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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I BASIN DESCRIPTIONS Antelope Creek, Saddle Rock Ranches Gulch, Tenderfoot Gulch and Sampson Gulch are all tributary to Piney Creek and hence their respective contributing drainage areas are sub-basins of the larger Piney Creek basin. The Piney Creek basin has a drainage area of approximately 22 square miles at its confluence with Cherry Creek one half mile above Cherry Creek Reservoir. The basin is 11 miles long and 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 miles in width. the ridges well above the channel. Vegetation is quite dense in some areas along the channel bottom while the basin slopes are covered with grasses. Channel slopes in the upper part of the study reach range from 1.0% to 2,0%. Located southeast of Cherry Creek Reservoir, the basin boundaries are generally defined by Smoky Hill Road on the north and east and by a ridge on the west which runs parallel to Parker Road. The Saddle Rock Ranches Gulch basin ranges in elevation from 5845 at the confluence with Piney Creek 0.8 miles east of Liverpool Street to 6200 at the top of the basin in Douglas County. There is some large lot residential development at the lower end of the basin on the west side of the channel, The primary land use in the remainder of the basin is ranching. The projected land use will be influenced by the proposed crossing of E-470 approximately 1.2 miles above Piney Creek with medium to high density development near the highway and low to medium density residential development in other areas. The existing stream channel varies in character throughout the study reach. The lower part of the reach has a channel with a loose sand bottom and many large trees and bushes lining the banks. The middle portion of the study reach has many meanders with high steep banks in places and a few large cottonwoods near the channel. The upper part of the reach has a channel that is not as well defined with a few trees and bushes growing in the channel bottom in some areas. Throughout the basin the terrain is rolling and development is sparse, consisting of ranches and a few large lot (2 to 5 acres) residential areas. Steep channel slopes of 2.5% or greater are not uncommon in the upper portions of the tributary basins. The vegetation in the basins generally consists of typical rangeland grasses and a few pine trees in the upland areas near the top of the basins. Along the stream channels the vegetation varies from tall grasses to willows and cottonwoods in some areas, particularly in the vicinity of on-stream stock ponds and road crossings. The Antelope Creek basin elevations range from 5770 at the confluence with piney Creek just east of Caley Drive to 6200 at the top of the basin in Douglas County. The lower part of the study reach has low density residential development on either side of the channel. The stream bed is used as an equestrian trail between Arapahoe Road and Long Avenue and consists of loose sand except at the road crossings where vegetation is dense in the channel. Channel slopes in this area range from 0.5% to 1,0%. Upstream from Long Avenue the channel is more defined with many meanders and high steep banks in many places. Existing development is low density and is located primarily on The Tenderfoot Gulch basin lies entirely within Douglas County. Elevations vary from 6075 at the confluence with Piney Creek at Inspiration Drive to 6340 at the top of the basin. The channel slope averages 1.3% throughout the study reach, ranging from 0.7% near Inspiration Drive to 2.0% near Spring Creek Road. The channel bottom has vegetation throughout the study reach consisting of grasses and scattered trees in the middle and upper portions and denser growth of willows and cottonwoods at the downstream study limit. The Sampson Gulch basin ranges in elevation from 5895 at the confluence with Piney Creek to 6260 above Piney Lake Road at 4