Here’s a look at Fountain Creek’s current status with a bit of historical context, from Chris Woodka writing for The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:
…a couple of things make the Fountain Creek watershed unique:
Water cascades from 14,115 feet above sea level at the top of Pikes Peak to 4,630 feet at the confluence with the Arkansas River. That’s a huge drop that cuts away banks and washes sediment downstream. It’s a population magnet. More than 525,000 people live within its boundaries, most of them in Colorado Springs or in neighboring El Paso County communities. The flows in the stream have changed as the area has developed and base flows in Fountain Creek are now mostly treated effluent. By the time Fountain Creek joins the Arkansas River, it’s a muddy brown river in its own right, a sign of the constant load of sediment it carries as it erodes its banks…
“A lot of people felt the creation of the [Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District] was the end, when in fact it’s just the beginning,” [Gary Barber, who will leave in January after nearly a year as interim director] said. The district operates on a shoestring budget for now, using funds contributed through the Master Corridor Plan agreement, legal services donated by the counties and miscellaneous revenues for things such as grant management.