Fountain Creek
Encyclopedia
Fountain Creek is a 74.5 miles (119.9 km) stream
in El Paso
and Pueblo
counties, in Colorado
in the United States
.
north of Pikes Peak
, the creek flows southeast through the communities of Green Mountain Falls
and Chipita Park
to the town of Cascade
. It continues southeast through a narrow, winding, steep-sided canyon
, approximately 3 miles (5 km) long. The canyon is traversed by U.S. Route 24
, and was once traversed by the Colorado Midland Train. Locals confusingly refer to it as "Ute Pass", or just "the pass"; but the actual Ute Pass
is some 15 miles (24.1 km) to the west, along US 24.
After exiting the canyon, Fountain Creek flows through Manitou Springs
and into Colorado Springs
, where it picks up Monument Creek west of downtown Colorado Springs, and Sand Creek in the southern part of the city. It then flows south, paralleled by Interstate 25
, through the eponymous Fountain, Colorado
and crosses into Pueblo County
, before finally reaching Pueblo
where it joins the Arkansas River
.
and Pueblo
since at least 1999, when flooding in Colorado Springs caused 70 million gallons of raw sewage
to spill into the creek.. Untreated sewage now spills into the creek an average of 10 times every year. Tests in 2007 by the Pueblo City-County Health Department found levels of the E. coli
bacterium more than twice the state limit in some parts of the creek. http://www.co.pueblo.co.us/pcchd/surface_water/2007%20Fountain%20Creek%20Test%20Results.pdf
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in El Paso
El Paso County, Colorado
El Paso County is the most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States, now more populous than Denver County. The United States Census Bureau concluded that the county population was 622,371 in 2010. In recent years, the population had come closer to that of Denver...
and Pueblo
Pueblo County, Colorado
Pueblo County is the tenth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for the historic city of Pueblo which took its name from the Spanish language word meaning "town" or "village". The United States Census Bureau estimates that the...
counties, in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Geography
From its source near the city of Woodland ParkWoodland Park, Colorado
The City of Woodland Park is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city in Teller County, Colorado, United States and is immediately west of El Paso County and the unincorporated community of Crystola. Many residents in this bedroom community, which is surrounded by the one-million...
north of Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County in the United States of America....
, the creek flows southeast through the communities of Green Mountain Falls
Green Mountain Falls, Colorado
Green Mountain Falls is a Statutory Town in El Paso and Teller counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. The population was 773 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Green Mountain Falls is located at ....
and Chipita Park
Chipita Park, Colorado
Chipita Park is an unincorporated town located in El Paso County, Colorado, named for the wife of Chief Ouray.-See also:*Cascade, Colorado*Cascade-Chipita Park, Colorado*Colorado Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area*El Paso County, Colorado...
to the town of Cascade
Cascade, Colorado
Cascade is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The ZIP Code of the Cascade Post Office is 80809.-History:...
. It continues southeast through a narrow, winding, steep-sided canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
, approximately 3 miles (5 km) long. The canyon is traversed by U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24 is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is west of Clarkston, Michigan, at an intersection with I-75 and its western terminus is near...
, and was once traversed by the Colorado Midland Train. Locals confusingly refer to it as "Ute Pass", or just "the pass"; but the actual Ute Pass
Ute Pass
Ute Pass is a mountain pass west of Colorado Springs, near Divide.The climate is arid, so many plants that grow here are adapted to low water usage. The pass at one time was used by stage coach and equestrian traffic. It is steep on the east side. The pass is traversed by U.S. Highway 24....
is some 15 miles (24.1 km) to the west, along US 24.
After exiting the canyon, Fountain Creek flows through Manitou Springs
Manitou Springs, Colorado
The city of Manitou Springs is a Home Rule Municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The population was 4,980 at the 2000 census.Students are served by Manitou Springs School District 14 and Manitou Springs High School....
and into Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, where it picks up Monument Creek west of downtown Colorado Springs, and Sand Creek in the southern part of the city. It then flows south, paralleled by Interstate 25
Interstate 25 in Colorado
In the U.S. state of Colorado, Interstate 25 follows the north–south corridor through Colorado Springs and Denver. It replaced U.S. Highway 87 and most of U.S. Highway 85 for through traffic....
, through the eponymous Fountain, Colorado
Fountain, Colorado
The city of Fountain is a Home Rule Municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Fountain is located just ten miles south of Colorado Springs and just east of Fort Carson. Fountain and the Colorado Springs suburbs Security and Widefield make up the "Fountain Valley" community....
and crosses into Pueblo County
Pueblo County, Colorado
Pueblo County is the tenth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for the historic city of Pueblo which took its name from the Spanish language word meaning "town" or "village". The United States Census Bureau estimates that the...
, before finally reaching Pueblo
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
where it joins the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
.
Water quality
Water quality in the creek has been a point of contention between the cities of Colorado SpringsColorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
and Pueblo
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
since at least 1999, when flooding in Colorado Springs caused 70 million gallons of raw sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
to spill into the creek.. Untreated sewage now spills into the creek an average of 10 times every year. Tests in 2007 by the Pueblo City-County Health Department found levels of the E. coli
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
bacterium more than twice the state limit in some parts of the creek. http://www.co.pueblo.co.us/pcchd/surface_water/2007%20Fountain%20Creek%20Test%20Results.pdf