The District’s work, through a collaborative effort between many organizations, focuses on protecting, preserving and enhancing our waterways for the benefit of citizens and our natural habitat throughout the region for today and future generations. We care about clean and safe waterways, water quality, and enhancing the ability to fish and recreate in our waterways for improved quality of life for all.
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Fountain Creek Chronicles
November 2019
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2019 Creek Week Summary
Special Edition!
Sixth Annual Creek Week
September 28-October 6, 2019
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It Was a Record Breaker!
This annual nine-day watershed-wide litter and debris collection event broke previous year records for the number of volunteers and crews. Service groups, neighborhood associations, scouts, schools, churches, and other individuals gathered together to help clean up the Fountain Creek watershed. Their continued efforts make our communities cleaner, safer and
more beautiful.
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The Steering Committee, with 19 organizations, businesses, non-profit, educational institutions, and governments represented, volunteered 648 hours this year to plan this annual event. “Creek Week volunteers continue to make a huge impact by removing trash from our watershed communities. Also, citizens are gaining a better understanding of their role in protecting our environment, realizing the myriad of water-related issues we face, and are inspired to participate year after year,” said Alli Schuch, Watershed Outreach Coordinator for the District.
Here’s a look at the results from Creek Week Year Six:
3,203 citizens
106 groups
2,335 bags
28,350 lbs.
14 tons of litter and debris removed
Volunteer crews held cleanups in all of the Fountain Creek Watershed communities: Colorado Springs, Fountain, Green Mountain Falls, Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, Pueblo, Woodland Park, as well as in Trinidad.
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Crew Leaders and Crew members filled out surveys regarding Creek Week. Here’s a look at their cumulative responses:
- 86% of Crew Leaders and 45% of Crew Members were familiar with the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District
- 76% of Crew Members were new to Creek Week this year
- Most heard about Creek Week through word of mouth, community organizations, and previous participation
- Time spent picking up increased: 65% of volunteers contributed 1-3 hours
- 80% say Creek Week changed how they think about waterways
Participants in Creek Week also provided some interesting feedback:
- It has increased my awareness of the interconnected waterways, the need for cleanup, and the importance of these ecosystems.
- I didn’t know how important our waterways were.
- I gained a greater awareness of the issues and impacts.
- I love how we came together as a community to clean up the creek!
Each year participants take note of the strangest items found, here are this year’s top finds:
- ½ case of unopened beer
- Two garden gnomes
- Deer leg
- Barbie with no legs
- $6 cash
- Scooter
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Value of Community Service Creek Week provides in just 9 days:
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The following Organizations were represented by 29 different members on the Steering Committee this year:
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- Altitude Organic Medicine*
- Catamount Institute*
- City of Colorado Springs Parks, Water Resources Engineering
- City of Fountain
- City of Manitou Springs
- City of Pueblo
- Bristol Brewing Company*
- COS I Love You
- Colorado College*
- Colorado Springs Utilities
- El Paso County Parks
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- Evicore
- Fountain Creek Water Sentinels
- Fountain Creek Watershed District
- LexisNexis
- Pikes Peak Community College
- Pueblo County Extension
- Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment
- Purgatoire Watershed Partnership
- Pikes Peak Group of the Sierra Club
- Trails and Open Space Coalition
- University of Colorado – Colorado Springs
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* = New committee members
This monumental feat couldn’t be accomplished without volunteers and financial backing from sponsors. Thank you to the following entities for sponsoring Creek Week 2019:
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Save the Date for Creek Week 2020:
September 26 – October 4th
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The Fountain Creek Brewshed® Alliance
Raising a Glass (and some dollars) for Creek Week
The Brewshed Alliance boasts 20 member breweries/tap houses who recognize the synergy between the mission of brewing great beer and protecting our watersheds. The Fountain Creek BrewshedⓇ Alliance partners with the Watershed District to protect our waterways through environmental education, fundraisers, and cleanups. There were 13 cleanups or fundraisers put on by Alliance Members, raising more than $3,000 for next year’s events. Please visit Phantom Canyon Brewery, 2 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, between now and the end of the year – the District is their featured charity on the purchase of select menu items.
