springs
• Between Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs

A handout was developed that provides a summary of the study and conclusions.

A presentation given at the last public meeting also provides a summary of the study and conclusions.

A journal article is currently being prepared by the USGS and should be published by April 2010.

Peak to Prairie

Peak to Prairie Section III Project Impact (.pdf)
 
Jonathan Moore of the Colorado Open Lands (COL) gave an overview of the land preservation that is occurring along Fountain Creek. A grant for the total of
$60,000 has been submitted to perform a resource analysis along the Fountain
Creek watershed. This will involve talking to stakeholders and private landowners
along Fountain Creek about protecting their property now and for the future. The
COL would like to be involved in dialogue regarding Fountain Creek and would like
to participate in future FCWTAC meetings. The Fountain Creek Conservation Project has been changed to the Peak to Prairie Project because the project
includes more than just the creek itself.

The Peak to Prairie Project is a large-scale conservation initiative focusing on key resources in El Paso and Pueblo counties. The project involves many partners and stretches from Cheyenne Mountain in the west to the El Paso County line in the east, from the City of Colorado Springs in the north to the City of Pueblo and the Arkansas River in the south. The project covers over 900 square miles of prairie, creek, mountain and plains.

Significance: Within this region are valuable resources such as working agricultural operations, scenic vistas, threatened wildlife habitat, military assets, and open space.

The goal of the project is to preserve and protect these resources by knitting
together and protecting public and private lands. The result will be a relatively intact landscape in one of the last remaining stretches of unfragmented land along Colorado’s Front Range.

Click here for a link to the Web site that discusses Peak to Prairie.