Water Quality Variations and Trends in Monument and Fountain Creeks

• Description: ARCA
• State: CO
• State: KS
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 1/1/1993
• Author: Barbara C. Ruddy, U.S. Geologic Survey, Colorado Springs Department of Utilities
• Title: Water Quality Variations and Trends in Monument and Fountain Creeks
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Table 1. -- Water - quality stations on Monument and Fountain Creeks
used in this study
Period
of
Stream data
Station segment U.S. Geological Survey station name collec-
number numbers tion
(water
year)
07103747
6
Monument Creek at Palmer Lake
1977-88
07103780
7
Monument Creek above North Gate Boulevard at
1984 -88
U.S. Air Force Academy
07104000
7
Monument Creek at Pikeview
1976 -88
07104905
7
Monument Creek at Bijou Street at Colorado Springs
1980 -88
07103700
1
Fountain Creek near Colorado Springs
1976 -88
07105500
2
Fountain Creek at Colorado Springs
1976 -88
07105530
2
Fountain Creek below Janitell Road below
1976 -88
Colorado Springs
07105905
2
Fountain Creek above Little Fountain Creek
1976 -88
below Fountain
07106500
2
Fountain Creek at Pueblo
1976 -88
sColorado
Department of Health (1989).
2 Data
collected at each site varied during the period of record.
DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA
Monument and Fountain Creeks are the two main drainages northwest, west,
and south of Colorado Springs (fig. 1). Monument Creek, which originates in
the Rampart Range at an elevation of about 9,200 ft, generally flows northeast
towards the town of Palmer Lake, where it changes direction and flows south-
east to Colorado Springs. Monument Creek flows into Fountain Creek within the
city limits of Colorado Springs. Fountain Creek, which originates on the
slopes of Pikes Peak at an elevation of over 14,000 ft, generally flows south-
east to Colorado Springs. From Colorado Springs, Fountain Creek continues to
flow southeast to Pueblo, where it flows into the Arkansas River. Fountain
Creek drains an area of 926 mil. The main sources of streamflow in both
creeks are snowmelt, runoff from thunderstorms, and return flows from munic-
ipal, agricultural, and industrial water use. Along Fountain Creek, ground-
water discharge also is a source.
Flow in Monument Creek is perennial. Flow from the Palmer Lake - Monument
Wastewater Treatment Plant, flow from Cottonwood Creek, and miscellaneous
inflows from urban areas are the main sources of flow for Monument Creek.
Mean annual streamflow increases downstream and ranges from 7.52 to 28.8 ft /s
for the period of record at three continuous streamflow- gaging stations:
Monument Creek at Palmer Lake; Monument Creek above North Gate Boulevard at
U.S. Air Force Academy, hereinafter referred to as Monument Creek at USAFA;
and Monument Creek at Pikeview.
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