Interested in sup porting Creek Week or the BrewshedⓇ Alliance?
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A volunteer’s experience of Creek Week:
Our Creek is Suffering. It Needs TLC.
By Patrice Rhoades-Baum
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2020 Creek Week Gains More Muscle
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Given the exponential growth and success of the Creek Week clean-up, a creative manpower solution was needed to help with the continuation of this vital project. Enter Colorado College(CC). The Monument Creek-adjacent private college has been a part of Creek Week since year one. The college has assisted in sponsorship, on the steering committee, and in the actual clean up, because they value this impactful program. The college saw an opportunity for its students to gain real-world experience by participating in Creek Week. Now CC is adding some extra muscle to the program. Beginning January 2020, six students from CC will dedicate time to Creek Week and other educational outreach initiatives for the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District.
This “Nonprofit Initiatives” program is made possible with grant support from the Joseph Henry Edmonson Foundation. The program provides opportunities for students to experientially learn about, gain excitement for, and foster their interests in social impact and nonprofit careers by focusing on philanthropy and giving, nonprofit leadership, and board governance.
The student’s primary duties will include serving on the Creek Week steering committee and leading efforts around fundraising, marketing, registration, and process improvements while engaging with the District’s diverse partners. Under the direction of “Creek Week” organizer, Alli Schuch, these student board members will organize and execute nine days of community Fountain Creek Watershed-wide clean up. Other projects may include leading educational programs, representing the District around the watershed, and supporting the Fountain Creek BrewshedⓇ Alliance.
Colorado College Program Director, Cari Hanrahan, and Faculty Director, Kat Miller-Stevens, share a mutual passion for engaging students in experiential learning opportunities in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. “The Nonprofit Initiatives (NPI) at Colorado College is kicking off our new program by partnering with the Fountain Creek Watershed District because it’s a win-win for both organizations: FCWD gains access to highly passionate students who will give the student perspective to Creek Week’s Steering Committee and carry out much of the volunteer leadership work required to run Creek Week itself. NPI at CC gains an experiential opportunity for students to grow into nonprofit leaders through partnership with a high integrity organization, the Fountain Creek Watershed District.”
Welcome aboard, Colorado College!
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How Well Do You Know Your Watershed
We would like to know how familiar you are with the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District. And, what would you like to learn more about in the Fountain Creek Watershed region? If you haven’t taken our survey, please click on the link below. Your input is much appreciated.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS
There are several opportunities to meet with Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District Committees each month. The public is welcome to attend . All meetings take place at the Fountain City Hall, 116 South Main Street in Fountain.
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): 1 p.m., first Wednesday of each month. (TAC – technical experts appointed by the District Board to provide recommendations regarding public policy or expenditure of funds for the benefit of the watershed and to carry on technical and other investigations of all kinds.)
The Citizen’s Advisory Group (CAG): 9:30 a.m., second Friday of each month.
The District Board: 2 p.m., fourth Friday of each month.
The District Board consists of representatives from Pueblo County, El Paso County, City of Pueblo, City of Colorado Springs, City of Fountain, and others as defined by statute
A Monetary Mitigation Fund meeting to discuss and prioritize mitigation projects by the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District: 10 a.m. -noon, third Tuesday each month at Public Works, 33601 East United Avenue in Pueblo.
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The District is governed by nine directors who serve two-year terms on the Board.
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- Board Chair, Longinos Gonzalez Jr., El Paso County Commissioner
- Terry Hart, Pueblo County Commissioner
- Greg Lauer, City Council Member-at- Large, City of Fountain
- Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Fortuin, City of Manitou Springs Ward 2 representing Small Municipalities
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- Richard Skorman, City Council President, City of Colorado Springs
- Larry Atencio, City Council District 2 City of Pueblo
- Leroy Mauch, Lower Arkansas Valley Conservancy District
- Jane Rhodes, Pueblo County Citizen-at-large
- Irene Kornelly, District Citizens Advisory Group
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