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<br />II. STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION <br />The Big Dry Creek (ARAPCO) watershed lies largely within the southern and southwestern portion <br />of the Denver metropolitan area. The upper end of the watershed is located in Douglas County about <br />five and one-half miles south of the Arapahoe-Douglas County Line in Section 31, Township 6 <br />South, Range 67 West of the 6th Principal Meridian. The confluence of Big Dry Creek with the <br />South Platte River is located west of Santa Fe Drive and north of Bellview A venue in the City of <br />Englewood in the west half of Section 9, Township 5 South, Range 68 West of the 6th Principal <br />Meridian. <br />The area of the watershed tributary to Big Dry Creek is approximately 19.5 square miles (12,500 <br />acres). The drainageway extends from Douglas County through Arapahoe County and the Cities of <br />Littleton, Greenwood Village, and Englewood. A number of changes have occurred in the <br />watershed since 1975 when the hydrology was first studied and reported (Reference 10). During this <br />period the watershed has become increasingly urbanized, particularly the headwaters area that was <br />largely undeveloped in 1975. Major drainageway features including bank protection, grade-control <br />structures, crossing structures and detention facilities have been constructed along the length of the <br />major drainageway. Similar drainage features within many sub-watersheds have also been <br />constructed. <br />At the upper end of the watershed is the Wildcat Mountain Reserve, a conservation area that is to <br />remain undeveloped and covers approximately 312 square miles ofthe watershed. The McArthur <br />Ranch Subdivision is being developed into about 5 acre lots in Sections 20 and 21, T6S, R67W. The <br />Big Dry Creek channel passes through Highlands Ranch which consists of mixed residential uses <br />with some commercial development, and the Links Golf Course. The drainageway itself has been <br />retained primarily in its natural state in dedicated open space. <br />The channel passes through the South Suburban golf course as it enters Arapahoe County. In this <br />area, the channel also retains much of its natural character. Continuing downstream, the channel <br />meanders through an extensive greenbelt as it passes under South Colorado Boulevard and Dry <br />Creek Road, and through to Cherry Knolls Park in Section 25, T5S, R68W, and East Arapahoe Road. <br />This greenbelt extends north of East Arapahoe Road into Sections 23 and 24, T5S, R68W, through <br />Julia De Koevend Park. <br />In the north central part of Section 23, the channel passes through an area oflarge private homesites. <br />North of Orchard Road, the channel continues through an open greenbelt area which is a part ofthe <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I: <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I: <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I' <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />,I <br /> <br />I' <br /> <br />.1 <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I, <br />