Watershed Facts

wa·ter·shed n. 1. A ridge of high land dividing two areas that are drained by different river systems. Also called water parting. 2. The region draining into a river, river system, or other body of water. 3. A critical point that marks a division or a change of course; a turning point. -- American Heritage Dictionary

• There are 8 municipalities (Woodland Park, Green Mountain Falls, Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, Colorado Springs, Fountain and Pueblo) and 3 counties (El Paso, Pueblo and Teller) located within the Fountain Creek Watershed.
• The 2000 population of the watershed is over 500,000 people.
• Flooding and erosion have accelerated the loss of aquatic and wetland habitats, contributed to the loss of hundreds of acres of productive farmland, and caused the foundations of roads and homes to crumble.
• Creeks within the Fountain Creek Watershed contribute about 15% of the drinking water for Colorado Springs and are a source of irrigation for over 100 farms and ranches.
• 85% of Colorado Springs' water is pumped from west of the Continental Divide, and after use, this water is treated and discharged into Fountain Creek.
• Over 90% of Pueblo's 100-year floodplain is developed and includes residential, commercial, industrial and public properties.
• Parts of Pueblo's downtown business district lie directly within the historic floodplain of Fountain Creek.
• Pueblo's flooding history includes devastating floods in 1921, 1935 and 1965.
• The mean annual flow of Fountain Creek has risen from a historical average of approximately 60 cubic feet per second (cfs) to greater than 230 cfs.
• While flow associated with extreme flood events has not statistically changed, there are increasing trends in both low and high streamflow records.