Creek History
Fountain Creek and its tributary, Monument Creek, pulsated through the region for centuries. However, development of the City of Colorado Springs over the past 150 years has significantly degraded the condition of urban creek areas. The central creek corridor was once several hundred feet wide, with natural bends, stable slopes, healthy riparian vegetation, and rich habitat biodiversity.
Subsequent construction of the Drake Power Plant and Interstate 25, concrete channeling, and poor adjacent land uses have significantly degraded the functions and natural character of the creek.
Creek timeline
1800s and earlier – For centuries, Indigenous tribes including the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho travel seasonally along the creek corridor for hunting, fishing and gathering.
1907 — Gen. William Jackson Palmer, founder of the City of Colorado Springs, gifts Monument Valley Park, roughly 164 acres and nearly 11,000 linear feet, to the City of Colorado Springs, envisioning it to be enjoyed by all people and all ages for all time.
1935 — A Memorial Day flood destroys 70 homes and kills six people, pushing the creek’s normal flow of 20 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 50,000 cfs. The creek floodplain is widened and channelized to move water out of the city quickly.
1936 — Due to significant damage to Monument Valley Park, the City considers not rebuilding the park. Eventually, the City and Colorado College strike a deal: four adjacent acres become the college’s athletic fields, preserving the rest of Monument Valley Park intact.
1965 — The second-largest flood on record hits the Colorado Front Range, bringing 12 or more inches of rain in a single day. The Arkansas River Basin, which includes Colorado Springs, sustains over $37 million in damage.
1970s-2010s — For several decades, Monument and Fountain creeks take somewhat of a back seat in the community. Even though the creeks still serve important functions, invasive species proliferate, access becomes difficult, and the waterway is rarely considered a place for connection or enjoyment. However, interest remains high to restore the creeks to their natural functions. More than 40 plans and studies seeking to improve the creeks are released over a span of 30 years. Some include “A Master Plan for the Pikes Peak Greenway” (1994), “Confluence Park Design Development Drawings” (2001), “Remediation Scenarios for Attenuating Peak Flows & Reducing Sediment Transport in Fountain Creek” (2013), and “Natural Solutions for a Communally Vibrant & Ecologically Resilient Fountain Creek” (2018).
2017 — The City of Colorado Springs commits more than $460 million to address stormwater and water quality improvements.
2019 — With Lyda Hill Philanthropies, civic leaders Jan Martin, Pam Shockley-Zalabak, and Dolly Wong-Kast begin work on an implementable vision plan for the creeks. Research, listening sessions, and reviews of previous plans commence.
Go here to learn the Project Timeline and Progress
Project Timeline and Progress
Tremendous progress has been made since public release of the COS Creek Plan in 2022, and the ecosystem water restoration of the plan is now a federally authorized U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project — one of the most significant milestones in the effort to date.
For a history of the creeks, go here.
2019 — With Lyda Hill Philanthropies, civic leaders Jan Martin, Pam Shockley-Zalabak, and Dolly Wong-Kast begin work on an implementable vision plan for the creeks. Research, listening sessions, and reviews of previous plans commence.
2020 — U.S. Census figures show El Paso County’s population grew 41 percent since 2000, with 200,000 more residents projected by 2050 — raising the urgency to act.
2021 — Pikes Peak Waterways is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to lead implementation of the COS Creek Plan.
2022 — Following input from numerous stakeholders, the COS Creek Plan is publicly released. Pikes Peak Waterways, the City of Colorado Springs, and Colorado Springs Utilities sign a 20-year collaborative agreement to implement the plan. Pikes Peak Waterways continues to make presentations to a diverse range of local and regional organizations with a keen interest in the future of the creeks.
2024 – The ecosystem water restoration of the COS Creek Plan becomes authorized as a project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). At the advisement of USACE, the proposed project includes the entire COS Creek Plan as articulated at that time as well as further extension north from Fillmore to the creek’s intersection with Garden of the Gods Road as well as rehabilitation of levees along the Templeton Gap Floodway. The 2024 Water Resource Development Act authorizes a feasibility study for ecosystem restoration and flood risk management of the watershed. The Secretary of the Army’s Report to Congress estimates cost of the project at $1.2 billion, which includes a non-federal share of $438 million.
