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STUDIES IN PROGRESS E. coli Study .for more in.formation please IJisit wwwjountt/in-crk.org 11le study is a collaborative etTort being funded by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Colorado Springs and Colorado Springs Utilities and was initiated because E. coli was listed on the 2006 303d List and Draft 2008 303d List. The 303d list is a list of water quality impaired stream sc=gments throughout the state and E. coli is a type of bacteria normally found in the human and animal gastrointestinal tracts and is an indicator of other illnc=ss-causing bacteria and pathogens in the waterway. E. coli is listed as a high pri- ority paramc=ter because of public health related issues and concerns. 'Ihis study focuses on about a 12-mile segment of Upper Fountain Creek from Green Mountain Falls to the confluence of Fountain Creek and Monument Creek. Sampling is being conducted by the USGS and began in spring 2007. 'Ihe first phase of the sampling is completed and focused on identifying specific areas of high E. coli contamination. Samples were compared to the in-stream water quality standard for E. coli for Upper Fountain Creek of 126 MPN/lOO mL. Project parridpams are working with local communities to identify potential sources and make necessary infrastructure repairs. Further sampling and analysis will be conducted during the winter and summer at five sites. If there are no more obvious sources identi- fied, samples will be analyzed to determine if sources of E. coli arc human or non-human. Possible sources, could include, but are not limited to, crackc=d sewer pipes, open pipes from wastewater sources, septic systems, wild and domestic animals such as horses, cows, dogs, geese, cats, ete. Since there arc no wastewater treatment plants that discharge to Fountain Creek, possible sources from wastewater treatment plants have been eliminated. 'Ihe first of three public meetings to discuss the results of the E. coli study was held on January 21, 2008. 11le final report summarizing the results of the study will be completed by May 2009. Fountain Creek Sediment Transport Study 1llis study will apply a predictive computational modd rot flow and sediment transport at tWO sites in the Fountain Creek Watershed: Monument Creek above \Voodmen Road (USGS Station 071(3970) Sand Creek above the mouth of Colorado Springs (USGS Station 07103970) 'I he major objective will be to assess the accuracy of using three different modeling methods to prcUict suspended sediment concen- trations at two sites with diffcrent geomorphic characteristics. 111is infi)t[nation will be used to evaluate the feasibility of predicting local suspended sediment loads at many sites throughout the watershed aud to idelltify source areas, '!lIe study will also include data col- lected on surface-water discharge, sediment concentration and size distribution for both sites. A draft summary report will be com- pleted by December 2008. Floodplain Mapping 'lhe EI Paso County Map Modernization Project will cover EI Paso County and incorporated areas within the county including Monument, Palmer Lake, Gteen Mountain Falls, Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs, and rOlllltain. 111is project will result in Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for currently mapped stream/ creeks in the county. A similar study has recently been completed for Pueblo County and will begin in Teller County in 2008, "I he FIRMs are used by residents, surveyors, insurance industry, developers, and contractors to: Determine when to require flood insurance. Manage Iloodplains to National Flood Insurance Program standards. Rate insurance company policies. FEMA provides 80% of the project funding with \o(M) provided by Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and \00,1) local and in-kind match, 1he total cost of the study will depend on the number of streams and creeks selected in the study area and the amount of existing information that can be utilized from the Corps Study and other projects. Draft maps are expected to be eompletcd by fall 2008 for review and will become efFective in f.,lI 2009. As part of this process thcre will be a 30 day comment period and a 90 day appeal period from the public. REGULATORY ISSUES Water Quality Impairment (303d) List jor more inj(Jrnlfltion please /Jisit WW/IJ. cdphe. stt/te. CO. liS Section 303(d) of the Fedcral Clean Water Act requires states to pre- pare and submit a list to the EnvironmentaI Protection Agency list- ing waters that do not or may not meet water quality standards. 'lhis is used to set pollution abatemcnt program priorities and must be done for Stream segments where technology based controls for point . sources and controls for nonpoint sources are not able to meet the standards. Segments contained on this list, unless de-listed, requirc a total maximum daily load (TMDL) which is a process to allocate pollutant loads, or potential pollutant loads, among all identificd sources in a manner that combined discharges do not cause the water quality standards to be exceeded under current or future conditions '111is list shows: E. c.:oli is listed on Fountain Creek and tributaries above Monument Creek (Segment la); from the confluencc of Fountain Creek and Monument Creek to Highway 47 bridge ill Pueblo (Segment 2a); and proposed for all tributaries to Fountain Creek which are not on National Forest or Air Force Academy land (Segment 4). Selcnium is listed for j:ountain Creek and tributarics above Monument Crcek (Segment la); from the Highway 47 bridge to thc confluence with the Arkansas River (Segment 2b); and proposed to be de-listed for Monumcnt Creek from National Forest to Fountain Creek (Segment 6), Zinc is proposed to be listed for Fountain Creek and tributaries above Monument Creek (Segment 1a), Perchloroethylcne (PCE) is listed for Willow Springs Pond #1 and #2 (Segmelll 7A). For stream segments that lacked sufliciem information to support a TMDL, but where there are still concerns, an ancillary list was used fi)T monitoring and evaluation to evaluate the reasons for uncertain- lY. 11lt' only segments listed on the 303d Monitoring and Evaluation list are for sediment for sections of Fourmile, Bear and Cheyenne Creek on US Forest Service Land. HU/J//lli)) ered., Wilkr.rhed Nfwrlfttfr / ';.bml1n")()(},~ 3