FLOOD01452

• County: Larimer
• Community: Fort Collins
• Stream Name: Fossil Creek Drainageway Basin
• Title: Master Drainageway Planning Study
• Date: 8/1/1982
• Prepared For: Larimer County
• Prepared By: Simons Li & Associates Inc.
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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Reach 5: Shields Street to upstream embankment of Taft Hill
Road

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Stanton Creek - Reach 6: Confluence with Fossil Creek to County Road 32

Lang Gulch

Reach 7: Confluence with Fossil Creek to 1/2 mile upstream of
Shields Street

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Smith Creek

Reach 8: Confluence with Lang Gulch to 1/2 mile upstream of
Shields Street

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Burns Tributary-Reach 9: Confluence with Fossil Creek to upstream embankment
of Taft Hill Road.

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The reaches are located in Figure 2 and described individually below.

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2.2.1 Fossil Creek, Reach 1

The land along Reach 1 is grassland and fairly flat. The channel reach

is generally swampy, especially downstream of Timberline Road (County Road

11). The channel is perched and sized for low flows. Storm water flows

northeast from the channel along a wide swale and ponds. The water creates a

wide, shallow flooded area upstream and downstream of Timberline Road before

it-flows into Fossil Creek Reservoir.

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2.2.2 Fossil Creek, Reach 2

The land along Reach 2 is grassland with slightly rolling hills.

Currently, the area east of County Road 13 (Lemay Avenue) is platted for homes

and a golf course. The area west of Lemay Avenue and bordering Portner

Reservoir has been purchased by the City for a park. Other development is

proposed at the park border. The channel along tLis reach is meandering, with

steep banks and bank sloughing occurring. The flood plain is narrow except

where the water ponds behind the Union Pacific which backs water up 1/2 mile

above County Road 34 (Trilby Road). Also, water ponds above County Road 13

(Lemay Avenue). The confluence of Fossil Creek and Stanton Creek and the

confluence of Fossil Creek and Mail Creek are located near the downstream and

upstream boundaries, respectively, of this reach.

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2.2.3 Fossil Creek, Reach 3

The land use along this reach is lOW-density residential and open

grassland. Part of the flood plain is confined by a natural embankment to the

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south and a raised road paralleling the channel to the north. The remaining

portion of the flood plain is relatively narrow since the water flows in a

deep, well defined valley channel. Portner Reservoir lies just south of the

Fossil Creek Channel in this reach.

2.2.4 Fossil Creek, Reach 4

The land use along this reach includes low-density residential and open

grassland used for grazing. The flood plain is narrow except at the existing

pond behind Fossil Creek Drive. Lang Gulch flows into Fossil Creek between

Fossil Creek Drive and the C&S Railroad. Burns Tributary flows into Fossil

Creek downstream of Shields Street.

2.2.5 Fossil Creek, Reach 5

The area along this reach of Fossil Creek is open grassland used for

grazing. The channel has relatively low banks and follows a awale. The

flood plain is fairly narrow.

2.2.6 Stanton Creek, Reach 6

The study reach for Stanton Creek is currently undeveloped. The

surrounding area is grassland that is used for grazing. The flood plain is

narrow. The channel has mostly high, vertical banks and follows a valley.

Ponding occurs upstream of County Road 32 and Lemay Avenue (County Road 13).

2.2.7 Lang Gulch, Reach 7
The land along Lang Gulch is partly residential, but primarily used for
grazing. The downstream portion of the channel reach winds through bedrock
outcroppings. The channel crosses the C&S Railroad four times. Most of the
channel has low banks and is well vegetated. The confluence of smith Creek
and Lang Gulch is near the center of the study reach. Ponding occurs upstream
of Shields Street, of C&S Crossing 3 and 4 and of Trilby Road (County Road
34).