2025 – Pikes Peak Waterways Enterprise Corp. is formed as a Type I supporting nonprofit organization to Pikes Peak Waterways, charged with developing a long-term revenue and investment strategy to help fund construction as the project is federally authorized.
2025 — Pikes Peak Waterways, the City’s Stormwater Enterprise, and Colorado Springs Utilities agree to pursue a locally driven (“Section 203”) feasibility study, a requirement of USACE. This decision amps up the pace of the project instead of waiting several years for a federally implemented feasibility study. HDR Inc. is selected as the engineering and planning consultant. The agreement requires completion of the study by August 2027.
2025 – The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) awards PPW a grant of $187,305 to develop a Stream Reach Plan for Monument Creek, focusing on a three-mile stretch from the north end of Monument Valley Park north to Garden of the Gods Road. (Required match: $62,435.)
2025 – CWCB awards PPW a second grant of $149,842 to develop a Stream Reach Plan from the north end of Monument Valley Park south to the south end of America the Beautiful Park at the confluence with Fountain Creek. (Required match: $49,948.)
2025 – The Economic Development Administration (EDA) awards PPW a grant of $80,000 to support an economic development feasibility study for the creek corridor from Garden of the Gods Road south to Dorchester Park. (Required match: $20,000.)
2026 – The Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation awards PPW a WaterSMART grant of $298,935 to develop a plan focused on the restoration of the natural functions of Monument Creek for a five-mile stretch from Bijou Street north to Garden of the Gods Road. (Required match: $99,665.)
Our Goals
The principles guiding this vision for the Fountain and Monument Creeks Corridor are based on the belief that stormwater and flood risk management are an integral part of a larger goal to restore and maintain natural functions of the creeks throughout the watershed. This holistic approach will provide opportunities for recreation, economic vitality and an improved quality of life for residents and visitors of the Pikes Peak Region.
Build a strong sense of place unique to Colorado Springs
Support economic vitality and revitalization
Create a premiere destination for outdoor recreation and leisure
Restore the natural functions of the corridor
Primary plan recommendations:
- Re-establishment of functioning floodplain terraces
- Improved neighborhood connections to the water and an expanded trail network
- Selective removal and relocation of levees
- Eight new and/or revitalized parks
- Reorientation toward the water to catalyze recreational and economic opportunities
FAQs
How is Pikes Peak Waterways funded?
Pikes Peak Waterways, a charitable nonprofit organization, is funded through grants and philanthropic support dedicated to implementing the COS Creek Plan, including state and federal grants and contributions from regional foundations and individual donors.
What area does the COS Creek Plan include?
The COS Creek Plan encompasses a roughly 12-mile stretch of Fountain and Monument creeks, from the junction with Garden of the Gods Road at the north, south through central Colorado Springs beyond the El Pomar Youth Sports Park to the junction with South Academy Boulevard.
Is the COS Creek Plan a City project or a Pikes Peak Waterways project?
Both. Implementation happens under a 20-year collaborative agreement among Pikes Peak Waterways, the City of Colorado Springs, and Colorado Springs Utilities, with oversight from a joint committee representing all three organizations.
Is this really going to get built, or is it just a plan?
The project cleared a major milestone in 2024, when Congress authorized a feasibility study through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — the process that leads to federal construction authorization and funding. That study is under way now, with a goal of construction authorization as soon as 2028.
What will it cost, and who pays for it?
Early estimates put full construction of the ecosystem water restoration at roughly $1.2 billion, built out in phases over many years, with a mix of federal and local/non-federal funding at each stage. Those figures will continue to be refined and may determine which segments move forward first.
Are Pikes Peak Waterways and the Fountain Creek Watershed District the same organization?
No. They’re separate nonprofits that work closely together. Pikes Peak Waterways focuses on implementing the COS Creek Plan along roughly 12 miles of Monument and Fountain Creek in central Colorado Springs. The Fountain Creek Watershed District serves the entire watershed across El Paso and Pueblo counties.
