Impervious Surface Area and Watershed Health Analysis Report

                

The Fountain Creek Watershed Impervious Surface Area and Watershed Health Analysis Report describes growth and development trends and health characteristics of the Fountain Creek Watershed. The watershed was divided into 27 smaller drainage basins (subwatersheds) and for each individual subwatershed, current and future percent imperviousness was calculated and classified depending on the amount of imperviousness as either sensitive (0-10%), impacted (11-25%) or non-supporting (26-60%).  

Results of the study indicate that changes in percent imperviousness will be most pronounced in the northern and eastern portion of the Fountain Creek Watershed and in the areas which have shared boundaries between the City of Colorado Springs (or other municipalities) and unincorporated portions of El Paso County. Increased growth in the unincorporated portions of El Paso County will continue to put more pressure on creeks within those areas and immediately downstream due to increased streamflow and increased suspended sediment concentrations.
Ephemeral and intermittent streams will continue to see more streamflow and become perennial.  This has already occurred in Cottonwood Creek, sections of Sand Creek and Jimmy Camp Creek which are also expected to see the largest increase in percent imperviousness in the future. 

The information contained in this report will be expanded upon as more data becomes available to determine correlations between imperviousness and watershed health characteristics such as aquatic habitat, biodiversity, water quality, streamflow and geomorphic changes in the stream.

Impervious Surface Area and Watershed Health Analysis Report (.pdf)

If you would like a presentation made to your school or community organization about the Fountain Creek Watershed, please contact Rich Muzzy, PPACG Environmental Planning Program Manager at (719) 471-7080 x109 or at rmuzzy@ppacg.org.